Magnificent Sea Anemone (Heteractis magnifica)
Many people have questions as to what they should be mindful of when they are purchasing an anemone. The first thing you want to do is make sure you are dealing with a reputable seller. Just like you wouldn’t buy a new puppy for your little girl in a back alley, don’t just go to anyone to buy an anemone. Once you are satisfied you are dealing with a good seller, here are a few things to look for to make sure your new friend is healthy:
- Look for foot (pedal disc) or body tears – despite what you may be told, often tears don’t heal and they can be the source for a bacterial infection to occur. If you see a tear, move on to the next specimen.
- Open mouth – You never want to see an anemone with a open mouth. The mouth should be closed and tight. If you see an anemone with an open mouth, it is a classic sign that the anemone is dying.
- Inability to attach its foot – If you see an anemone floating around the aquarium, check its foot for damage – it’s inability to take hold is usually a sign of damage.
- Indifferent to stimuli – If an anemone does not react to stimulus it likely is not healthy.
- Pale color – If an anemone is pale that is often a sign of illness or loss of the anemone’s natural algae composition.
Anemones are wonderful additions to many marine aquariums. We hope this will help some beginner and intermediate aquarists with picking out a healthy anemone. For anemone clownfish compatibility please visit our article on Pairing Clownfish with Anemones.
sea anemone morphology
