Anemone Care Guide: BTA, Magnifica, and More

Anemones: Beautiful, Demanding, and They Will Wander

Anemones are iconic, but they aren't beginner animals. Adding one before a tank is ready is a reliable way to lose both the anemone and whatever it stings on its way through the rockwork.

The Golden Rule: Wait

A tank should be at least 9–12 months old before adding an anemone. They need:

Stable water parameters — anemones are sensitive to swings in alkalinity, salinity, and temperature
Mature live rock — they need surfaces to attach to
Strong, established lighting — most species need high PAR
A stable ecosystem — no ongoing ugly phases (diatoms, cyano, parameter swings)

Species Guide

Bubble Tip Anemone — The recommended starter anemone. Hardiest commonly available species, hosts most clownfish, and comes in stunning colour morphs. Needs moderate-high light (150–250 PAR), moderate flow, and stable water. Splitting is common in healthy BTAs.

Magnificent/Ritteri Anemone — Beautiful but significantly harder to keep. Needs very high light, pristine water quality, and prone to wandering. Expert-level.

Long Tentacle Anemone — Sand-dwelling with distinctive long tentacles. Needs a deep sandbed (10cm+). Moderate difficulty.

Carpet Anemone — Massive, incredibly sticky, and will eat fish. Only for very large, dedicated setups.

The Wandering Problem

Anemones move. An unhappy anemone will detach and drift through the tank, stinging every coral it touches. To minimise wandering:

Get the lighting right — wandering often means seeking better light
Provide good attachment points — crevices where the base can wedge in
Stable flow — not too much direct current
Once settled, leave them alone

Never try to pull an anemone off rocks — it tears the base and can be fatal. Redirect water flow to guide it away from danger areas instead.

Feeding

BTAs benefit from occasional feeding — a small piece of raw prawn or mysis once or twice a week. A piece the size of a pea is plenty. Most nutrition comes from light via zooxanthellae.

What anemone species are people keeping? Any tips on getting them to settle?