sea ​​anemones

sea ​​anemones

Sea anemones in a drawing by Ernst Haeckel (1904)
scientific classification
International scientific name

Actiniaria Hertwig,

Systematics
on Wikispecies
Images
at Wikimedia Commons
ITIS
NCBI

sea ​​anemones, or sea ​​anemones(lat. Actiniaria) - a detachment of marine cnidarians from the class of coral polyps ( Anthozoa). Representatives are deprived of the mineral skeleton. As a rule, single forms. Most sea anemones are sessile organisms that live on solid ground. Few species (for example, Nematostella vectensis) switched to a burrowing way of life in the thickness of the bottom sediments.

body structure

The cylindrical body of anemones varies in diameter from a few mm to 1.5 meters.

Their length varies from 1.5 to 10 cm. Metridium farcimen from the Pacific Northwest of the United States. They are attached to solid substrates with the help of a “sole” (pedal disc). In burrowing forms that live on soft soils (for example, on sand), special bodies attachment is not formed, but the expanded basal end of the body forms a swelling (physis), shaped like an onion or mushroom and serving for anchoring in the ground. In unusual tropical anemones of the genus Minyas(some species of this genus are painted in the color of a sea wave) in the swelling of the pedal disc there is a chitinous bladder filled with air. These sea anemones passively hover "upside down" at the surface of the water. Similar adaptations to life in the neuston arose in hydroid polyps. Velella And Porpita, which can be considered as an example of parallelisms in the evolution of representatives of different taxa.

Anemones in most cases carry six or more than eight simple tentacles tapering towards the end. There is often a terminal pore at the tip of each tentacle. In a number of species, the tentacles are branched, have widened tips (“knobs”), or, conversely, are reduced to the state of numerous low knobs that evenly cover the entire oral disc, as, for example, in sea anemones of the genus Stoichactis. Some anemones (for example, representatives of the genera Actinia And Anthopleura) are protected from competitors with the help of special tentacle-like outgrowths - acrorags. These outgrowths extend from the body somewhat below the bases of the true tentacles. Acroraghi bear nematocysts and are able to swell. Anemones resort to this "weapon" when in contact with representatives of another species or with anemones of the same species, but a genetically different clone. The collision results in tissue damage and the retreat of one or both opponents.

The body of anemones is usually uniform throughout its length from oral to pedal disc, but in some species the upper body, lying just below the oral disc and tentacles, is a neck-like, thin-walled introvert, or capitulum. The wall of the body below the introvert is usually thicker. The transitional area between the introvert and the rest of the body often bears a collar-like fold (parapet), as in members of the genus Actinia, metridium And Urticina. When the oral disc, tentacles, and capitulum are drawn inward during contraction of the polyp, the transition region narrows so that the parapet covers and protects the remaining opening. The constriction is caused by contraction of the sphincter muscle located in the epidermis or mesoglea.

Externally, the body wall may be more or less smooth and undifferentiated, or it may bear specialized structures. Dense papillae cover the body Haloclava producta And Bunodosoma cavernata. Rows of adhesive papillae (warts) cover the body of other sea anemones, such as Anthopleura, Urticina, Bundosoma And Bunodactis. Grains of sand and fragments of mollusc shells are glued to these papillae, which protect the body of the animal. Some anemones have zinclides through which water and aconia, if present, are thrown out during body contraction. Quite rare are sea anemones (species of the genus Bunodeopsis), over the surface of the body of which thin-walled vesicles (vesicles) containing zooxanthellae are issued, separate or organized into groups.

Some sea anemones have one siphonoglyph, but usually two siphonoglyphs. There are usually both complete and incomplete pairs of septa. Their number is never less than 12, and often much more. Actions may or may not be present. Stock anemones (such as Aiptasia, Bartholomea And metridium) are called aconciate. The longitudinal muscle cords in the septa are exceptionally well developed. They are attached to the oral and pedal discs and are primarily responsible for the retraction of the oral disc and tentacles, as well as for the contraction of the entire body.

At the pole of the body, facing away from the substrate, there is a slit-like mouthsurrounded by a corolla of tentacles.

Sea anemones are devoid of a mineral skeleton: their supporting function is taken over by the intestinal cavity, which is isolated from environment when closing the mouth opening. The coordinated work of this hydroskeleton and muscles of the body wall turns out to be quite effective: among the sea anemones there are representatives that are able to move in the thickness of the soil. Most anemones are able to strongly contract and straighten, which means that their shape and size depend on the specific circumstances in which they find themselves at a given time. Some species secrete chitinous periderm, which is mostly used for protection. The periderm is usually confined to the pedal disc or body wall below the introvert. The most intense formation of chitin is characteristic of pelagic sea anemones of the genus Minyas, as well as for representatives of the group of deep-sea, so-called frilled sea anemones (genus Stylobates).

Anemones, which are usually attached to the substrate, can slowly "slide" over it due to the contraction of the muscles of the pedal disc. Burrowing forms make holes in the ground due to peristaltic contractions of the body, while the movement is carried out by the pedal pole forward. Some anemones can "walk" on tentacles, and Gonactinia prolifera(an organism the size of a hydra) swims by striking the water with its tentacles. large sea anemone Stomphia usually attached to the substrate, but when a predatory starfish tries to attack it, the sea anemone can separate from the substrate and swim due to the strokes made by the lower part of its body.

Many anemones are brightly colored: they can be white, green, blue, orange, red, as well as multi-colored.

USSR stamp

Ecology and nutrition

They feed on various small invertebrates, sometimes fish, first killing or paralyzing the prey with "batteries" of stinging cells (cnidocytes), and then pulling them to the mouth with the help of tentacles. large species they feed on crabs, bivalves that are washed away by the waves. The "lip"-forming edges of the mouth can swell and also help capture prey. Anemones with numerous tentacles, such as metridium, Radianthus And Stichodactyla, feed on particles suspended in water, however, there is evidence that Stichodactyla helianthus catches sea urchins by engulfing them with its muscular oral disc. Forms that feed on particles suspended in water catch plankton inhabitants with the help of mucus that covers the surface of the body and tentacles. The cilia on the surface of the body always hit in the direction of the oral disc, and the cilia on the tentacles ensure the movement of food particles to their tips. The tentacles then bend and convey the food into the mouth.

The gastrodermis of many sea anemones contains zooxanthellae, zoochlorellae, and sometimes both. They are especially abundant in the tentacles and oral disc. Individual color variability Anthopleura elegantissima determined by the predominance of zoochlorella or zooxanthellae. tropical sea anemone Lebrunia danae has two "sets" of tentacles: a corolla of simple tentacles for catching prey and a corolla of "pseudotentacles" containing zooxanthellae. Pseudotentacles, in which photosynthesis is carried out due to symbionts, are straightened during the day, and tentacles for catching prey - at night.

It can cause painful burns in humans.

Symbiosis

Sea anemones and hermit crabs form a very common and often found symbiotic system in the seas. As a rule, one or several sea anemones settle on one crayfish. It is believed that anemones benefit from this cohabitation in a variety of ways: providing a substrate (the shell occupied by the hermit crab) for attachment, transportation to food sources, including bits of food falling from the feeding crab, protection from predators. Encounters of hermit crabs probably provide breeding opportunities not only for themselves, but also for sea anemones. Crayfish, in turn, receive passive protection from anemones (anemones well camouflage their partner in the symbiotic system) and active protection in the form of numerous nematocysts. Most importantly, sea anemones repel such enemies of cancer as octopuses and crabs of the genus Calappa. When the hermit crab "grows" out of its shell and, after molting, looks for a larger shell, it helps the sea anemone move to a new place of residence. To do this, the crayfish strokes the sea anemone, stimulating the relaxation of its pedal disc, and then moves it to the surface of a new shell. Anemones of some species themselves move to a new shell, making a “somersault over their head”.

As they grow, hermit crabs look for ever larger gastropod shells. At the moment of "relocation" cancer is actually defenseless, because at this time it becomes vulnerable to predators. Sometimes he also has to fight with other hermit crabs, because there are often not enough suitable shells for everyone. Anemones of the genus Stylobates with the help of their expanded and flattened pedal disk, they form a chitinous “surrogate” shell, which the cancer occupies - in deep-sea areas where these hermit crabs and their sea anemones live, there are few suitable shells. Since the sea anemone not only creates a “shell” but also gradually builds it up, cancer avoids the dangers associated with changing the shell. sea ​​anemones Stylobates also benefit, because they are not left “unattended” during the change of the sink. In addition, the hermit crab can ward off the anemone's enemies and accidentally share food with it.

Small Indo-Pacific fish of the genus Amphiprion(clown fish) live between the tentacles of large anemones, entering into a symbiotic relationship with the latter. Anemones "recruit" young fish, releasing substances that attract them (attractants). Attractants are species-specific, that is, they attract organisms of a particular species only. The mucus covering the fish does not contain substances that initiate the firing of nematocysts, so they can exist between the tentacles of anemones in a habitat that is deadly for other animals. The sea anemone provides the fish with protection and food residues, and the fish attract prey (fish of other species) to the “hostess”, protect it from some predators (butterfly fish), remove necrotic tissue, and also, swimming between the tentacles, “ventilate” the sea anemone, preventing sludge pollution.

In addition, sea anemones also form symbiotic systems with some amphipods, shrimps of the genus Periclimenes, click beetles, crabs of the genus Stenorhynchus and officers.

reproduction

asexual reproduction

Spreading

Distributed widely. Anemones inhabit deep ocean or coastal shallow waters around the world. Most live in tropical and subtropical waters. An estimated number of anemone species is 1350. Anemones attach themselves to rocks, mollusc shells, and submerged wooden objects, or burrow in mud or sand.

see also

Notes

Literature

  • Dogel V. A. Zoology of invertebrates, 5th ed. - M., 1959.
  • Animal life, vol. 1. - M., 1968, p. 299-306.
  • Ruppert E. E., Fox R. S., Barnes R. D. Protists and lower multicellular organisms // Invertebrate Zoology. Functional and Evolutionary Aspects = Invertebrate Zoology: A Functional Evolutionary Approach / transl. from English. T. A. Ganf, N. V. Lenzman, E. V. Sabaneeva; ed. A. A. Dobrovolsky and A. I. Granovich. - 7th edition. - M .: Academy, 2008. - T. 1. - 496 p. - 3000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-7695-3493-5
  • // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.

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See what "Anemones" are in other dictionaries:

    Sea anemones (Actiniaria), an order of six-pointed corals. Solitary (rarely colonial) non-skeletal polyps. Body from several mm to 1.5 m in diameter, with a corolla of tentacles, usually brightly colored. OK. 1500 species, in all seas, from the littoral to the depths ... Biological encyclopedic Dictionary

    - (sea anemones, sea nettles) beautiful, brightly colored marine animals from class. polyps. A fleshy body, with a suction plate at the bottom, a mouth opening at the top, surrounded by long tentacles, giving the sea anemone the appearance of a flower. Dictionary… … Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

    - (sea anemones) detachment of marine coelenterates of the class coral polyps. OK. 1500 species. Sizes from a few millimeters to 1.5 m. Single polyps, devoid of a skeleton; tentacles with stinging cells. Mainly in tropical and ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

    ACTINIA- Anemones, sea anemones, sessile animals from the type of coelenterates (Coe lenterata) and a subclass of coral polyps; A. represent skeletal single polyps with a fleshy body in the form of a bag, the inlet of which is surrounded by many ... ... Big Medical Encyclopedia

    ACTINIA, detachment of marine coelenterates; solitary skeletal coral polyps. The body is from a few mm to 1.5 m, with a corolla of tentacles (their touch can cause a burn in a person). Usually brightly colored (reminiscent of fantastic flowers). Near… … Modern Encyclopedia

Its second name - sea anemone - actinia received for its extraordinary beauty. This marine life and really looks like a beautiful flower. Unlike other coral polyps, anemone has a soft body. According to biological classification, sea anemones - a type of coelenterates, a class of coral polyps. They are closely related to jellyfish.

Anemone has a soft body compared to other corals.

Description of sea anemone

To determine whether an anemone is an animal or a plant, it is necessary to study the features of its structure. Actinia belongs to the animal kingdom. Her body is cylindrical. From above it is decorated with a rim of tentacles.

External features

Sea anemones come in a variety of colors. In nature, there are varieties of all colors and shades. Many species have contrasting tentacle coloration, which makes these animals even more attractive.

The sizes of these coelenterates are also striking in variety:

  • the height of gonactinia does not exceed 3 mm;
  • the diameter of the carpet anemone reaches 1.5 m;
  • the height of the sausage metridium species can be up to 1 m.

body structure

The main part of the body - the leg - consists of muscles that are located along the ring and longitudinally. Due to the contractions of these muscles, the polyp can bend and change its length. On the bottom of the leg there is a so-called sole. Its surface is different types arranged differently. Some, with the help of the sole, "root" in loose soil, others secrete a special substance with which they attach to hard surfaces. In the genus Minyas, the sole is equipped with a pneumocyst - a special bubble that acts as a float and allows you to swim with the sole up.

The muscle fibers of the leg are surrounded by the intercellular substance mesoglea, which has a dense cartilaginous texture and gives the body elasticity.

On the upper part of the body there is a mouth disk, around which tentacles are arranged in several rows. In one row, all tentacles are the same, but in different rows they can differ significantly in appearance and structure. Each tentacle is equipped with stinging cells that emit thin poisonous strings.

The oral disc leads into the pharynx, and from there a passage opens into the gastric cavity - a primitive likeness of the stomach. The nervous system of the sea anemone is very simple, it is represented clusters of sensory neurons around the oral disc and in the sole area:

  • nerve cells around the sole react only to mechanical stress;
  • clusters around the mouth opening and tentacles distinguish chemical composition substances.

habitats

Actinia is a coelenterate organism, common throughout the world. Most varieties can be found in tropical latitudes, But certain types live even in polar regions, where the ambient temperature is very low. Metridium, or sea carnation, lives in the Arctic Ocean.

The depth of the animal's habitat is also striking in its diversity. Sea anemones can also live in the surf zone, where they land on land at low tide, and in the very depths of the seas and oceans. Some species have adapted to survive at depths of more than 1,000 meters. In the waters of the Black Sea, 4 species of these polyps were found, and in the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov - 1 species.

Shallow water inhabitants often depend on the processes of photosynthesis, as microscopic algae settle in their tentacles. These species are common in places with good lighting and are active during daylight hours.

Other varieties, on the contrary, do not like bright light and tend to go deeper.

Lifestyle and nutrition

Anemone feeds on organic food. These polyps can catch and perceive their prey in different ways:

  • some species swallow everything, including small pebbles and debris;
  • part of the anemones throws out all the inedible objects that they have come across;
  • the largest and predatory ones catch and kill fish that are nearby;
  • some polyps live in symbiosis with algae and feed on them.

The “hungry” sea anemone opens its tentacles-rays wide and catches everything that swims past it. After the sea anemone is satiated, she rolls her tentacles into a ball and hides them. The same reaction is noted when drying out or approaching danger.

All sea anemones are usually divided into three varieties:

  • sedentary;
  • floating;
  • digging.

Sedentary varieties are named so rather conditionally, since they are able to move slowly. Polyps begin to move when they have little food, too little or too much light. Movement can be done in several ways:

  • "tumbles" - when anemones stick their mouths to the ground and tear off the leg, rearranging it to another place;
  • alternately tearing off from the soil one or the other part of the sole;
  • crawling, contracting different muscles of the body.

Burrowing sea anemones sit most of the time, burrowing into the ground so that only the corolla remains outside. In order to make a hole for itself, the animal draws water into the gastric cavity and pumps it, deepening in this way into the soil.

Floating varieties are held on the water and given to the force of the current. They can rhythmically move their tentacles or use pneumocysts.


Polyps begin to move when they have little food, too little or too much light.

Reproduction methods

Sea anemones breed different ways. With the asexual method, the body of the polyp is divided in the longitudinal direction with the formation of two individuals. The exception is gonactinia - the most primitive view, which is divided transversely. In the middle of the polyp leg, a second oral opening is formed, then two separate individuals form.

Some organisms reproduce by budding from the underside of a stalk, producing several new individuals.

These coelenterates are mostly dioecious, although outward signs it is impossible to distinguish male and female from each other. Sexual reproduction takes place in the following way:

  1. Sex cells are formed in the thickness of the intercellular substance.
  2. Fertilization can occur in the gastric cavity or in water.
  3. As a result, planulae (larvae) are formed, which are freely carried by the current over long distances.

Anemones can reproduce both sexually and asexually.

Interaction with other organisms

Although sea anemones are of the solitary polyp type, in some situations these organisms can aggregate and form giant colonies. Most sea anemones are indifferent to their own kind, although some species can be very aggressive and quarrelsome.

With other types of marine animals and plants, sea anemones can coexist very closely. A common example is the clownfish symbiosis. The sea anemone “eats up” the prey after the fish, and that, in turn, cleans the polyp from debris and food debris.

Often, small shrimp act as symbionts: they hide from enemies among the tentacles of anemones and at the same time clear organic debris and debris.

Adamsia sea anemones can only live in symbiosis with hermit crabs, which attach polyps to their shells. In this case, the sea anemone is located in such a way that its oral disk is directed forward and food particles get into it. Cancer, in turn, receives reliable protection from predators. Changing the shell, the hermit will transfer to a new "dwelling" and sea anemone. If cancer somehow loses "its" polyp, it can even take it away from a relative. This existence benefits both species.

Any anemone is extraordinarily beautiful. Therefore, anemones are often called sea anemones. This, which has already become official name, they received for their resemblance to the flowers of plants. Indeed, underwater landscapes, decorated with anemones sitting on them, can be compared with an exotic flower bed.

  • They do not have an axial skeleton and are therefore invertebrates.
  • These beauties belong to the type of coelenterates and are the closest relatives of corals.

And although sea anemones always live alone, and corals always form colonies, both these groups of animals have many similarities in structure.

Dear guests of the ecological park, amazing video meetings with unusual animals await you today!

How is the polyp of intestinal animals arranged?

Anemone - metridium senile (Sea of ​​​​Japan)

Metridium senile - sea anemone, the photo of which you see on this page, demonstrates the structure of a single polyp. A polyp is called a single form of this animal. Therefore, one sea anemone is one polyp. And the coral is a lot of polyps that form a colony.

But the internal structure and principle of life activity are the same for them. A separate polyp resembles a two-layer sac with one opening, open at one end, inside of which there is an “intestinal” cavity.

In this cavity, food is digested, and the hole acts as a mouth. And through the same hole, undigested food remains are ejected from the body of the polyp. The mouth is surrounded by a ring of tentacles.

Watch a fragment of a hand-drawn cartoon about how sea anemones eat.

Video, sea anemone:

So, you were attentive and saw that at first the sea anemone put the caught fish into its mouth, and then threw out their skeletons from there. Amazing, isn't it?

Imagine - sea ​​anemones very similar in structure!

If the jellyfish is turned dome down, then we will see all the features of polypactinia:

  • After all, the hole in the jellyfish is also the same - it serves as a mouth and a place for throwing out waste.
  • The jellyfish has tentacles with which it catches food, and the sea anemone also has them.
  • If you extend the dome of the jellyfish, you get an elongated body of an anemone.

You can even try to make such a transformation of a jellyfish into an anemone on a plasticine model.

Blind a jellyfish from plasticine, and then pull its dome down in the form of a tube and move the tentacles closer. Attach to something strong lower part tubules - here is an actinia for you!

What are the types of anemones?

In nature, there are a variety of types of anemones. In total, there are about 1,500 species of these animals that live only in the sea. freshwater anemones, unlike jellyfish, does not exist in nature. The sizes of anemones vary in a very wide range:

  • body anemone diameter from a few millimeters to 1.5 m;
  • height can reach 1 m;

Most sea anemones have a tall columnar body, in the upper part of which there is a mouth surrounded by numerous long tentacles carrying stinging cells with poison. The lower part of them is attached to the underwater substrate.

But among the sea anemones there is one amazing family. See what these sea anemones look like in an aquarium.

Video, sea anemone:

With the help of this video, you got to know the sea anemone, which is called Amplexidiscus fenestrafer or Great Elephant Ear from the Discosoma family. Isn't it a very successful and telling name?

Representatives of the discos family (Discosomatidae) are the most amazing sea anemones!

The body of the discosoma is in the form of a flexible disk, which is covered with cone-shaped tentacles from the inside. At the bottom of the disk there is a sole for attaching the animal to the substrate. In the upper central part of the disk there is a rather large mouth - a mouth opening.

They are painted in almost all colors of the rainbow: green, yellow, lilac, purple and others. Disc diameter - up to 40 cm

Symbiosis in the life of anemones

Sea anemones and hermit crab are the most common example of symbiosis (mutually beneficial cooperation) among sea anemones. Cancer - a hermit for sea anemones - is a means of transportation, since sea anemones move very slowly on their own. The anemone, whose tentacles have stinging cells, provides protection to the hermit crab.

Before buying sea anemones, as well as others sea ​​creatures, you need to make sure that you have a good idea of ​​​​how to properly contain them. Their requirements may surprise you. Here are some recommendations based on my own experience.

Water quality

IN in general terms it can be said that the same water parameters are required for the maintenance of sea anemones as are required for SPS corals (small polyp stony corals). In particular: high level dissolved oxygen, SG 1.024 to 1.026, stable pH 8.1 to 8.3, temperature 76 to 78 F, calcium 400 to 450, dKH 8.0 to 12.0, magnesium 1250 and 1350 ppm, nitrates of 2 ppm or less (the closer to zero the better), a stable phosphate level of around 0.002 ppm or less (closer to zero is better), and finally zero levels of ammonia and nitrite. The key to a healthy and prosperous existence of sea anemones, as well as all representatives of the underwater world living in captivity, is to maintain stable water parameters in the aquarium at a given level or close to it.

Aquarium conditions/parameters

A) The maturity of the aquarium. When keeping anemones, this aspect is more important for beginners than for hardened veterans (to be clear - I do not consider myself to be the latter). The bottom line is that aquariums younger than 6 months old can be subject to fluctuations in water parameters, and not all anemones can withstand such changes.

B) The flow and circulation of water. Sea anemones need at least a slight current. They breathe by absorbing oxygen directly from the water. In their natural habitat, anemones also need a current that brings food and carries away waste. In essence, sea anemones require medium to low current. One of the most common causes of malaise in sea anemones is abnormal flow. As a result, they begin to move around the aquarium, in order to find the most favorable place. Different anemones have different attitudes towards the flow and circulation of water in an aquarium.

C) lighting requirements. Sea anemones require the same good light as SPS corals (small polyp stony corals) to thrive. Through photosynthesis, sea anemones produce a large number of necessary nutrients. Anemone tissues contain zooxatenella algae, which allow them to use light. Traditionally, metal halide lamps or T5 HO lamps have been considered to be best suited for actinium. The high quality of the LEDs also contributes to the good lighting that sea anemones need. When I kept bubble and carpet anemones, I great success used T5HO bulbs and high quality LEDs. As a general rule, if your lighting is a little less than ideal, you can always make up for it with regular feedings.

There are many different opinions about what should be the optimal lighting. I developed my own rule: 4 watts per gallon of water (14,000 K lamp). Such lighting will be optimal for aquariums with a height of about 20 centimeters. Once again, this rule is based on personal positive experience actinium content.

D) The level of oxygen content. For sea anemones, as well as for other representatives of the underwater world, the most favorable is the high level of oxygen content. Achieving optimal oxygen levels is not difficult, especially if you ensure good water circulation in the aquarium and use a skimmer.

Feeding sea anemones

There are several opinions about feeding sea anemones. Some do not feed them at all, and anemones remain healthy and grow in the aquarium for many years, provided there is sufficient light levels. Personally, I fed anemones two to three times a month, which contributed to their rapid growth and healthy existence. If you want to speed up the growth of sea anemones, you can even feed them 3 times a week. I fed my anemones every week, as a result of which they quickly grew, multiplied and looked quite contented with life.

High-protein animal foods such as shellfish, scallops, shrimp, mussels, and shrimp larvae are great for sea anemones. There are other types of anemone food, but I haven't tried them.

Before feeding the sea anemone, make sure the food is small enough for him to swallow easily. Place the food as close to the sea anemone as possible (I use long tweezers for this). As soon as food comes into contact with an anemone, it should react immediately. It can take up to 2-3 minutes for anemones to pick up food and swallow it. If an anemone is under stress, it may take longer. And be sure to keep an eye on other animals and fish in the tank, as they will usually try to take food from the sea anemone while it tries to eat it.

clown fish

Do anemones need clown fish?... The answer is no. Anemones can do just fine without them. However, such an alliance is mutually beneficial and has a number of advantages for both parties: clown fish protect the sea anemone from other fish and even from some animals that inhabit the aquarium, in addition, clowns leave uneaten food on the sea anemone (that is, they actually feed it), and, finally, Clownfish hide in sea anemones to protect themselves from other fish. At the same time, sea anemones and clownfish can perfectly exist and remain healthy and happy separately from each other.

If you are going to get a pair of clownfish for your sea anemone, make sure you choose the right species and that they will actually bond with your sea anemone in the future, as usually certain types of clownfish nest in certain types of sea anemones.

On the other hand, anemones can become dangerous to other inhabitants of the aquarium, because they are not particularly picky about food. Representatives of some species catch and eat almost all slowly moving small fish or paralyze those who swim too close to their tentacles. My carpet anemone ate a large number of snails (and then spit out the shell), pygmy wrasse (a species of orange-backwrasse), and all the cleaner shrimp, while the bladder anemone did not touch any of them.

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Movement of sea anemones

The movement of anemones around the aquarium may indicate a change in water quality or other conditions, which negatively affects their existence. If your sea anemone has started to move and you haven't changed the lighting or the current, the problem may be related to a change in water parameters. Some anemones are more prone to movement than others. For example, I had a blister anemone that split and one of the detached parts began to move around until it found a suitable place away from the rest of the anemones. However, my carpet anemones have been in the same place for several years.

Addition of sea anemones to the aquarium

If, after reading all the requirements and recommendations, you decide to purchase an anemone and place it in your aquarium, I suggest following these steps:

A) First of all, as soon as you lower the anemone into the aquarium, turn off the current for 24 hours. This will help him get used to his new home.

B) First you need to ensure the “maturity” of the aquarium environment and make sure that the water parameters correspond to the required level and remain stable.

C) Then you need to choose a suitable place in the aquarium. Some sea anemones prefer to attach their feet to rocks, while others like to stick to the bottom of the aquarium. Some sea anemones attach themselves to a substrate that can be placed in an aquarium (3 to 6 inches). Therefore, you should first consider all possible options and choose the best place for your anemone. In addition, you need to think about lighting and water circulation.

D) Now you are ready to buy sea anemones. It is important to choose a healthy individual, so in the store, pay attention to the color of the sea anemone (the color should not be pale) and the mouth (it should be closed).

E) After the purchase, you must carefully bring the sea anemone home and help him adapt to new living conditions.

E) In addition to acclimatizing sea anemones to water parameters, attention should be paid to adaptation to aquarium lighting. One of better ways is to use a translucent plastic screen for shading. Place three of these screens at the top of the tank and remove one about every 3 days. This will allow the sea anemones to gradually get used to the new lighting.

G) From several days to a week, the anemone will be in a stressful state until it gets used to the new conditions of existence. For a day or two, an anemone may hide in rocks or keep its mouth wide open. This reaction can be repeated several times.

H) Until your anemone settles in its new home, it is better to turn off the current at night. By own experience I can tell that anemones start moving after you turn off the lights. And when moving, they can easily penetrate the pump.


If you notice one or more of the following signs of stress within a week of placing an anemone in the aquarium, or notice them after long stay anemones in the aquarium, this indicates difficulties with adaptation or the unfavorable condition of your anemone.

A) Sea anemones secrete a lot of viscous brown liquid. This may signal that the water parameters are not suitable for your anemone, as a result of which it is losing zooxatenella. This can become a serious problem.

B) The sea anemone shrinks or swells too much. This usually happens when the anemone is cleared of waste by changing the water that is inside. However, if this happens constantly (say every day or more), or if the anemone remains compressed for a long time, this sure sign stressful condition.

C) The anemone's mouth is open even when it is not eating or excreting waste.

D) Anemone moves in stones and disappears from view (for stone anemones this is the norm).

E) Actinia turned pale or almost colorless, this effect is also called “whitening”. In general, this is another symptom of the loss of zooxatenell, or the result of insufficient preparation of anemones for new aquarium lighting.

E) The anemone's mouth remains open or dilated even when the anemone is not eating. In extreme cases of stress, the mouth will turn inside out.

G) Sea anemones are not fixed anywhere in your tank.

Anemone bleaching

If your sea anemone suddenly becomes discolored (or loses most of its color) during an extended stay in a tank, this is an indication of lighting or water quality problems. Listed below are the most common causes of anemone bleaching.


A) Too much light
B) Insufficient lighting
C) Too high nutrient levels in the water
D) Too low nutrient levels in the water

Below I have given recommendations based on my own experience for the maintenance of carpet and bubble anemones. Today, there are many other types of sea anemones suitable for keeping in an aquarium, however, personal experience I have not encountered them.

bubble anemones

Currently, this species is one of the most common in the aquarium trade. From my own experience, I can say that bubble anemones are one of the most unpretentious and probably the most hardy species for aquarium keeping. As a rule, in order to gain a foothold and protect their foot, bubble anemones choose cracks in the stones. The most favorable conditions for them are moderate water flows and average level illumination.

Red and green bubble anemones are the most common, but blue and orange anemones can be found. They are easy to distinguish due to their very long tentacles (1-2 inches long) with bubbles at the ends. The size and shape of the bubbles, depending on the type of anemone, can vary from very large to almost invisible. Bubble anemones can be up to one meter in diameter, so I suggest using an aquarium of at least 30 gallons.

Usually bubble anemones penetrate with their foot into the crevice of the stone, where they are further fixed. They prefer moderate water currents and medium light levels. Bubble anemones are the most active in the aquarium. Any change, even a small one that is difficult to determine, can set these anemones in motion.

Ideal conditions for keeping bubble anemones contribute to rapid reproduction, which occurs in two ways - sexually (spawning) and asexually (dividing). In just one year, living in my aquarium, the bubble anemone has grown into five full-fledged anemones. It works like this: when an anemone reaches its maximum size, it divides and one part begins to move around the aquarium until it finds a suitable place.

If you want to add clownfish to your aquarium, check out the list below for species that prefer to live in bubble anemones. I found this list in a marine aquarium magazine.


Amphiprion clarkii
Amphiprion ocellaris
Amphiprion akindynos(reef clown)
Amphiprion bicinctus(two stripe clown)
(orange-finned clownfish)
Amphiprion ephippium(fire clown)
Amphiprion frenatus(tomato clown)
Amphiprion latezonatus(broadband clown)
Amphiprion mccullochi(McCulloch's clown)
Amphiprion melanopus(black clown)
Amphiprion rubrocinctus(Australian clown)
Amphiprion tricinctus(three stripe clown)

The photo below is of my blister anemone three weeks after dividing. After I took the photo after one or two weeks, the left anemone began to move around the aquarium.

Carpet anemones

This type of sea anemone is one of the most difficult to keep in an aquarium. The most common carpet anemones are Stichodactyla gigantea And Stichodactyla haddoni. In appearance, they are very similar, so it is quite difficult to distinguish them from each other. However, due to slight differences in the needs of these anemones, which may affect their further development, one should learn to distinguish between them.

Carpet anemones Stichodactyla gigantea

These anemones are the most difficult to care for. I have spent a lot of time studying these sea anemones, so I can tell exactly what the difference is between gigantea And haddoni. in diameter gigantea (Stichodactyla gigantea) reaches over 1.5 meters, and often weighs around 2 pounds when contained in ideal conditions. IN natural environment Habitat diameter of these sea anemones can reach up to three meters. Their tentacles are the longest among the carpet anemones, but much shorter than those of the bubble anemones. The tentacles are ¼ to ¾ inches long. In appearance, these sea anemones are similar to a shaggy carpet of the 60s. As a rule, they have a brown or sandy color, less common are green, blue, yellow, purple and pink anemones. Most rare colors- red and dark blue. There are no known cases of breeding in the home aquarium.

For content S. gigantea Many recommend using a species tank of at least 40 gallons, but I would recommend a tank of at least 75 gallons. In addition, it is necessary to ensure a moderate (or slightly above average) circulation of water in the aquarium. I have seen such an anemone nestled right in the flow of the return pump. sea ​​anemones S. gigantea are the most demanding on lighting conditions, therefore, compared to the rest, they need more light. They like to bury their foot 3-6 inches into the substrate and attach themselves to the bottom of the aquarium. Thus, when they feel threatened, they are completely drawn into the substrate.

In this photo you can see anemones S. gigantea rare colors.

I took this photo at a local aquarium store.

Below is my blue carpet anemone.

Carpet anemones Stichodactyla haddoni

sea ​​anemones haddoni (Stichodactyla haddoni) can reach the same large sizes, as giant sea anemones, about 2 meters in diameter. Although they are difficult to keep, these difficulties are nothing compared to the difficulties that arise when keeping giant anemones. S. haddoni have very short tentacles that look more like colored bumps. They look a bit like commercial carpets to me. Their tentacles are about half the length of giant anemone tentacles. As a rule, they are brown or sandy in color, green, blue and purple are less common, red and pink are the most rare.


S. haddoni increase in size very quickly. My sea anemone grew from 4 inches to 12 inches in 18 months. Many recommend a 40 gallon or larger aquarium for the primary setting, but I recommend 75 gallons or more. They are usually placed in the sand, burying their foot 3-6 inches into the substrate, and attach themselves to the bottom of the aquarium. As soon as they feel danger, they are completely drawn into the substrate. Although haddoni and gigantea have similar light requirements, haddoni prefer less water circulation than gigantea (below average).


sea ​​anemones S. haddoni quite aggressive with their victims: as soon as they get too close to their tentacles, haddoni immediately grab and eat them. Due to the highly adhesive tentacles, they are quite difficult to deal with. My sea anemone ate a lot of snails (and then spit out shells), shrimp and a few fish.


Clown fish mostly prefer to settle in carpet anemones. [ Note. ed.: Dubious assertion] If you want to add clownfish to your aquarium, check out the following list to help you determine which clownfish species are best for carpet anemones.

Amphiprion ocellaris(anemone clown (all kinds of colors))
Amphiprion akindynos(reef clown)
Amphiprion chrysogaster(Muritic clown)
Amphiprion chrysopterus(orange-finned clownfish)
Amphiprion clarkii(Clark the Clown)
Amphiprion polymnus(saddle clown)
Amphiprion sebae(Seba the clown)
Amphiprion chrysopterus Blueline(orange-finned clownfish)
Amphiprion ephippium(fire clown)
Amphiprion frenatus(tomato clown)


Below is my red carpet anemone haddoni. This photo was taken immediately after being placed in the aquarium, which was then about 4 inches in size. In the following photos you can see haddoni in normal size - about 14 inches.

Any person who has seen this amazing creature is primarily interested in: is an anemone an animal or a plant? Many are misled by the definition of this creature - "sea anemone": yet most people know that an anemone is a flower. Surprisingly beautiful, able to adapt to life in the form of rather vulnerable organisms, amaze the imagination: you just want to take them with you, protect and shelter. Not worth it! First of all, it is not for nothing that sometimes these creatures are called "jellyfish anemones": they are quite capable of standing up, and not only for themselves. And secondly, you are unlikely to be able to create suitable living conditions for them. So, being at the resort, just enjoy their view and try not to swim too close, so as not to treat after quite painful burns.

Appearance

It is the appearance of these creatures that gives rise to eternal question: Anemone is an animal or a plant? And by the way, until the end of the 19th century, they were classified as plant species. However, science does not stand still: it was found that "sea anemones" are animals that are similar in structure and lifestyle to jellyfish and other intestinal cavities, to which many biologists include ctenophores.

If you explain primitively, then any sea anemone (photos are presented) is one continuous mouth on a leg. Flower-like "petals" are the tentacles responsible for delivering food. Most often, the “stand” has a flat sole, with which “sea anemones” are attached to a rock or a hard bottom; but there are species with a pointed limb - they are stuck into the bottom like a bouquet; and there are floating varieties. Observing the behavior of these creatures, you will no longer be puzzled: is an anemone an animal or a plant? It immediately becomes clear that she is not just an animal - she is a predator.

Sea anemones are not polyps

It would also be a mistake to say that this most beautiful creature is coral. The sea anemone, no doubt, is very close to the polyps, which form islands that enchant everyone. However, they do not form a skeleton, but corals are the skeletons of polyps. At the same time, it cannot be said that the sea anemone is “soft-bodied”, since the substance that fills the space between its cells forms a very thick layer and resembles cartilage in vertebrates in density.

What do they eat?

Another argument in doubt, sea anemone is an animal or plant - its diet. If those interested remember, plants feed on water (with substances dissolved in it) and what they can get from the soil. However, sea anemones prefer a completely different menu. It includes medium-sized invertebrates and small fish (if you're lucky). The method of obtaining food is also absolutely non-vegetative: the tentacles paralyze the prey and pull it to the mouth. Some may object: this is also known, but they cannot boast of their mouths and dissolve their prey with enzymes located directly on the leaf plate or in a trap flower. That is, they do not have organs designed exclusively for digestion.

Impact on the victim

Even if we assume that anemone is a plant, then we must look for an explanation for its method of hunting. In each stinging cell - albeit a very, very small one - there is a kind of capsule in which the poison is enclosed. And on the outside there is a stinging thread with spikes facing backwards. Visually, under a microscope, this whole device resembles a miniature harpoon. When an anemone attacks, the thread straightens, the needle pierces the victim's body and releases poison. Not a single plant has such a complex structure - they are much lower in the evolutionary ladder and have a much simpler structure.

By the way, the stinging poison of anemones is dangerous even for such large organism, As a person. Of course, it will not lead to a fatal outcome, but burning with itching will provide, and in some cases necrosis develops. Those who regularly communicate with gentle "anemones", almost all without exception have an allergy.

The famous symbiosis

I must say that most marine flowers lead a fixed lifestyle. However, updating the hunting grounds is what any sea anemone needs. Locomotion is usually carried out by means of symbionts. The most famous of them (familiar thanks to the Soviet touching cartoon) is the hermit crab. The most interesting thing is that this armored one itself transfers a creature deadly to mollusks onto its “shell”. Enough for a long time they coexist peacefully: the cancer carries the sea flower from place to place, the sea anemone repels the attacks made against it natural enemies. However, everything is not so rosy: the “leg” of the sea “flower” easily dissolves the organic matter that makes up the carrier’s shell, after which the cancer comes to an end.

Moving sea anemones

Even those sea anemones, which are designed by nature to "sit" in place, can move. In the end, the small inhabitants of the oceans, as the people say, are “no dumber than a steam locomotive” and eventually realize the danger of some bottom area. Accordingly, ocean flowers are forced to migrate as their hunting grounds become scarce. What does the average sea anemone do in this case? Move her slowly but surely. The sole separates from the bottom, extends a small distance, is fixed and tightens the rest of the body. However, small species (like gonactinia) can even swim by straightening their tentacles backwards.

Fish-actinium cooperation

I must say, ocean anemones symbiote not only with hermit crabs. They also travel on other armored ones (however, for carriers this usually ends the same way, even in the case of small varieties). However, sea anemones can coexist quite peacefully with fish. Off the Australian coast, the largest sea anemones on earth (their “mouth” is often not limited to a one and a half meter diameter) give shelter among their tentacles to amphiprions - very bright fish that feed the “owner” with fallen food residues, and create additional aeration with the work of their fins. At the same time, anemones are quite capable of distinguishing their friends from other fish and actively protect them from predatory encroachments.

Anemone breeding

They prefer the sexual method, which is another proof that sea flowers are animals, not plants. However, under adverse conditions, they can also use budding, in which you begin to remember the misconception about “an anemone is a plant”, and longitudinal or transverse division. This is especially true for small varieties. The same gonactinia tends to split across. It is extremely interesting to observe this: first of all, a wreath of tentacles grows around the circumference of the body, and then it is divided. The upper half grows a sole, the lower half grows a “mouth” and another set of goads. It is noteworthy that the second division does not wait for the end of the first, so that an anemone of this species may be surrounded by several rings of tentacles, foreshadowing the imminent appearance of several individuals.

You can check if an anemone is an animal or a plant by your own example. Sea anemones do not regard a person as either an enemy or a prey. So when a human touches, they simply fold (if they are not pulled, of course). You could say they are hiding. And the rest of the sea anemone (photos show this) is very beautiful and interesting creature, for which it is curious even just to observe.