Branching anemones anyone?

[damsels are not mean]

Here is a member of the Actinodendridae family, branching anemones. Don't know much but they look really cool and unique. This one is hosting some thors. Has anyone kept one of these in captivity ever? Are they even available/legal in the trade?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Here is a member of the Actinodendridae family, branching anemones. Don't know much but they look really cool and unique. This one is hosting some thors. Has anyone kept one of these in captivity ever? Are they even available/legal in the trade?

One type used to show up in the trade - fire anemone. Really strong sting on people and fish….nasty critter!
Jay

 

[Cell]

That thing is awesome. It looks like some strange softie.

 

[damsels are not mean]

That thing is awesome. It looks like some strange softie.

Yeah it's sort of like a cross between frogspawn and dendronephthya.

One type used to show up in the trade - fire anemone. Really strong sting on people and fish….nasty critter!
Jay

Well if the rest of the family are similar that would explain the rarity in the trade.

 

[outhouse]

me likee

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Yeah it's sort of like a cross between frogspawn and dendronephthya.



Well if the rest of the family are similar that would explain the rarity in the trade.

Ha! I forgot part of the common name for these - it isn't "fire anemone" it is "Hell's Fire Anemone"!

50+ years ago, when I was a kid, working in a pet store, my boss ordered one. We put it in our big anemone/clownfish tank. It filled up one whole side of the tank. A customer came in to buy a damselfish. I went in with two nets and started chasing after a damsel. Fish were rushing back and forth and some brushed into the anemone. Those looked like they had been shocked with electricity. Some of the anemone's nematocysts got on the net and the damsel I caught in it also died. I was thinking, what's going on here, all the fish are dying for no reason. Then, I figured out it was the anemone....through it all, I never got stung myself though.

Jay

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Ha! I forgot part of the common name for these - it isn't "fire anemone" it is "Hell's Fire Anemone"!

50+ years ago, when I was a kid, working in a pet store, my boss ordered one. We put it in our big anemone/clownfish tank. It filled up one whole side of the tank. A customer came in to buy a damselfish. I went in with two nets and started chasing after a damsel. Fish were rushing back and forth and some brushed into the anemone. Those looked like they had been shocked with electricity. Some of the anemone's nematocysts got on the net and the damsel I caught in it also died. I was thinking, what's going on here, all the fish are dying for no reason. Then, I figured out it was the anemone....through it all, I never got stung myself though.

Jay

You are correct. Hell Fire is exactly what it feels like if you touch one.

They are very easy to care for, but are very aggressive. They will reach out to try and snag fish. Not hunting so to speak, but will put their "arms" in the random flow to try and snag a fish that happens to get stung.

Lost a foxface with mine, before rehoming it to a very good friend.

I will say, 20+ year old clarkii that have had nems for that whole time can toloerate them for about 10 seconds or so lol. Mine dove in, and I about lost it, then came out very quickly with marks on them from being stung. They did try the tent biting for a minute or 2 and then gave up lol.

I do miss that nem though. Super bright and very interesting.

 

[damsels are not mean]

The prettiness is not worth all that I suppose . Maybe a species tank with some anemone shrimp or something would be appropriate.

 

[elysics]

How easy is easy? A local LFS here has one sitting in an isolation box for a while now, almost makes me want to set up a little poison garden with some fire coral and some palys for fun

You are correct. Hell Fire is exactly what it feels like if you touch one.

They are very easy to care for, but are very aggressive. They will reach out to try and snag fish. Not hunting so to speak, but will put their "arms" in the random flow to try and snag a fish that happens to get stung.

Lost a foxface with mine, before rehoming it to a very good friend.

I will say, 20+ year old clarkii that have had nems for that whole time can toloerate them for about 10 seconds or so lol. Mine dove in, and I about lost it, then came out very quickly with marks on them from being stung. They did try the tent biting for a minute or 2 and then gave up lol.

I do miss that nem though. Super bright and very interesting.