Anemones and the Clowns that host them

There's been a lot of talk lately about different clownfish and anemones.

In this thread I'm going to talk about the different anemones and what clowns will actually host them. I hope that it helps everyone on the decisions they make when they purchase their stock.

Only certain clowns will host with certain nems. They are not interchangeable. In fact a clown may never host a nem even if they do so in the wild. They may pick a xenia or mushroom or even a rock cave.

The first Anemone that's going to be discussed is
CRYPTODENDRUM ADHAESIVUM also known as Adhesive Sea Anemone or Pizza Sea Anemone.

These are found in areas around Australia to southern Japan and Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia westward to Thailand, Maldives, and all they way to the Red Sea.

The tentacles on this are very sticky. They also have two different forms. That's why the ones on the outside of the disc are different from the inside ones. The inside tentacles have a narrow stalk and split at the end. The outside ones are similar to the inside, but with fewer branches.

Here is a pic of it in the wild


This isn't a very popular nem with people. Not many have it in their tanks

The only fish that will host this is
A. clarkii (Clark's Anemonefish or Yellowtail Clownfish)

The next is ENTACMAEA QUADRICOLOR

Also known as Bubble Tip Anemone, Bubble Anemone, or Bulb Anemone, or Bulb-Tentacle Sea Anemone or Maroon Anemone.

Here is a pic of the nem


These are found in a similar area at the last nem, but are more so at Micronesia and Melanesia to East Africa and the Red Sea, and from Australia to Japan.

The clowns that host this are listed below. Some being very rare in the aquarium trade. I'll get into each clown more in another thread.
A. akindynos (Barrier Reef Clownfish)
A. allardi (Allard's Clownfish)
A. bicinctus (Red Sea Clownfish or Two-Banded Clownfish)
A. chrysopterus(Orange-Fin Clownfish)
A. clarkii (Clark's Clownfish)
A. ephippium (Red Saddleback Anemonefish or Saddle Anemonefish)
A. frenatus (Tomato Clownfish)
A. mccullochi (Mcculloch's Clowns)
A. melanopus (Red and Black Clownfish)
A. omanensis (Oman Anemonefish)
A. rubrocinctus (Australian Anemonefish, Red Anemonefish, Redgirdled Anemonefish)
A. tricinctus (Three-Band Anemonefish)
Premnas Biaculeatus (Maroon Clownfish)
A. ocellaris (Ocellaris Clownfish)

HETERACTIS AURORA also known as Beaded Sea Anemone

Here is a photo


This nem is found in Micronesia and Melanesia to East Africa and the Red Sea, and Australia to the Ryukyu Islands

the clowns that host it are
A. akindynos (Barrier Reef Clownfish)
A. allardi (Allard's Clownfish)
A. bicinctus (Red Sea Clownfish or Two-Banded Clownfish)
A. chrysogaster (Mauritian Anemonefish)
A. chrysopterus (Orange-Fin Clownfish)
A. clarkii (Clark's Clownfish)
A. tricinctus (Three-Band Anemonefish)

HETERACTIS CRISPA also known as Leathery Sea Anemone

Here is a pic


These can have up to 800 tentacles. They can live attached to coral branches or have their base buried the substrate.

The clowns that will host this are
A. akindynos (Barrier Reef Clownfish)
A. bicinctus (Red Sea Clownfish or Two-Banded Clownfish)
A. chrysopterus (Orange-Fin Clownfish)
A. clarkii (Clark's Clownfish)
A. ephippium (Red Saddleback Anemonefish or Saddle Anemonefish)
A. latezonatus (Wide-Band Anemonefish)
A. leucokranos (White Bonnet Clownfish or White Cap Clownfish)
A. melanopus (Red and Black Clownfish)
A. omanensis (Oman Anemonefish)
A. percula (Orange Clownfish or Percula Clownfish)
A. perideraion (Pink Skunk Clownfish or Pink Anemonefish)
A. polymnus (Saddleback Clownfish or Saddleback Anemonefish) or Barb's favorite
A. sandaracinos (Orange Anemonefish or Orange Skunk Clownfish)
A. tricinctus (Three-Band Anemonefish)

HETERACTIS MAGNIFICA also known as Magnificent Sea Anemone and Ritteri

Here is a pic of it in the wild.


This nem is from French Polynesia to East Africa, and Australia to the Ryukyu Islands

These are usually attached to coral boulders in a prominent position. They can cause irritation and welts to occur on skin.

The clowns that are known to host this are:
A. akallopisos (Skunk Clownfish or Nosestripe Anemonefish or Western Skunk clown)
A. akindynos (Barrier Reef Clownfish)
A. bicinctus (Red Sea Clownfish or Two-Banded Clownfish)
A. chrysopterus (Orange-Fin Clownfish)
A. clarkii (Clark's Anemonefish or Yellowtail Clownfish)
A. leucokranos (White Bonnet Clownfish or White Cap Clownfish)
A. melanopus (Red and Black Clownfish)
A. nigripes (Blackfinned Anemonefish or Maldives Anemonefish or Blackfoot Clownfish)
A. ocellaris (Ocellaris Clownfish)
A. percula (Orange Clownfish or Percula Clownfish)
A. perideraion (Pink Skunk Clownfish or Pink Anemonefish)

HETERACTIS MALU also known as Delicate Sea Anemone

These are beautiful creatures. Here's a nice pic


These nems reside in scattered localities from the Hawaiian Islands to Australia and northwards to Japan.

There is only one clown known to host them
A. clarkii (Clark's Anemonefish or Yellowtail clownfish)

MACRODACTYLA DOREENSIS also known as Corkscrew Tentacle Sea Anemone or Long Tentacle Anemone



They tend to have their column buried in the sediment with the column being orange to bright red.

These nems are from Japan south to New Guinea and northern Australia

Here are the fish that host them
A. chrysopterus (Orange-Fin Clownfish)
A. clarkii (Clark's Anemonefish or Yellowtail Clownfish)
A. perideraion (Pink Skunk Clownfish or Pink Anemonefish)
A. polymnus (Saddleback Clownfish)
A. ocellaris (Ocellaris Clownfish)
A. frenatus (Tomato Clownfish)
A. melanopus (Red and Black Clownfish)

STICHODACTYLA GIGANTEA also known as Gigantic Sea Anemone



**thanks to postal for pointing out the correct pic.

These are really sticky nems, but for some reason do not hurt humans when touched. When you pull them off they come off in clumps.

They are from Micronesia to the Red Sea, and Australia to the Ryukyu Islands

Clowns that are known to host it are:
A. akindynos (Barrier Reef Clownfish)
A. bicinctus (Red Sea Clownfish or Two-Banded Clownfish)
A. clarkii (Clark's Anemonefish or Yellowtail Clownfish)
A. ocellaris (Ocellaris Clownfish)
A. percula (Orange Clownfish or Percula Clownfish)
A. perideraion (Pink Skunk Clownfish or Pink Anemonefish)
A. rubrocinctus (Australian Anemonefish, Red Anemonefish,
Redgirdled Anemonefish)

STICHODACTYLA HADDONI also known as Haddon's Sea Anemone



They are found in the Fiji Islands to Mauritius, and Australia to the Ryukyu Islands.

Tentacles are sticky to touch. They may stick to human skin so strongly that they pull off the anemone. Contact with them is painless but can raise welts.

The fish that host them are:
A. akindynos (Barrier Reef Clownfish)
A. chrysogaster (Mauritian Anemonefish)
A. chrysopterus(Orange-Fin Clownfish)
A. clarkii (Clark's Anemonefish or Yellowtail Clownfish)
A. polymnus (Saddleback Clownfish or Saddleback Anemonefish)
A. sebae (Sebae Clownfish or Seba's Anemonefish or Sebae Anemonefish)

STICHODACTYLA MERTENSII BRANDT also known as Mertens' Sea Anemone



These come from Micronesia and Melanesia to East Africa, and Australia to the Ryukyu Islands .

Something interesting about this is that this anemone holds the record for oral disc diameter. These nems only live on hard surfaces. Usually attached to rock shelfs.

The clowns that host this are:
A. akindynos (Barrier Reef Clownfish)
A. allardi (Allard's Clownfish)
A. chrysogaster (Mauritian Anemonefish)
A. chrysopterus (Orange-Fin Clownfish)
A. clarkii (Clark's Anemonefish or Yellowtail Clownfish)
A. fuscocaudatus (Seychelles Clownfish)
A. latifasciatus (Madagascar Anemonefish)
A. leucokranos (White Bonnet Clownfish or White Cap Clownfish
A. ocellaris (Ocellaris Clownfish)
A. sandaracinos (Orange Anemonefish or Orange Skunk Clownfish)
A. tricinctus (Three-Band Anemonefish)

Good write up, just wanted to point out that only 9 of the 10 hosting anemone's have vercue on the stalks, an easy identifier and the one that lacks it is the BTA.

cuz I'm too lazy to google it - what is vercue???

Great thread Glen, very informative. Are you sure the photo under STICHODACTYLA GIGANTEA is the right one? That looks like a condy nem to me.

I spelled it wrong... verrucae.

The column is appropriately tapered to accommodate a pedal and/or oral disc of smaller or greater diameter than itself. In most species of host actinian, the oral disc is much broader than the column. The column, which may be patterned (commonly splotches of colour or longitudinal stripes), can also bear specialized structures along part or all of its length. For example, some tropical anemones (but none that hosts clownfishes) have branched projections from the lower column. Most host actinians have, in the upper part, longitudinal rows of small warts (verrucae; singular is verruca) to which particles of gravel may adhere; commonly these are pigmented differently from the rest of the column.

from Anemone fishes and their host sea anemones

main page Anemone fishes and their host sea anemones

example.

you forgot to include percs in ENTACMAEA QUADRICOLOR or BTA.

Originally Posted by Kdino

you forgot to include percs in ENTACMAEA QUADRICOLOR or BTA.

I don't think he forgot. Entacmaea Quadricolor are not a natural host for percula in the wild. Not to say that the two have never paired up in an aquarium though.

Originally Posted by Kdino

you forgot to include percs in ENTACMAEA QUADRICOLOR or BTA.

be sure to look a little harder. It's right there about in the middle

Originally Posted by ento_reefer

Great thread Glen, very informative. Are you sure the photo under STICHODACTYLA GIGANTEA is the right one? That looks like a condy nem to me.

Yes I'm sure on this one. There are a few that are closely related and there are variations. this pic is very similar to one on AdvancedAquarist.com.

Excellent thread with great timing. I just picked up a carpet anenome (Haddon Sea Anenome) without researching it first. Stupid idea. It came with two Black and White Clowns. My spotted damsel nipped the small clown to death and my Ocellaris, which was hosting in a what is, according to your pics, a Delicate Sea is now taking over the female role and moved into the green anenome with the black and white. I want to research more but I feel I should get this out of my main tank. I have a 29 Biocube that is cycling and I want to put it in there with the clowns.

Can I assume that your thread is not the anenome bible since my fish are not following it?