Are anemones really that hard to keep?

Yes they are hard to keep. They are better left in the ocean. Did you know that the anomenes are removed from the oceans to be put in aquariums, I dont suport this practice, I am sure your fish would enjoy a fake one just as much. Happy Fishkeeping!!

The short answer is yes, they're tough to keep.

30W of light is quite low actually - many people use 80W or 96W PC fixtures over 10g tanks, some people use MH if they want to keep really light-demanding corals. AFAIK most anemones need high light, a mature tank, and enough space to grow - some of them get huge.

Also most captive Anemones dont get to be as huge as wild ones can be due to dieing in captivity. Anemones in the Wild can live 100 years, that same Anemone in captivity will average 5-6 year lifespan under optimal care in most home aquariums.

And these are also blanket statments as well since there are so many kinds of anemones. Most won't take hosts and many can end up stinging or kill other occupants of the tank. As long lived as they are in the wild they are also incredibly slow dying. It can take months for them to die off in an aquarium so it is hard to tell how well you are doing. Great care is needed in attempting to keep anemones.

They are hard to keep because they are not a single animal. They have symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic microscopic creatures that help them live. Feeding both is very hard to do and when the microscopic guys die off then the anemone does as well.

That may be a bit simplistic but I'm not a biologist and that is the best I can do right now. Anyone with a better explanation should chime in.

Why do you guys atempt to answer question with made up bull shiat?


Anemones of ALL species contain zooxanthellae algaes. Thes are light loving cells that produce food via processing light into food for the anemone.

Most ALL anemones in the hobby today save for conylactis and hatian's are ALL AQUACULTURED SPECIMENS.

If you would like to keep and anemone you should know three things up front.

one: they will move until they are comfortable, stinging every thing in there path.

Two: They require FEEDINGS OF MEATY FOODS as well as strong - medium light and flow.

Three: They will only survive long term in a matured aquarium. With VERY good, stable water quality.


Bulb tipped anemones are pretty easy to keep as long as you have the correct wattage and feed them regularly in a mature tank.
They split often when they are happy producing more baby anemones.

Carpet anemones are harder to keep as they require heavier feedings and alot more room.
Same for Crispa's.
Seabae anemoes are a little harder to keep as they are more tepmermental.
Hatian and condylactis and VERY easy to keep.
Tube anemones are light loving but easy to keep.
Ricordea mushroom anemones as well as antidiscoma, and discoma mushroom anemones are also good choices.
Curly Que anemones are to be avoided though as the have VERY long tenticles that can reach out in a 1 foot diameter.
Flower rock aneomes are an EXCELLENT choice for begginers as well.



A Clown will host in a carpet anemone, a seabae anemone ( which is very picky with water quality to BTW) even seen them host in BTA's, ricordea, hairy mushroom anemones. ect ect ect.

There are 100's of species of anemones for you to choose from.

My advice to you is to chose one with more less demanding needs, such as a hatian, or condylactis to start out with, or even a Flower Rock anemone, Also plann on dedicating the tank around the anemone instead of ploping one in there and hoping for the best. As I said they will move and kill of what is in there path more times than not.

Never mind the bs posted above and do your own home work if this dosent suffice.
Any one with the slightest knowledge or coral can tell you most all bta's carpet's and ricordea as well as most ALL other anemones are propogated now.
Its a matter of a simple google search.

"did you know that anemones are taken from the sea to be placed in an aquarium?" No shiat! Its called introducing wild strains for captive breeding.

LOL!!!!!

I would DEFINATELY upgrade you rlightin gto a 96w power quad for any anemone you plan to keep in your 10g too.

Hey no problem guy!
Somtimes its best to take what you get in the way of answers, and look it up on the internet as well.
JUST to weed out the bs.

I wish you luck my friend!

BTW
there are only two people incuded in the above stament I made. LOL!!!
The rest are on the money. (as in correct)