Description

🌿 Bubble Tip Anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor)

🧬 Overview

The Bubble Tip Anemone is a vibrant and hardy species of sea anemone known for its distinctive bubble-like tentacle tips and symbiotic relationship with clownfish. It is a favorite among both beginner and experienced reef hobbyists due to its beauty, relatively easy care, and clownfish-hosting behavior.

🌈 Appearance

• Tentacles: Usually short with rounded “bubble” tips, though they may elongate depending on tank conditions

• Color Variants:

  • Rose (Rose Bubble Tip Anemone or RBTA)

  • Green

  • Rainbow

  • Orange or Fire

  • “Black Widow” (deep red with black base)

• Size: Up to 12 inches in diameter when fully extended

• Lifespan: 5–10+ years with proper care

📊 Care Requirements

🪸 Tank Placement and Behavior

• Placement: BTAs will choose their own spot. Provide a rocky crevice or hole where they can attach their foot securely. Expect them to move around until they’re comfortable.

• Lighting Acclimation: Start in lower light and gradually increase intensity to avoid bleaching.

• Wandering: BTAs may move if water flow, light, or parameters are not to their liking.

🍤 Feeding

• Diet: Photosynthetic, but benefits from supplemental feeding.

• Feedings (1–2 times/week):

  • Mysis shrimp

  • Brine shrimp

  • Finely chopped seafood (squid, shrimp, fish)

  • Reef roids or meaty coral foods

• Tip: Overfeeding can lead to water quality issues and may cause them to split.

🤝 Clownfish Hosting

• BTAs are natural hosts for many species of clownfish, including:

  • Ocellaris (Amphiprion ocellaris)

  • Percula (A. percula)

  • Maroon (A. biaculeatus)

  • Clarkii (A. clarkii)

• Note: Not all clownfish will host, especially captive-bred individuals.

⚠️ Important Notes

• Splitting: BTAs can reproduce by splitting. This is natural and often a sign of health (but can also happen due to stress).

• Aggression: They can sting nearby corals—give them ample space.

• Tank Stability: Should only be introduced into mature tanks (6+ months old) with stable parameters.

✅ Quick Care Summary