Rock Flower Anemone

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Native to the Western Atlantic, including the Caribbean, Florida, and the Bahamas. It attaches to rocky substrates or buries its column in sandy areas near reefs.

Taxonomy: Belonging to the family Phymanthidae. Features a flat oral disc fringed with short, beaded tentacles. Can grow up to 15.0 cm in diameter.

Social Behavior: Peaceful and sessile. It is much less mobile than other anemone species and tends to stay where placed without stinging adjacent corals.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Extremely colorful, showing combinations of red, orange, green, gold, and blue patterns. Visual sex differences are absent.

Tank Setup: Suitable for reef tanks. Place the anemone at the interface of rockwork and sand. Requires moderate to high lighting and moderate water flow.

Diet and Feeding: Photosynthetic, but greatly benefits from weekly direct feeding of meaty foods like mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, or finely chopped krill.

Water Quality: Demands standard marine reef values. Maintain stable pH 8.1-8.4, SG 1.023-1.025, and low nutrient levels.

Compatibility and Tankmates: Safe for corals. Does not typically host clownfish, but commonly hosts symbiotic anemone shrimp (like Thor amboinensis).

Aquarium Breeding: Can propagate in the tank through longitudinal fission. Sexual reproduction is also possible in stable mature tanks.

Risks and Diseases: Highly sensitive to copper treatments and salinity fluctuations. Physical injury during removal can lead to bacterial decay.