20 Corals for your Reef Tank

Genus: Actinodiscus (=Discosoma)

Soft Mushroom Corals

Common Names: Mushrooms, Mushroom Corals, Mushroom Anemones, Disc Anemones.
Common Species: Because so many variants are seen by aquarium keepers, the true number of species are unknown.

Description: These corals are normally small round discs as in picture below. They come in many different colours forms and shapes.

Generally these are an easier coral to start with. As a rule of thumb one finds that the mushroom corals with the brighter colours should be kept low down in the tank as they require less light than the more plain coloured mushroom corals that should be kept nearer the surface. I have generally found with my experience that the coloured mushrooms require less water movement than the rest. One must also understand that these are colony corals so please give space around the colony to allow growth.

There are also the large species, which grow in much smaller colonies but are as rewarding The larger species require good water movement and should be kept near the surface.

Feeding: Mushroom corals feed on light. They also can be fed with a Coral food as a substitute feed. This is normally a liquid that is put into the tank once a week. When feeding these corals it is best to turn off the return pump for around 30 minutes as this gives the corals time to feed.

Clove Coral

Genius: Subclass Alcyonaria, Order Stolonifera, Family Clavulariidae, Genera Cornularia and Clavularia
Common names: clove polyp coral, clove coral, eight tentacle polyps.

Natural origin: Indo-Pacific

Sensitivity: These are usually very tolerant and forgiving corals.

Feeding: The coral’s feathery polyp tentacles help it catch food suspended in water. They feed on foods of smaller particle size.

Lighting: Lighting needs will depend on the depth and clarity of the water where the coral was collected (or aquacultured). However, most prefer moderate lighting.

Water flow: Moderate water flow is important for good health.

Placement: These corals can be slightly aggressive, but the stinging power of their polyps is minimal. When healthy, they can grow quite quickly and should be provided space to grow and fully extend their polyps. An encrusting coral with tubular shaped polyps, clove corals can grow quite fast and compete with other corals for space (like xenia and star polyps they can become a “weed coral”). Polyps usually range in height from 1/2 to 2 inches when closed, and 1 to 4 inches when fully extended.

General: These are great beginner corals and very easy to fragment and propagate. However, there are some less aesthetically pleasing species which can grow quite rapidly and quickly become a nuisance.

Star Polyps

Genus: Pachyclavularia.
Common Species: P. purpurea, P. violacea.
Common Names: Star Polyps, Green Star Polyps, Daisy Polyps.

This coral is very fast-spreading, to the point where it can overgrow other corals. It is tolerant of both low and high level lighting as well as varied water currents. This coral should be blown clear of detritus occasionally to prevent slime and filamentous algae from gaining a foothold. The pedal attachments of nuisance anemones, such as Aiptasia, can cause degeneration of the mats of this coral. When the mat starts to decompose, it falls apart. While this breakdown is fairly uncommon, it can spread through even healthy colonies. In these cases, the affected area should be pared away, even into the healthy area, and siphoned out of the tank. The balance of the coral will rapidly reproduce to cover the bare area, again.

Colours: Purple to reddish-violet are the norm for this coral. The polyps are usually brown or bright green, but other variations may occur. Green, yellow or white polyp centres usually contrast with the polyp tentacles. This coral fluoresces beautifully under actinic blue lighting.

Care Level: Easy. Good starter corals for beginners.

Special Notes: There have been many reports of an adverse reaction by this coral with the introduction of too much iodine to the aquarium water. This solution can cause the lack of expansion by a colony, or even death. It is thought that the reactivity of elemental iodine may be the cause.
This coral also seems to be sensitive to aluminium oxide, which is used in some phosphate removing sponges. This is the antiphos that looks like White Coral sand. Not the new one made up of iron oxide (periodic symbol Fe). Such as Rowaphos or the Aqua medic antiphos.

Palythoa Button Polyp

Genus: Protopalythoa.
Common Names: Sea Mat, Button Polyps, Zoanthids

These soft corals grow rapidly under strong lighting and can overgrow other corals without adequate defence mechanisms. Protopalythoa also do well in lower lighting conditions, but will not multiply as rapidly. Medium to strong water current seems to help provide them with food as well as flush them of rejected material.

Care Level: Easy. Good starter corals for beginners.

Colours: While most of these corals are brown to dark brown in colour, a fair number of them contain elements in their tentacle tips, which fluoresces beautifully under actinic blue lighting. They also come in green.

Feeding: Some of these Zoanthids feed on large food items, rapidly enclosing and swallowing the item, in a manner similar to that of many anemones. In an aquarium, they will consume just about whatever falls on them (uneaten foods, detritus), with the rejected food being washed away by water current.
Neurotoxin Warning!!: Palythoa and Protopalythoa species produce a chemical called palytoxin, which is a potent toxin and can be deadly to humans. Some indigenous Pacific tribes have used this neuromuscular toxin on spear tips to paralyze animals and their enemies.

Cladeilla (Colt Coral)

Genus: Pachyclavularia
Common Species: C. australis, C. humesi, C. hunisi, C. aphaerophoro
Common Names: Finger Leather Coral, Colt Coral
Care Notes: Finger Leather and Colt Corals are hardy and adaptable to most conditions of light levels and water movement. Most Finger Leather and Colt Corals are found at mid-water levels in the ocean, so moderate light and current levels are optimal for them in captivity. These corals are safe with fish, crustaceans and motile invertebrates. Using a highly-developed mucus capture and transport system, these corals derive nutrients by collecting and ingesting particulate matter suspended in the water around them, and from their zooxanthellae.

Care Level: Easy. Good starter corals for beginners.
Colours: These corals tend toward brown or cream colours, occasionally appearing yellow or lemon-cream coloured.
Diet and feeding. Best fed on a liquid food or something like Cyclop-eeze.

Sarcophyton (Leather Coral)

Genus: Sarcophyton.
Common Species: S. ehrenbergi, S. elegans, S. glaucum, S. trocheliophorum.
Common Names: Toadstool Coral, Leather Coral, Mushroom Leather Coral, Trough Coral.
Care Notes: Tolerating a wide variety of lighting levels, these corals are very adaptive to aquarium life. They tolerate most water currents, but do not prefer strong water movement. Sarcophytons shed a surface layer of dead waxy tissue, a method of removing waste and accumulated algae. Stronger currents in an aquarium help remove these materials, reducing the frequency of shedding.
Care Level: Easy. Good starter corals for beginners.
Colours: These corals tend toward brown or cream colours, occasionally appearing yellow or lemon-cream coloured.
Feeding: Sarcophytons obtain a substantial amount of their nutrition directly from seawater into their cells, thus seeming to fare better in aquariums with a higher dissolved organic content.

Sinularia Coral

Genius: Sinularia sp
Common Names: Sinularia, Green Finger Coral
Description: Sinularia corals are similar in shape to colt corals (Cladiella) and tree corals (Nepthea). Sinularia corals can be identified by the fact that the growth originates from a single heavy stalk unlike Nepthea and the polyps are less feathery than in colt corals. Green Sinularia is a very attractive bright greenish yellow in colour. The intensity of the coloration is affected by the amount of lighting the coral receives. The branches are covered with small polyps. Sinularia can grow quite large.
Care:
Hardiness: Sinularia is very hardy and tolerates a range of conditions. On occasion, a specimen will start dissolve in one or more spots as shown in the picture above. The cause is unknown. The best approach if this occurs is to cut out the bad portion of the coral.
Lighting: While Sinularia will tolerant lower lighting levels, it does best under intense lighting such as metal halide lighting either the 150 W or 250 W bulbs 14,000 Kelvin or T5 tubes. It has also been grown very successfully under standard 175W mercury vapour lighting.

Water Current: Sinularia likes moderate water flow. Seem to do well under wave maker water conditions where the branches get swayed gently back and forth.

Temperature: Does well within a range of 24 to 26 Celsius

Aggressiveness: Moderate. Although they do not seem to directly sting neighbours, their proximity to some other coral can cause the other corals to recede. The specimen here is in direct contact with a hammer coral and neither coral seems to harm the other. Sheer size as the specimen grows can also tend to shadow its neighbours.

Feeding: Sinularia are photosynthetic and does not require direct feeding. Unknown if they would take any form of phytoplankton or zooplankton.

Supplements: No special requirements are needed. Normal acceptable water parameters seem to suit it just fine.

Tank Positioning: No special requirements other than keeping them in low to moderate water flow.

Propagation: Sinularia are easily propagated by cutting a branch off using a sharp knife or scissors. This piece can be ‘planted’ in a gravel bed in low water flow and they will attach to gravel particles within a couple of weeks. They can then be superglued to a suitable substrate such as a reef plug. Starts can also be directly attached to the substrate using rubberbands or string as long as care is taken prevent the rubber band from cutting through the soft tissue of the coral.

Cabbage Coral

Genius: Lobophytum crassum
Common name: Cabbage Coral

Care: Cabbage Leather Coral looks like just like it’s name claims it to be. The Cabbage Coral looks exactly like leaves or cabbage that is growing on your live rock. It’s a good choice for a beginner

Requirements:
This type of coral needs to be placed in the top section of your fish tank. It requires a high level of water flow and a decent amount of light as well.

The Cabbage Leather Coral requires a temperature that falls somewhere 23 and 25 degrees Celsius. The Cabbage Leather Coral also needs to be at a salinity that is somewhere between 1.022 and 1.024. I find the cabbage Coral likes a slightly more salty tank readings being nearer 1. 024. I have also found they are very susceptible to phosphate.
Once settled this Coral is very rewarding and grows rapidly.
Aggressiveness: Fairly aggressive keep apart from other corals.

Feeding: Feed liquid food.

Colours: You can usually find the Cabbage Coral in different shades of brown or cream.

Polyphyllia (Slipper Coral)

Distribution: Polyphyllia spp. corals are found in the Indo-Pacific region and are commonly imported from Indonesia. In the wild, this species of corals are found in the Indian Ocean, Andaman Sea, South China Sea, and Pacific Ocean.
Tongue (Polyphyllia spp.) corals are usually found among other fungiids, which are corals from the Fungiidae family, which Polyphyllia talpina spp. belongs. All Polyphyllia spp. corals are found on soft, muddy, sandy, and rubble-covered ocean bottoms. This genus of corals is found one to four metres (3-13 feet) deep. Tongue corals are abundant and widespread in the wild.
Description: Common names for Polyphyllia spp. corals are slipper coral, tongue coral. They also appear with various combinations of these common names such as mole slipper or hairy tongue coral and so on.
Polyphyllia spp. corals are usually brown or gray, sometimes with cream or green shades. The basal tissue can become fluorescent green to teal. They are shaped like a tongue, boomerang, T, X, or Y. Their tentacles are usually brown with white tips. Tongue corals strongly resemble Herpolitha (fungia) when their polyps are out. You can tell the difference between the two because the tongue corals lack a distinct central groove (also called an axial furrow). Polyphyllia spp. do have an axial furrow but their many tentacles cover the surface and hide it.
Polyphyllia spp. tentacles are usually horn-shaped and about two centimetres long. As mentioned above, the tentacle ends are usually white tipped but they sometimes have forked ends. The polyps are extended during the day. When the polyps are fully extended, the carpet of tentacles is all that is visible. These corals are flat or arched when viewed from the side.
These corals have many mouths across their surface (called polystomatous) with the larger mouths sometimes aligned with the central axis or furrow.

Aquarium Care: Tongue corals are easily kept in the home aquarium as long as they are placed on a soft or rubble-covered bottom, given a slow and gentle current, and bright light. They also seem to adapt to lower light levels, making them the most tolerant of all the fungiids. They are quite hardy.
That also do not attach to a surface (rock, substrate, etc.). It is quite capable of movement and may move itself around a tank to find it’s own favorable position (as will other fungiids).
With mouths all over its surface and a carpet of tentacles to catch prey, it will snare brine shrimp and other food easily.
Daughter colonies/polyps may form.
Lighting: Bright.
Water flow: Slow and gentle.
Difficulty of Care: Polychaetes (Bristleworms), even those considered beneficial to a tank’s life cycle, can irritate Polyphyllia spp. and other corals that live on the substrate.
Polyphyllia spp. corals should not be placed on rocks as they will attempt to move to a better position (the softer, sandy bottom of a tank) and the rubbing against the rocks while they attempt to move will damage the basal tissue.
If light and/or currents are too strong, Polyphyllia spp. corals will not expand / extend their polyps. If this behavior is noted, the first attempt to diagnose the problem should be adjusting the water movement / lighting where this coral is within your aquarium.

Bubble coral

Common name: Bubble coral, Grape coral
Scientific name: Plerogyra Simplex.
Region: Indian Ocean, Central Pacific
Description: Polyps are very similar to a bunch of grapes. This coral comes in two colour morphs pink and green.
Required conditions: The bubble coral is not a coral recommended for a tank that has been running under six months. The reason being the environment is just too unstable at this stage. The other thing one must remember when buying a hard coral (LPS) is that the calcium, pH and alkalinity levels all play an important role to the success of this coral.
Lighting: This particular coral requires good lighting, minimum of four T5 in a tank of around 200 L. The more light given the quicker it will grow and the better the colours will be. Ideally using a metal halide is best.
Water flow: When positioning the coral in the tank, place it in a spot where there is gentle water movement as this coral does not do well with high water flow. This is very important for the success of the coral.
Aggressiveness: This particular coral will sting other coral’s badly if not of the same genus. If you have two or three bubble corals if required they can be kept together. Even touching each other is no problem. Otherwise as mentioned when placing this coral they must be given space between themselves and the next-door coral.
Coral positioning: This particular family of corals prefers mid water, but can be placed anywhere in the tank provided as mentioned there is gentle water movement. The other thing that is very important is when you have found a spot that the coral likes glue it to the rock. I have found over the years all these type hard corals do far better when they have been glued.
Feeding: Substitute feeding once a week with a liquid food or a piece of fish which can be placed between each bubble polyp. The most important thing here is good lighting.

Euphyllia ancora

Common Name: Hammerhead Coral
Family: Caryophylliidae
Polyp Size: LPS - Large polyp stony
Range: Indo-Pacifc
Color Form: Green, Tan, Brown
Ideal Supplements: Calcium, Strontium, Trace elements
Reef Compatible: Yes
Tank Conditions: 72-78ºF; sg 1.023-1.025; pH 8.1-8.4
Water Flow: Medium
Dominance: Aggressive
Placement: Low
Care Level: Moderate
Description: The Euphyllia Hammer Coral is a large polyp stony (LPS) coral and often referred to as Ridge, Hammerhead, or Anchor Coral. Its common names are derived from the appearance of its hammer, or anchor-shaped tentacles. Its polyps are visible throughout the day and night and hide its skeletal base. It may be green, tan, or brown in colour, with lime green or yellow tips on the ends of its tentacles that glow under actinic lighting. Some varieties may be branched which makes them look similar to a Torch Coral (E. glabrescens).
It is moderately difficult to maintain, but with proper water conditions in the aquarium, It will thrive.
Lighting: It will require a medium light level, but will do better with bright light.
Water movement: a medium water movement within the aquarium.
Aggressiveness: At night, its sweeper tentacles can extend up to six inches in the reef aquarium, stinging other species of corals and animals. Allow plenty of room between it and other neighbouring corals. For continued good health, it will also require the addition of calcium, strontium, and other trace elements to the water.
Feeding: It will benefit from additional food fed weekly in the form of micro-plankton or brine shrimp.

Symphyllia (meat brain) Coral

Genus: Symphyllia.
Common Species: S. agaricia, S. radians, S. recta.
Common Names: Closed Brain Coral, Dented Brain Coral, Meat Coral, Brain Coral, Pacific Cactus Coral.
Notes: One of the brain Coral’s that is highly successful in captivity
Lighting: prefers bright, indirect light. Very tolerant of different light and current conditions.
Water movement: Moderate to low currents.
Aggressiveness: Not aggressive at all. Sensitive to the presence of some soft corals, i.e. Xenia and Litophyton.
Feeding: Very reactive to food (Zooplankton, Phytoplankton and algae) in the water.

Considered an easier coral to keep.

Cynarina Doughnut Coral

The Cynarina Doughnut Coral is a large polyp stony (LPS) coral, and often referred to as the Cat’s Eye, Tooth, Button, Teary Eye, or Meat Coral. Its genus name, Cynarina, is derived from the Greek word kinara (artichoke) and ina (similar to), and as the naming foreshadows, it really does resemble an artichoke. The Cynarina Doughnut Coral is a round solitary coral, one of the largest single-polyped corals found in nature today, and available in many different colour forms from pastel to bright and translucent, to drab variations. Sometimes, it is confused with its closest relative, Scolymia.
Aggressiveness: It is not an aggressive coral, it should be provided with adequate spacing between itself and other corals because it can expand to twice its size. It is easy to maintain in the reef aquarium and makes an excellent choice for both the beginner and advanced reef aquarist.
Lighting: It requires a medium light level.
Water movement: A medium to low water movement within the aquarium.
Feeding: For continued good health, it will also require the addition of calcium, strontium, and other trace elements to the water.
It should be fed meaty foods such as micro-plankton or brine shrimp at night.

Lobophyllia Coral (Open brain)

Genus: Lobophyllia
Common Species: L. corymbosa, L. hataii, L. hemprichii
Common Names: Lobed Brain Coral, Flat Brain Coral, Open Brain Coral, Meat Coral, Modern Coral, Large Flower Coral.
Light Intensity & Water Current: Bright direct light and calm currents are preferred for this coral. However if minimally adequate light and water movement is provided, it will grow well in a tank.
Foods & Feeding: This coral normally feeds actively at night; however the tentacles occasionally extend during the day and readily take food offerings.
This coral feeds almost exclusively on zooplankton and bacterioplankton which consists of free-living bacteria, detritus, and particulate organic matter (POM) and suspended organic matter (SOM).
Lobophyllia are not normally aggressive towards other corals, however there have been reports of sweeper tentacles being formed when they come in contact with other corals.

Trachyhyllia Geoffroyi

Common name: Open brain coral, rose coral.
The region: Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Japan, Australia, Solomon Islands.
Description: Free-living corals with fleshy polyps often brightly coloured. Open Brain or Pacific Rose Coral is amongst the easiest to care for, most appropriate true or stony coral species available to marine aquarists. This Coral also comes in a variety of different colours.

As can be seen, Open Brain Coral has large polyps with a mantle that can be expanded more than three times the size of its skeleton during the day. Generally this is a nocturnal feeder, producing rows of tentacles to capture prey by the dark of night. You can see the numerous mouths in the colonies valleys at this time.
Conditions: Given a healthy specimen this ranks near the top in terms of hardiness.
Lighting needs: Moderate to good light
Water flow: Reasonable water movement
Aggressiveness: Not particularly aggressive towards other corals
Coral positioning: This Coral does best towards the bottom of the tank preferably placed on a rock.
Feeding: Can be fed with a piece of fish, does best fed on a liquid food.

Favites (Moon Coral)

Genus: Favites
Common Species: F. abdita, F. complanata, F. flexuosa.
Common Names: Moon Coral, Pineapple Coral, Brain Coral, Closed Brain Coral, Star Coral.
Lighting: Prefer bright lights, however will tolerate much lower levels.
Water movement: Will tolerate a gentle current.
Aggression: Not found to be aggressive towards other corals.
Conditions: Some Favites will attach to substrate if not moved for several months.
• Care should be taken with placement, as they can send out transparent sweeper tentacles at night.
• Considered by many to be an easier coral to keep.
Feeding: Can be fed and seem to appreciate a squirt of two or brine shrimp or Cyclop-eeze.

Goniastrea (Honeycomb Coral)

Genus: Goniastrea.
Common Species: G. aspera, G. retiformis.
Common Names: Honeycomb Coral, Star Coral, Wreath Coral, Moon Coral, Pineapple Coral, Brain Coral, Closed Brain Coral.
Water movement: Thrive under strong water current.
Lighting: Does best under bright lighting.
Aggression: Aggressive if corals are placed too close to it . Has sweeping tentacles at night that will sting corals.
Difficulty: Considered a good coral for novices.
Feeding: As all brain Coral’s do best fed on some form of liquid food or even better Cyclop-eeze.

Nemenzophyllia (Fox Coral)

Genius: Nemenzophyllia
Common Species: N. turbida
Common Names: Fox Coral, Jasmine Coral, Ridge Coral.
Water movement: Does best in a gentle current.
Lighting: Calcifies and expands best in dim to moderate light.
Feeding: Does not produce feeding tentacles, therefore receives its nutrition from absorption.
Requirements: Does best without heavy skimming or highly efficient water filtration. Likes to be placed on a rock.
Aggressive: Does not seem to sting or be stung.
Feeding: Can be fed on pieces of small fish, muscle, oyster or even a liquid food.

Considered an easy coral to keep.

Anemone (purple tipped)

Scientific name: Heteractis crispa.
Family: Stichodactylidae.

Range: Indo-Pacific.
Colour Form: Brown, Purple, Tan, Pink.
Ideal Supplements: Iodine, Trace elements.
Tank Set-up: Marine: Sand, gravel, coral rubble.
Reef Compatible: Yes.
Tank Conditions: 25°C; sg 1.023-1.025; pH 8.1-8.4.
Water Flow: Medium.
Light: High Dominance: Aggressive.
Care Level: Moderate.
Heteractis crispa is known as the Sebae or Leather Anemone. It was previously named Radianthus keukenthali. Heteractis malu may also be called the Sebae Anemone. Heteractis crispa is usually light tan to brown in colour, and may have purple tips on its tentacles. Some may be entirely pink.
When purchasing this anemone make sure the foot is attached to the base of the tank or a rock. Once settled in the aquarium this particular species does exceedingly well. In the aquarium, it requires strong lighting, porous live rock, and a variety of sandy and rocky locations from which it can choose to live. The addition of a Clownfish, such as the Orange-finned Clown Amphiprion chrysopterus, Amphiprion sandaracinas, or Amphiprion perideraion, Amphiprion Percula will immediately help with its acclimatization and improve its chances of survival. When healthy, it will become very sticky. If it grasps onto something (or someone), it will be very difficult to convince it to let go without damaging it.
Once acclimatised, it should be fed a diet of fish, oysters, mussels, shrimp, and other meaty foods once a week.

Bubble Tip Anemone

The bubble-tip anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor), also known as the, bubble anemone or bulb anemone, is a species of sea anemone of Indo-Pacific origin. In the wild, this anemone is a natural host of several species of anemonefishes, including the Cinnamon (Amphiprion melanopus), Tomato (A. frenatus), Orange-fin (A. chrysopterus) and Maroon (Premnas biaculeatus).

Amphiprion melanopus anemonefish in a bubble anemone from East Timor.
E. quadricolor anemones often appear in a variety of morphs, including rose, orange, red and standard green. This sea anemone can grow to be up to a 30 cm (1 ft) in diameter, and obtains the majority of its energy from solar radiation (sunlight) via its symbiotic zooxanthellae. Nutrients are generally obtained by filter feeding using its sweeping tentacles, or through wastes and debris cleaned from the surface of its partner clownfish. In aquariums, this sea anemone will reproduce asexually when in proper care with supplemented minerals such as iodine and other trace elements (usually purchased as an enrichment cocktail by most home aquarists).

The popular Bubble Tip Anemone is the favorite anemone of the Maroon Clown Fish. This anemone has an appearance unique among many captive anemones, and is considered by many to be easier to care for than many other anemones commonly used to host Clown Fish.
Bubble Tip Anemones often remain in the area of the aquarium they are placed in, and do not often wander about their tanks. In the cases that they do move around, it is usually due to conditions that they are unhappy with. Generally, they prefer to be in an area of moderate current, though not in a strong direct current. Many aquarists claim that a random or alternating current works best for Bubble Tip Anemones. Bright lighting is also important for Bubble Tip Anemones since they are photosynthetic, as is good water quality. In the wild, Bubble Tip Anemones are found in two locations. Large specimens, with tentacles that are more streaming or stringy, are often found in deeper waters with more dimly lit conditions. These specimens are often solitary. Smaller specimens are often located in groups or colonies, nearer to the surface, in bright sunlight. These specimens tend to show the bulbous tips on their tentacles that are characteristic to Bubble Tip Anemones. Although there are various theories about why some Bubble Tip Anemones develop these tips and some do not, it is widely believed that the bulbs are related to the light level in the anemone’s habitat; specimens given more light are believed to have bubble tipped tentacles.

Specific Care Information:

Relative Care Ease: Average.
Bubble Tip Anemones usually thrive in temperatures between 76 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (24 to 26 degrees Celsius). The specific gravity should be about 1.024, and the pH should be 8.3 to 8.4. It is important that the specific gravity remain constant. Bright lighting should be provided. Normally, very high output fluorescent light, or metal halide light, should work nicely. Hourly water turnover at about ten times the size of the tank should be provided; for example, a 40 gallon tank should turn over 400 gallons of water each hour. Current should not be directed at the anemone; rather, try an indirect current. As with all anemones, be sure that all current devices are blocked off so that your Bubble Tip Anemone cannot get sucked inside. A rock with many crevices, or an area of rocks, should be provided so your Bubble Tip Anemone may anchor itself. When keeping a Bubble Tip Anemone in an aquarium with many different species of corals, it is often best to place the anemone in before the corals. This allows the anemone to select a spot it likes and helps prevent it moving across your corals later. As long as your lighting is good, you should not need to feed your anemone. This is because it can subsist very well on photosynthesis. It is true that anemones can catch and eat fish but feeding them can cause problems and is not necessary. When purchasing a Bubble Tip Anemone, choose a specimen that is anchored to some object in the tank. Do not purchase pale or bleached specimens; likewise, any specimens that appear unnaturally brightly colored probably are not healthy. Never purchase an anemone with a distended mouth, as this is a sign of poor health.
If your anemone begins to move about the aquarium, this is a sign that something is not right. Often it will be more likely to start moving just before your normal water changes since this is when water quality is poorest. If you pay attention to the behavior of these anemones, you will learn a lot about the conditions of your aquarium.

Breeding and Propagation:

Relative Breeding Ease: Average.
Large Bubble Tip Anemones will often reproduce when healthy. Over a period of weeks, the anemone will increase in size. This large anemone will usually seclude itself in a protected rock or crevice. A second mouth will form, and gradually the anemone will appear to divide, pulling away from itself to form two anemones. Bubble Tip Anemones may reproduce multiple times in this manner, and usually new anemones remain close to the original as long as the water conditions are good.