Radianthus crispa

Before you buy: Quality Marine rates it “difficult”. Fautin and Allen point out that host anemones survive poorly in captivity and often lose their zooxanthellae. Plan a well-established tank and acclimate it slowly by drip.

Setup: Quality Marine recommends a thick sand, mud or rubble bottom to bury its foot in; it may move to find the best spot. Since it lives in sand or on hard substrate depending on its origin, offer both. Screen pump intakes with foam.

Light: intense lighting (Quality Marine). Its tentacles shrivel when disturbed and may shorten greatly when no clownfish is present (Fautin and Allen).

Neighbours: Quality Marine rates it aggressive; in the Pacific it competes with stony corals for space, so keep them out of reach. Invertebrates do not tolerate copper.

Signs to watch: loss of colour and tentacles that stay shrunken indicate an anemone living off its reserves (Fautin and Allen).

Its zooxanthellae provide part of its energy through photosynthesis; it also catches small invertebrates, fry or juvenile fish with its tentacles.

In the aquarium, Quality Marine advises small pieces of meaty food fed by hand and intense lighting. One study looked at how feeding affects the growth of captive-bred young.