Sea and Tube Dwelling Anemones
Predatory filter feeding animals of stunning formations and colouration.

CLICK HERE FOR CLOWNFISH AND ANEMONE FIELD GUIDE

Sea Anemone
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Anthozoa
Sub Class: Hexacorallia
Order: Actiniaria
Family: Stichodactylidae

Sea Anemones have an adhesive foot which attaches to the substrate, rocks and coral blocks. They are disc shaped with stinging tentacles used for deffence and capturing prey as its swims by, they then push their food into their mouth located in the centre of the round body.

They share a symbiotic relationship with Clownfish, where both animals benifit from the other ones company. The Clownfish keeps the Anemone clean in return for protection. To read more about Clownfish click here.

Most Sea Anemones spend their entire life in one place, although some species for example the Heteractis magnifica will change locations. To view more images of Sea Anemones please visit our Clownfish and Anemone Field Guide.




Tube Dwelling Anemone
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Anthozoa
Sub Class: Zoantharia
Order: Ceriantharia
Family: Cerianthidae

Many tube anemones have glorious colouration, with stinging outer tentacles and inner tentacles that gather food to pass to the mouth.


They burrow into the soft substrate by expelling water from the vacuole and driving the pointed end down. Their tube like home can be up to threee meters long and is coated with a mucus to assisit in a rapid retreat if threatened. They feed at night and unlike their close relative the Sea Anemone they do not have simbiotic relationships with Clownfish, infact they will happily eat them.


This species is often confused with Tube Worms, similar to the Sabellastarte magnifica (below left, however they are a completely different animal having absolutely no relationship to one another but look incredibly similar.

For more information on Tube worms please visit our Flatworms and Tubeworms page.






CLICK HERE FOR CLOWNFISH AND ANEMONE FIELD GUIDE