WHATSTHATFISH
Corals & anemones

Bulb-tentacle Sea Anemone

Entacmaea quadricolor

Also known as: Bubbletip Anemone, Bubble-tipped Anemone, Bulb Anemone, Bulb-tentacle Anemone, Corn Anemone, Hexacoral

Adult
@fishx6 · Mirihi Island Resort, Maldives · May 20081 / 19
01

Overview

Found singly attached to crevices and holes amongst corals and rocks of the reefs, playing host to 13 types of anemonefish and their families.
They feed on fish fry, small invertebrates and zooplankton by catching with their sticky, stinging tentacles.

Sea Anemones are large solitary polyps which have no skeleton. They have a basal or pedal disc which helps them crawl and dig into place, for some, once in place it is virtually impossible to move. Other smaller anemones move around the reef to feed at night.
Most eat plankton, but they are capable of eating anything caught in their stinging tentacles including quite big fish.
The fringing tentacles are configured in six or multiples of six.
Some sea anemones have a symbiotic relationship with sea anemones and some live commensally with various crabs, shrimp and brittle stars.

02

How to identify

COLOURS
Body shape
bubblesteats
Behaviour
solitary

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-Pacific
  • Exact location · 2
  • Country only · 17
LIVES IN

Found singly attached to crevices and holes amongst corals and rocks of the reefs, playing host to 13 types of anemonefish and their families.

04

Adult photos 19

06

Discussion 1

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1 comment

ALL STAGES
FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

Deep dive

Taxonomy

  1. kingdomAnimalia
  2. phylumCnidaria
  3. classHexacorallia
  4. orderActiniaria
  5. familyActiniidae
  6. genusEntacmaea
  7. speciesEntacmaea quadricolor (Leuckart in Rüppell & Leuckart, 1828)

SourcesWoRMSWikipedia

07

More in the family

Sea Anemones (Actiniidae)