Macrodactyla doreensis (Long Tentacle Anemone) Breeding & Propagation Guide

Reproduction of the long tentacle anemone Macrodactyla doreensis: pelagic sexual spawning unreachable at home and the occasional asexual fission of sea anemones. Honest hobby expectations.

Overview

Macrodactyla doreensis, treated on Wikipedia under the current name Radianthus doreensis, is a long-tentacle host anemone. It is commonly found at depths of 5 m or less on muddy or sandy bottoms, remaining at the sediment surface with its column buried below. It hosts several Amphiprion clownfish, including Amphiprion clarkii. The buried-column lifestyle is central to how it should be housed and to any propagation attempt.

Reproductive Mode

As a true sea anemone, M. doreensis can reproduce both sexually and asexually in principle. Wikipedia's general sea-anemone account notes that males release sperm to stimulate females to release eggs, with fertilization in the water column or internally, followed by a drifting planula larva that settles and metamorphoses. The species page does not document a captive spawning protocol.

Asexual Propagation

Sea anemones reproduce asexually by longitudinal fission into identical clones, by the less common transverse fission, and by pedal laceration, where fragments shed from the pedal disc regenerate into clones. Such division is occasional rather than reliable, so deliberate propagation is not a dependable method for this anemone.

Sexual Reproduction

Sexual reproduction is broadcast and pelagic, with gametes released into open water and planula larvae drifting in the plankton before settling into soft substrate. This pelagic larval phase cannot be reproduced in a home aquarium, so sexual breeding of M. doreensis is not feasible for hobbyists.

Common Challenges

It requires a deep soft bed so the column can bury while the oral disc and long tentacles stay exposed, along with stable salinity and adequate light for its zooxanthellae. With pelagic larvae and only occasional division, the realistic goal is long-term health rather than propagation.