Long Tentacle Anemone Care Guide
Macrodactyla doreensis is a sand-burrowing anemone with long sinuous tentacles, hosting several clownfish species across the Indo-Pacific.
Overview
Macrodactyla doreensis, the long tentacle anemone, has purplish-gray to brown sinuous tentacles, sometimes corkscrew-shaped. The oral disc carries radially oriented white lines, and the lower column ranges from dull orange to bright red. It buries its column in the sediment while keeping the oral disc and tentacles at the surface.
Taxonomy
- Family: Actiniidae (Wikipedia lists the species under Stichodactylidae)
- Genus: Macrodactyla
- Scientific name: Macrodactyla doreensis
- Authority: (Quoy & Gaimard, 1833); reclassified by Wikipedia as Radianthus doreensis
Habitat
It lives on muddy bottoms, remaining at the surface of the sediment with the column buried, and is commonly found at depths of 5 metres or less. The species ranges from Japan south to the waters of New Guinea and northern Australia, and is often seen without resident clownfish.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 150 L
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- Salinity: 1.024-1.026 SG
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- dKH (alkalinity): 8-11
- Substrate: deep sand bed for the buried column
- Lifespan: long-lived (5-50 years)
Diet
Like other host anemones it combines photosynthesis from symbiotic zooxanthellae with capture of prey on its tentacles. In aquariums it accepts meaty foods such as mysis offered roughly once weekly to support growth.
Compatibility
Documented clownfish associates include Amphiprion chrysopterus, A. clarkii, A. ocellaris and the pink skunk anemonefish A. perideraion, plus the damselfish Dascyllus trimaculatus. Butterflyfish that nip anemones should be avoided.