Green Rock Flower Anemone

Overview

Everything you need to know about Green Rock Flower Anemones, at a glance:

• Common Names: Beaded Anemone, Flower Anemone
• Scientific Name: Phymanthus crucifer
• Max Size: ~15cm
• Temperature Range: 25-28°C
• pH Range: 8.1-8.4
• Salinity Range (SG): 1.023-1.025
• Compatibility: Relatively peaceful, reef-safe
• Area Of Origin: Caribbean Sea
• Suitable Foods: Mysis, brineshrimp, and anemone-specific pellets
• Special Requirements: Benefit from low flow, require moderate lighting

What is a Green Rock Flower Anemone?

Rock Flower Anemones are a small species of sea anemone native to the Caribbean Sea. They typically don’t exceed diameters of 15cm and are widely considered one of the easiest anemones to keep. They’re one of the most beautiful too, available in a variety of colour combinations ranging from luminous green to blood red.

Rock Flower Anemones are circular in shape and edged with approximately 200 short tentacles. These tentacles, like those of other anemones, are covered in stinging nematocysts, but due to their size they’re not considered quite as dangerous as the tentacles of other, larger anemones, like Tube Anemones.

Owing to their name, these anemones attach themselves to rocks close to the water’s surface and exposed to lots of light. Like other anemones, they’re motile and can (and will) move around your aquarium in search of the most suitable spot. While they don’t host anemonefish, they are known to host certain species of shrimp and even Porcelain Crabs.

How do I care for a Green Rock Flower Anemone?

Rock Flower Anemones are perhaps the easiest anemone to care for. That’s not to say that they don’t require some specialist care, however, and like all other anemones they’re quite delicate and benefit from being kept in an established aquarium – the older the better.

As photosynthetic animals – or, more accurately, animals with photosynthetic symbionts – Rock Flower Anemones require moderate to strong lighting. They get a lot of their nutrition from their photosynthetic symbionts, but they should also be fed supplementary meaty foods, like mysis and brineshrimp at least once a week.

Rock Flower Anemones will move around your aquarium until they find a comfortable spot, often on a rocky surface exposed to lots of light. You can encourage your anemone to move should you not like the spot it settles in, but this should be done with extreme caution and only really if it’s endangering the lives of your aquarium’s other inhabitants.

Like most other anemones, Rock Flower Anemones can sting and may harm your corals as they move around your aquarium. They can also pose a danger to juvenile or sick fish that may swim too close. These dangers should be considered when adding them to a reef tank. You should also cover your filter intake before you add an anemone to your aquarium to prevent it from climbing inside and damaging itself.

How is this Green Rock Flower Anemone delivered?

All of our aquatic animals are dispatched from our livestock distributor and delivered directly to your door. Our distributor dispatches and delivers livestock packages Tuesday through Friday to avoid animals being in transit over the weekend.

After placing your livestock order, you’ll receive all the information needed to track your livestock order via email. If you have any problems regarding delivery, or concerns about the health/wellbeing of your animal(s) upon arrival, please contact us, Swell UK Ltd, immediately, or at least within 48 hours of receiving your livestock order.

Any other, non-livestock items that you purchase alongside livestock will be sent via standard or express delivery and arrive at your delivery address in a different package. This means that, depending on when you place your order, you may receive your non-livestock items before or after your livestock package.

For a detailed breakdown of when you can expect to receive your livestock package depending on the day you place your order, be sure to check the delivery details in the specifications below.

How do you acclimate a Green Rock Flower Anemone?

It’s very important that you acclimatise new animals to your aquarium. This is the process of gradually adjusting an animal to its new environment and it’s especially important in an aquatic setting where sudden changes in water temperature, pH, and salinity can cause stress, illness and, in some cases, even death.

Before you acclimate your Rock Flower Anemone, it’s recommended that you put on a pair of water-proof gloves (rubber gloves work fine). This will stop your Rock Flower Anemone from stinging you and protect them from any toxic substances/residue that may be present on your hands.

To acclimate your Rock Flower Anemone, place the bag with the anemone inside into your aquarium. Float the bag for at least 20 minutes to allow the temperature of the water in the bag to match the temperature of the water in your aquarium. Then, open the bag and, over the course of an hour, add small amounts of aquarium water.

After an hour, your Rock Flower Anemone should be ready to release. It’s recommended that you discard the water from the bag before transferring your anemone. Also, place your new anemone where your sand bed is deepest, and as far away from your wave pump as possible. Consider turning off your wave pump during this acclimation process.

Above images for illustration purposes only. Exact colours, patterns, and size may vary between individuals.

Please note: The livestock that is sold on our online site is not held in store at our Swell shop, or available for collection from the shop. Species sold at our Swell store will differ from ones available to order to your door.