White Malu Anemone

Overview

Everything you need to know about White Malu Anemones, at a glance:

• Common Names: Delicate Sea Anemone, White Sand Anemone
• Scientific Name: Heteractis malu
• Max Size: ~30cm
• Temperature Range: 24-27°C
• pH Range: 8.1-8.4
• Salinity Range (SG): 1.024-1.026
• Compatibility: Reef-safe, with caution
• Area Of Origin: Indo-Pacific
• Suitable Foods: Froze or live meaty foods, and anemone-specific pellets
• Special Requirements: Difficult to acclimate, requires strong lighting

What is a White Malu Anemone?

Malu Anemones, also known as White Sand Anemones, are a delicate species of anemone native to shallow waters of the Indo-Pacific region. They have stout, sparse tentacles often tipped with colourful spots. These tentacles vary in length, though they rarely exceed 4cm. As for their bodies, Malu Anemones are typically pale cream or yellowish brown in colour.

Like several other types of anemones, Malu Anemones are motile and can (and will) move around your aquarium. This ability to ‘walk’ around your aquarium has its downsides, however. Malu Anemones are venomous and will sting stationary corals that get in their way as they try to find a spot to settle in. For this reason, they should only be added to a reef tank with caution.

Malu Anemones are associated with just a single species of anemonefish, Clark’s Clownfish (Amphiprion clarkki). That’s not to say that other species of Clownfish won’t take interest in Malu Anemones, but to give your Malu Anemone the best chance of acclimating to your aquarium it’s a good idea to pair it with some Clark’s Clownfish. Once properly acclimated, Malu Anemones are very hardy.

How do I care for a White Malu Anemone?

Malu Anemones are a challenging species to keep, though if they’re given enough space, placed in a suitable environment, and fed nutritious foods, they’ll thrive in a home aquarium. As a delicate species, it’s recommended that you add your Malu Anemone to an established aquarium that’s at least six months old. This will ensure that they’re not subjected to dangerous water parameter swings.

Like other sand-dwelling anemones, Malu Anemones prefer deep, sandy substrates that they can easily bury their ‘feet’ into. They may, however, choose a rocky location to settle in, depending on the area’s ambient lighting and flow conditions. Once settled, they should be left alone – removing them from rocks or your substrate risks serious damage to their delicate external and internal parts.

Malu Anemones get a lot of their nutrition from the photosynthetic zooxanthellae that live inside their tissues. That said, they do benefit from supplementary feedings and should be offered live/frozen meaty foods, or anemone-specific pellets at least once a week. These foods should be cut/shredded to the appropriate size for the anemone’s mouth and offered with a pair of tongs.

Other things to consider include lighting and water flow. Malu Anemones require strong lighting for their photosynthetic zooxanthellae and prefer moderate water flows that won’t blow them around and risk dislodging them from their preferred spots. They also benefit from the addition of some Clark’s Clownfish – a species of anemonefish that they regularly associate with in the wild.

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

To acclimate your Malu 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 Malu 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.