Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
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Family Actiniidae

Actinia tenebrosa

Farquhar, 1898

Waratah Anemone, Cherry Anemone

Not Reef Tank Suitable

Not Suitable for Fish-Only Tank

Range: Western Australia (Shark Bay), New Zealand and Tasmania.

Size: Column width 1.5 inch - 4cm

Natural Environment: Inhabits tidepools and shaded vertical rock walls and usually seen in small groups.

Aquarium Suitability: Named after the bright red Waratah flower, which is the state emblem of New South Wales, Australia. Broods its young inside its body cavity and when well-developed, are expelled through the mouth. If closely related, they can live next to each other, if not, they will attack each other.

Requires cool water and hand feeding, e.g., raw fish pieces, shrimp, black worms, and is especially fond of mussel flesh. Two to three feedings per month suffices in cool water environments.

Taxonomy:

    Kingdom: Animalia

    Phylum: Cnidaria

    Class: Anthozoa

    Order: Actiniaria

    Family: Actiniidae

    Genus: Actinia

FYI: Temperature range of 59 to 72°F (15 - 22°C).

Unsuitable for tropical aquariums.

For those interested in maintaining a cool water aquarium, this species is quite hardy; otherwise, it should not be collected!

 Actinia tenebrosa (Waratah Anemone, Cherry Anemone)
Photo © Darryl Torckler
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