A few sellers of late have been listing common UK sea shore beadlet anemones or Actinia Equina and implying or encouraging people to conclude that they are bubble tip anemones- Entacmaea quadricolor- clownfish anemones.

This is not the case!!!


Terms such as 'red reef anemone', 'red rose reef anemone', 'tentacles may occasionally develop a bubble-like appearance to them,' (which is not true) etc. are NOT bubble tip anenome, rose bubble tip anemone, or any member of that family!

They are all common UK shore beadlet anemones, and nothing good!

They are not suited to tropical marine aquariums, as despite being described as occurring in the Caribbean etc, they are COLD WATER ANEMONES, and a pest in a marine tank, as they will contain toxins from the UK shore that they will then release into your tank.

And of course, all anemones can move around the tank and sting corals etc, this is so much more likely to occur with an anemone that is in the wrong environment in your tank, and is very unlikely to settle...

Their lifespan will likely be very short due to this, and dying/ dead anemones in the tank are very toxic to the other life.

True Entacmaea quadricolor come in many colours and varieties, which is why some people are being sucked in to thinking these so called red reef anemone are the same... They are not... Entacmaea quadricolor do not grow to a maximum 5 inches, and I would be very surprised to see a genuine one, let alone a healthy one, on a buy now listing at around £5!

Unless an anenome is clearly stated as Entacmaea quadricolor or Bubble Tip anemone, it is not!

If in any doubt, read the feedback left by others... Can be very revealing... And ask the seller outright for the Latin name of the anemone they are selling, if they are not be prepared to tell you or avoid the question, ask yourself why!