From ReefPedia

[edit] Stichodactyla haddoni Difficulty: Medium to difficult Lighting: High, metal halides strongly suggested for long term success. Aggression: Can be very aggressive, capable of catching and eating fish Size: Can grow to 24" or more in diameter Hardiness: medium, hardy under proper conditions Growth Rate: medium overall, rapid growth spurts Availability: common although semi-expensive

Green Carpet Anemone

Introduction

One of the most gorgeous of the clown-hosting anemones.

Common Names

Carpet Anemone, Saddle Anemone, Haddon's Anemone, Sea Carpet

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia (animals)

Clade: Eumetazoa (metazoans)

Phylum: Cnidaria (cnidarians)

Class: Anthozoa (anemones and corals)

Subclass: Zoantharia

Order: Actiniaria (anemones and sea anemones)

Suborder: Nyantheae

Infra-order: Thenaria

Family: Stichodactylidae

Genus: Stichodactyla

Species: haddoni

Current

Like other carpet anemones of the Stichodactyla sp., these anemones require moderate, yet indirect, water flow. Being a sessile creature, oxygen-rich water has to come to them as well as having CO2 and waste removed. This needs to be accomplished without blowing them over or away from their location. If they are not happy with the conditions, they can and will move.

Placement

Soft sand or mud substrate preferred.

Feeding

Carpet anemones will feed on almost any living animal that comes into contact with it. The ideal size of a meal depends on the size of the carpet. They can take surprisingly large prey but it is not recommended to give them too big of a meal. Krill to large shrimp can make a meal - some aquarists use the length of the anemone's mouth as the upper limit for food particle size (e.g. if your anemone's mouth is 3/4" wide you should chop the food into chunks no larger than 3/4". The more they are fed, the more they grow. High quality, vitamin-enriched foods can help compensate for less than adequate lighting scenarios.

Propagation

Sexual reproduction. Unlike the popular bubble-tipped anemones, Carpet anemones rarely 'split' in captivity but it is not unheard of.

Predators

Large fish such as angels can bite at them and take chunks out of them. Anemones have a poor immune system and these wounds can lead to bacterial infections and death. Otherwise they have few predators.

FAQ

How long do they live?

At this point in time the average lifespan of Stichodactyla sp. in the wild is unknown. Some marine biologists theorize that these creatures are centarians, like the mighty Sequoia trees of California, with lifespans measured in centuries rather than years. Unfortunately, most carpet anemones don’t live past a year or two in captivity.

Will it eat my fish?

Most fish know to stay away from them, but if startled or chased, a fish could accidentally swim into the anemone and become dinner. The use of moonlights and transitional lighting is highly recommended.

Will it hurt me?

It won't eat you, but it might think that you are food if you touch it. It will stick to you with a tight grip and can leave marks from each tentacle that came into contact with you. Much like a bee and wasp stings, some people may have an allergic reaction to an anemone sting which could require immediate medical attention. Always take precautions when working around anemones in your aquarium, such as wearing rubber gloves and being careful not to rub your eyes or lips if you have tank water on your hands.