Frilled anemone (metridium)

Care at a glance

The frilled anemone from cold northern seas has hundreds of fine, thread-like tentacles that together form a cloudy, feathery crown. It occurs in masses on wrecks and pilings in cold, flowing water.

For a tropical reef tank it is unsuitable: it needs cold water and lives on plankton, not on light. In a coldwater system with continuous plankton dosing and strong flow it is a fascinating animal, but that is an entirely different kind of aquarium.

Good to know

• Potent sting — keep distance in the tank
• Filter feeder — needs fine suspended food
• Hard to wean onto dry food
• Needs a mature, stable tank

Related species

• Curly-cue anemoneBartholomea annulata
• Gigantea carpet anemoneStichodactyla gigantea
• Tube anemoneCerianthus membranaceus
• Long tentacle anemoneMacrodactyla doreensis
• Beaded sea anemoneHeteractis aurora
• Sebae anemoneHeteractis crispa