Sea anemones, animal flowers, are some of the most unusual underwater predators. They have a bright color, due to which they attract the attention of their future victims - small fish. After the prey is caught by elegant tentacles, the anemones sting it and drag it into the mouth opening. Sea anemones do not pose a mortal danger to humans, but can be seriously burned. These mysterious creatures have long been considered incapable of movement, but in fact, when a danger occurs, they develop speeds of up to 4 cm per second, which allows you to quite successfully escape from sea urchins. Anemones belong to the simplest animals; it appeared on the planet about 600 million years ago. During the heyday of their population, they were distributed even in shallow water, but over time, due to the appearance of an increasing number of predators, they hid under the cover of water. Currently, these animals live on the rocky soils of the southern and northern seas at a depth of 3 to 40 meters, preferring areas with a strong current, often settle on mollusk shells and form colonies.
Sea anemones can be an excellent decoration for an aquarium. The features of their maintenance depend on the species of these underwater inhabitants. So, M.senile is the most capricious and will require a lot of trouble. The optimum water temperature for these animals is 10-15 degrees, temporary increases up to 23 degrees are allowed. In too warm water, they stop eating and secrete a large amount of mucus, which must be constantly washed off. For normal life M.senile requires a constant change of water - about 10% per month. Anemones also need high-quality filters stuffed with activated carbon. Another prerequisite is the presence of strong water flows. With mechanical irritations, long white threads with stinging cells that can cause harm to other inhabitants are thrown from the pores of the body of M.senile.
In order to decorate the aquarium, anemones-flowers of this type should be placed on a steep rocky wall. This solution creates the illusion of horizontally growing fancy palm trees with lush swaying crowns. M.senile will certainly become the "pearls" of the underwater garden.
The best food for any anemone is live zooplankton, for example, sea rotifers, which are easily bred at home. If desired, M.senile can be accustomed to large meals - pieces of minced fish, small fish or shellfish. It is worth noting that during feeding they need a strong flow of water. Anemones, predator flowers, can also become prey. Many fish, in particular Navodon modestus and Blenniidae eat them, biting off pieces from their body. Another enemy is eolidia - a cute nudibranch mollusk that can "drink" anemone during the day. Reproduction of these anemones can be triggered by creating a temperature jump in the aquarium . Division and budding is extremely rare. Young individuals appear on the walls and soil of the aquarium, they feed on zooplankton.
Anemones, flowers for the aquarium, also have other interesting forms. Anthopleura sp., Living in the Sea of Japan near the Kuril Islands and Kamchatka, lives under a layer of silt or sand, attached to the bottom. On the surface there is only an attractive corolla made of tentacles, which immediately immobilizes small crustaceans and mollusks that swim too close and is buried with prey in the sand. Contents Anthopleura sp. in the aquarium does not require significant effort, with their help you can create original "living" flower beds. Water temperature should be maintained at a level of 15-20 degrees. In addition to crustaceans, they can be fed shrimp and small pieces of fish. Cases of reproduction of these amemon in captivity are unknown today.