Strawberry Anemone

About

Found in cooler temperate and sub-Antarctic waters around Southern Africa, the Southern Ocean, and remote Atlantic outposts like Saint Helena, Corynactis annulata is a corallimorpharian. A close relative of true corals that lacks a hard skeleton. Members of this genus are sometimes called strawberry anemones in other parts of the world, and they share that same distinctive look: small, jewel-toned polyps topped with club-tipped tentacles that give colonies a textured, almost fuzzy appearance. In the wild, Corynactis species tend to carpet rocky surfaces in dense aggregations, reproducing clonally to form spreading mats, and this one is no different. In the aquarium, it is a genuinely forgiving choice for newer reef keepers, asking for little in the way of light or flow compared to most photosynthetic corals. In fact it does better without intense light. It is reef safe and generally not aggressive toward neighbors given adequate space. Feed it small meaty foods like baby brine shrimp or finely minced seafood and it will reward you with steady growth. Because it originates from cooler water, keeping tabs on temperature stability is worthwhile, though it adapts reasonably well to typical reef aquarium conditions.