Snakelock Anemone
Anemonia viridis
Snakelocks are another common anemone found around Poole.
They are normally attached to rocks or stones & sometimes on seaweeds.
They grow up to 20cm across, with long non retractable tentacles.
Those that grow in the sunlight have green tentacles tipped with purple. The green colour in the tentacles comes from symbiotic algae that live in this part of the anemone.
Those that grow in the shade tend to be more brown/grey in colour.
I have some brown specimens which have developed this green colour when exposed to more light.
They reproduce by longitudinal fission, that is they literally split themselves into two anemones of the same size.
You can find large numbers very close to each other.
They feed on mysis shrimp, chopped mussel, brine shrimp, gamma shrimp, fish eggs, plankton & rotifers.
Snakelocks are quite mobile compared to other anemones in the aquarium. Wandering around the aquarium until finding a spot that suits them.
This one came a bit to close to a beadlet which can be seen displaying a blue ring of acrochagi; after a quick confrontation the snakelock retreated & settled onto the rock at a safer distance from the beadlet.
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