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Phylum Cnidaria > Class Anthozoa > Subclass Zoantharia/Hexacorallia > Order Actiniaria
Bubble-tip anemone
Entacmaea quadricolor
Family Actiniidae
updated Nov 2019
if you learn only 3 things about them ...
They are found among the coral rubble. Don't step on them!
Don't remove any fishes or shrimps that live in the anemone. They will die and the anemone will also suffer.
Don't poke the anemone to try to make fishes or shrimps come out. They will instead hide deeper in the anemone.

Where seen? This anemone with bulbous tips is seen on our Southern shores. Usually nestled among coral rubble with the body column deep in a crevice or hole and only the tentacles sticking out. Thus, it is often mistaken for a hard coral. Sometimes, several small ones are seen clustered together. Larger ones are usually alone, and found in deeper water.

Features: Diameter of anemone with tentacles extended 10-20cm although large ones about 30-40cm have been seen. Tentacles 4-6cm long. The tentacles may have bulbous tips (although not always). There may be a white 'equator' around the bulbous portion. When not inflated, the tip is then blunt with a white ring where the 'equator' would be. According to Dr Fautin, the bulbous tip seems related to presence of anemonefish, and can disappear. Body column smooth with no verrucae, colour brown, reddish or orange, but is rarely seen as it is usually deeply inserted into crevices. It has a small pedal disc.

Be careful! Like other anemones, this anemone has stingers in its tentacles that can inflict a painful sting.

Terumbu Semakau, Jun 12

Sisters Island, Jun 07

Sisters Islands, Apr 04
Bubble friends: The anemone harbours symbiotic algae (called zooxanthellae) that produces food through photosynthesis. The food produced is shared with the anemone, which in turn provides the algae with shelter and minerals.

Several kinds of animals are said to live happily among and unharmed by the tentacles of bubble tip anemones. These include Peacock-tail aemone shrimps (Periclimenes brevicarpalis) these fishes: Dascyllus trimaculatus and Premnas biaculeatus and anemonefishes (Amphiprion sp.) including A. akindynos, A. biaculeatus, A. bicinctus, A. chrysopterus, A. clarkii, A. ephippium, A. frenatus (Tomato anemonefish), A. fuscocaudatus, A. latezonatus, A. melanopus, A. polymnus (juvenile). So far, only the Tomato anemonefish has been seen on the bubble tip anemones on the intertidal.

The Tomato anemonefish
lives with this anemone
Pulau Semakau, Aug 08

Peacock-tail anemone shrimps were seen in this anemone.
Sisters Island, Dec 12
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on flickr.
Human uses: Unfortunately, this beautiful anemone is collected for the live aquarium trade.

Status and threats: Bubble tip anemones are not listed among the threatened animals of Singapore, but the anemone fishes that rely on them are on the Red List. However, like other animals harvested for the live aquarium trade, most die before they can reach the retailers. Without professional care, most die soon after they are sold. Those that do survive are unlikely to breed successfully. Like other creatures of the intertidal zone, they are affected by human activities such as reclamation and pollution. Trampling by careless visitors, and over-collection also have an impact on local populations.

Bubble-tip anemones on Singapore shores
On wildsingapore flickr

Other sightings on Singapore shores


Tanah Merah, Jul 09
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog.

Tanah Merah, Jun 10
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his flickr.

Tanah Merah, May 14

Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog.


Sentosa Serapong, May 17

Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook.


Seringat Kias, Apr 12
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog.

St. John's Island, Apr 12
Shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog.

St. John's Island, Aug 23
Shared by Kelvin Yong on facebook.


Big Sisters Island, Feb 22
Photo shared by James Koh on facebook.

Sisters Island, Jan 11
Photo shared by James Koh on his blog.


Cyrene Reef, Jun 16
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog.

Beting Bemban Besar, Jun 21
Photo shared by Jianlin Liu on facebook.
 


Teumbu Pempang Tengah, Sep 14
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog.

Teumbu Pempang Tengah, May 21
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook.

Teumbu Pempang Laut, Aug 16
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook.


Pulau Hantu, Jul 07
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog.

Pulau Hantu, Apr 09
Photo shared by Toh Chay Hoon on her blog.

Terumbu Hantu, Apr 12
Photo shared by Russel Low on facebook.


Terumbu Bemban, Apr 11
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog.

Terumbu Bemban, Apr 11
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog.

Terumbu Semakau, May 10
Photo shared by James Koh on his blog.


Pulau Senang, Jun 10
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his flickr.

Pulau Senang, Jun 10
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his flickr.

Terumbu Salu, Jan 10
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his flickr.


Pulau Salu, Apr 21
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook.

Pulau Berkas, Feb 22
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook.

Links

References

  • Daphne Gail Fautin, S. H. Tan and Ria Tan. Dec 2009. Sea anemones (Cnidaria: Actiniaria) of Singapore: abundant and well-known shallow-water species. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. Pp. 121-143.
  • Erhardt, Harry and Daniel Knop. 2005. Corals: Indo-Pacific Field Guide IKAN-Unterwasserachiv, Frankfurt. 305 pp.
  • Gosliner, Terrence M., David W. Behrens and Gary C. Williams. 1996. Coral Reef Animals of the Indo-Pacific: Animal life from Africa to Hawaii exclusive of the vertebrates Sea Challengers. 314pp.
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