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Stichodactyla gigantea

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Stichodactyla gigantea
Stichodactlya gigantea with false percula clownfish, Amphiprion ocellaris
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Hexacorallia
Order: Actiniaria
Family: Stichodactylidae
Genus: Stichodactyla
Species:
S. gigantea
Binomial name
Stichodactyla gigantea
(Forsskål, 1775)[1]
Synonyms
List
  • Actinia amethystina Quoy & Gaimard, 1833
  • Actinia brevitentacula Quoy & Gaimard
  • Actinia gigantea (Forskål, 1775)
  • Actinia gigas Renieri
  • Actinia gygas Renieri
  • Actinia parvitentaculata Quoy & Gaimard, 1833
  • Discosoma gigantea
  • Discosoma giganteum
  • Discosoma kenti Haddon & Shackleton, 1893
  • Isacmaea gigantea Hemprich & Ehrenberg
  • Polyparium ambulans Korotneff, 1886
  • Priapus giganteus Forsskål, 1775
  • Radianthus parvitentaculata (Quoy & Gaimard, 1833)
  • Radianthus parvitentaculatus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1833)
  • Stichodactyla kenti (Haddon & Shackleton, 1893)
  • Stoichactis gigantea (Forsskål, 1775)
  • Stoichactis giganteum (Forsskål, 1775)
  • Stoichactis giganteus (Forsskål, 1775)
  • Stoichactis gigantium
  • Stoichactis intermedia Lager, 1911
  • Stoichactis kenti Haddon & Shackleton, 1893

Stichodactyla gigantea, commonly known as the giant carpet anemone,[2] is a species of sea anemone that lives in the Indo-Pacific area. It can be kept in an aquarium but is a very challenging species to keep alive and healthy for more than 3–5 years.

Description

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Stichodactyla gigantea has a diameter that is usually no larger than 50 centimetres (1.6 ft) and a maximum of 80 centimetres (2.6 ft).[3] It can appear in a number of colors, commonly brown or greenish and rarely a striking purple or pink, deep blue, or bright green.[4] A healthy S. gigantea will possess tentacles that are extremely sticky to the touch, with firm adherence to surfaces.[4]

Ecology

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S. gigantea resides on shallow seagrass beds or sand flats around 8 centimetres (3.1 in) deep (at low tide).[5] Most anemones are treated as sessile, but the ones inhabited by anemonefish are in fact motile.[4] Zooxanthellae are obligate symbionts within the anemone.

S. gigantea hosts 7 different species of anemonefish

Juvenile Dascyllus trimaculatus also associate with S. gigantea.[4]

Aquarium trade

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S. gigantea is uncommon in the aquarium trade.[6] Though smaller in size than other carpet anemone species, it is significantly more delicate, and requires a large, mature reef aquarium. Like all sea anemones in captivity that have a symbiotic, mutualistic relationship with anemonefish, S. gigantea requires intense aquarium lighting, impeccable water quality, and stable parameters.[6] It is prone to shipping stress and bacterial infections during transit.[6] Due to these factors, many hobbyists advocate quarantining this anemone and treating with antibiotics such as Ciprofloxacin or Septra for a minimum of one week before acclimating it to the main tank.[7]

References

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  1. ^ Fautin, D. (2010). "Stichodactlya gigantea (Forsskål, 1775)". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
  2. ^ Fenner, Robert M. (1998). The Conscientious Marine Aquarist: A Commonsense Handbook for Successful Saltwater Hobbyists. Shelburne, VT: Microcosm Ltd.
  3. ^ "Freshmarine.com: Carpet anemone". Retrieved 2 October 2013.
  4. ^ a b c d Fautin, Daphne G.; Allen, Gerald R. (1997). Field Guide to Anemone Fishes and Their Host Sea Anemones. Western Australian Museum. ISBN 9780730983651. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015.
  5. ^ Mitchell, Jeremy S. (2003). "Mobility of Stichodactlya gigantea sea anemones and implications for resident false clown anemonefish, Amphiprion ocellaris". Environmental Biology of Fishes. 66: 85–90. doi:10.1023/a:1023286009054.
  6. ^ a b c Animal-World References: Marine and Reef, 2015. http://animal-world.com/Aquarium-Coral-Reefs/Giant-Carpet-Anemone Giant Carpet Anemone.
  7. ^ Protocol for using antibiotics to treat infected anemones. (2014). http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2271385
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