Condy Anemone

Condylactis gigantea

The cheap, hardy Caribbean anemone pet shops oversell — it wanders, stings corals, and eats small fish and shrimp.

Difficulty: IntermediateAnemoneNot reef-safe

The condy anemone (Condylactis gigantea) is the cheap, hardy Caribbean anemone pet shops love to sell as an easy beginner clownfish host — and it's really none of those last three things. It's a Caribbean animal, so it has no natural clownfish partner; it wanders until it's happy; and it's an active predator with a strong sting that catches small fish and shrimp and burns corals it touches. It IS hardy and inexpensive, which makes it a fine centrepiece for a species or fish-only tank — just not a reef-community animal, and not a Nemo home.

Good to know: Cheap ≠ care-free. Not a natural clownfish host and NOT reef-community-safe (eats small fish/shrimp, stings corals). Best in a species or FOWLR tank.

📊 What keepers actually ask: The recurring theme is buyers who were sold it as a cheap, easy, reef-safe clownfish host — then find it ignores (or eats) their clown, stings their corals, and eats their cleaner shrimp. Cheap and hardy, yes; reef-community-safe and a clown host, no.

Care at a glance

Adult size	Roughly 6–12 in (15–30 cm) across in a home tank; larger in the wild.
Lifespan	Several years to 10+ with good care; anemones are effectively very long-lived when kept well.
Minimum tank	30 gallons is the absolute minimum, 50 gallons-plus preferred per anemone — and an established, stable tank (commonly ~6 months in).
Lighting	Moderate-to-high reef light — it's a photosynthetic carnivore that relies on symbiotic zooxanthellae. (Sources don't give a firm PAR figure, so match good reef lighting to your tank depth.)
Water flow	Moderate, indirect flow — enough to keep the tentacles gently moving, not a direct blast.
Placement	It anchors/buries its foot in a rock crevice or sand, but it WANDERS until it finds a spot it likes — so screen every powerhead and overflow, or it can be sucked in and shredded.
Temperature	72–78°F (22–26°C).
pH	8.1–8.4.
Specific gravity	1.023–1.025 (standard reef ~1.025 / 35 ppt).
Other targets	dKH ~8–12; zero copper, as with any invert.
Feeding	Photosynthetic PLUS a carnivore — small (~¼ in) meaty pieces of fish, shrimp or mussel every 2–3 days when new or small, tapering to 1–2× a week once established under good light.
Temperament	Aggressive for an anemone — a strong sting that's often fatal to nearby corals and other anemones, and it actively preys on small fish and shrimp that brush its tentacles.
Reef-safe	No — it wanders and stings (often fatally) corals and other anemones, and it eats small fish and shrimp. Keep it in a species or FOWLR tank, not a mixed reef.
Natural range	Caribbean / Western Atlantic (south-eastern US through the Caribbean).

Beginner-friendly, done right. Don't let the cheap price tag fool you. It's genuinely hardy and forgiving of beginner mistakes on water chemistry — but only in a tank that's been running several months with good light, stable parameters and every pump intake screened. The bigger issue is what it is, not how tough it is: it's not a natural clownfish host, it wanders, and it's a predator with a strong sting, so it's not safe with small fish, shrimp or corals. Kept for what it actually is — a hardy centrepiece for a species or FOWLR tank — it's a rewarding, inexpensive animal. Bought as a cheap reef-safe Nemo host, it disappoints on every count.

The fish store gets these wrong

Common myths, kindly corrected — no shame for having believed them.

“Cheap means easy and care-free.” Hardy and inexpensive, yes — but it still needs a mature tank, good light, stable water and screened pumps.
“It's a clownfish host.” It isn't a natural one — it's a Caribbean anemone with no clownfish partner, and a clown that tries it can be stung or eaten.
“It's reef-safe.” No — it wanders and its strong sting is often fatal to corals and other anemones.
“It stays where I put it.” It anchors its foot but wanders until satisfied — unguarded powerheads can kill it, or it restages right into your corals.

Before you buy

The right expectation: a hardy species/FOWLR anemone, NOT a reef-safe clownfish host.
A mature (~6-month), stable 30 gal+ tank (50 gal+ preferred) with good light.
No small fish or shrimp you value in with it — it's a predator.
Every powerhead and overflow screened — it wanders.
Moderate indirect flow and space away from corals it could sting.

Signs something's wrong

A struggling invert is usually telling you about water quality, acclimation, or (for shrimp and crabs) a fresh moult — here's what to watch for:

Staying tightly retracted and not opening for days — short-term is normal, persistent isn't (check light, flow, water).
Mouth gaping open or expelling its insides, or a deflating, shrinking column — classic decline; act on water quality fast.
Constant wandering that never re-anchors — unhappy with light, flow or placement.
Pale/bleached colour — loss of zooxanthellae from too little light or stress; and remove a clearly melting anemone before it fouls the tank.

Never

Never keep it with small fish or ornamental shrimp you value — it eats them.
Never buy it expecting a clownfish host — it isn't a natural one.
Never trust it in a mixed reef — its sting is often fatal to corals and other anemones.
Never run unguarded powerheads — a wanderer gets shredded.
Never add it to a young, unstable tank, and never dose copper with it in the tank.

Common condy anemone questions

Is a condy anemone a good first anemone?

It's the hardiest and cheapest common option, so it forgives beginner mistakes on water chemistry — but only in a tank that's been running several months with good light, stable parameters and screened pumps. And "hardy" doesn't make it reef-safe or a clownfish host, so buy it for what it actually is: a centrepiece for a species or fish-only tank.

Will my clownfish host a condy anemone?

Probably not, and don't count on it. It's a Caribbean anemone with no natural clownfish partner (clowns are Indo-Pacific). A clown may ignore it — or, because the condy is a predator with a strong sting, get caught and eaten if it tries.

Can I keep a condy anemone in my reef with corals?

Not recommended. It wanders, and its strong sting is often fatal to corals and other anemones it reaches. Keep it in a species or FOWLR tank where it can't get to your corals.

Is a condy anemone safe with small fish and shrimp?

No. In the wild it eats small fish and shrimp that touch its tentacles, so cleaner shrimp, small gobies and similar tankmates are at real risk. Don't mix it with small, brush-past livestock.

How often should I feed a condy anemone?

Small (about ¼ inch) meaty pieces — mysis, chopped fish, shrimp or mussel — every 2–3 days when it's new or small, tapering to once or twice a week once it's established under good light. It also gets energy from light via its zooxanthellae.

Why does my condy anemone keep moving around the tank?

Wandering is normal — it moves until the light and flow suit it. That's exactly why every pump and overflow intake must be screened before you add one, or it can be pulled in and shredded.

Sources & further reading

This guide was written and fact-checked against these authorities. It's honest, general guidance — not a diagnosis, and not a substitute for an aquatic vet or your own test kit:

AquariumDomain — Condy Anemone (Condylactis gigantea) Species Profile — size 6 in aquarium/16 in wild, min tank 30 gal, temp 72–78°F, pH 8.1–8.4, SG 1.023–1.025, feeding every 2–3 days, aggressive sting fatal to corals/anemones, reef-safe-with-caution, Caribbean origin, does not host clownfish, wanders/buries foot
Top Shelf Aquatics — Condylactis Anemone Care — 30+ gal (larger preferred), established-tank requirement, strong reef lighting + zooxanthellae, moderate indirect flow, feed 1–2×/week, temp 72–78°F, pH 8.1–8.4, alk 8–12 dKH, SG 1.023–1.025, semi-aggressive strong sting, NOT a natural clownfish host
Saltwaterfish.com — Condylactis Anemone (Pink-Tip Haitian) — up to 12 in diameter, lifespan "several years with proper care," high light, moderate flow, carnivore preying on small fish/shrimp, potent sting, Western Atlantic origin, no clownfish relationship

Written and fact-checked by The Coralkin Team against marine-aquarist sources — if your condy anemone is struggling, it's almost always water quality, acclimation or a moult — check those first and ask an experienced reefer. We never guess a care number.

🔬 Review status: team-written and fact-checked against cited sources · not yet reviewed by a marine vet. How we research & fact-check →

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