The long-tentacle anemone (Macrodactyla doreensis), or “LTA,” is the sand-bed host anemone — the one that buries its foot deep in soft sand instead of anchoring in rock like a bubble-tip. Give it a mature tank, a 3–5 in soft sand bed, moderate-to-strong light and gentle indirect flow and it becomes a striking, long-lived host. The catch most keepers miss: its natural clownfish are Clark's and the pink skunk — an ocellaris or percula will often simply ignore it.
Care at a glance
| Adult size | Commonly a 4–6 in oral disc, but the full tentacle spread can reach 12–20 in — plan for the spread, not the disc. |
|---|---|
| Lifespan | Host anemones are extremely long-lived (potentially decades); a firm captive figure isn't well documented, so success is measured in years of stability, not a set number. |
| Minimum tank | ~30 gallons and up, and only a mature, established tank — plus a deep 3–5 in soft sand bed for it to anchor its foot. |
| Lighting | Moderate-to-high reef light — roughly PAR 200–300. |
| Water flow | Low-to-moderate, indirect flow — it dislikes a direct powerhead stream. |
| Placement | A SAND-dweller: it buries its pedal foot in a deep (3–5 in) soft sand bed, usually gripping buried rock beneath. Avoid crushed coral, which can cut its foot. This is the key difference from a rock-anchoring bubble-tip. |
| Temperature | ~76–82°F (24–28°C) — sources split between the low-70s and low-80s, so keep it stable within that band. |
| pH | 8.1–8.4. |
| Specific gravity | 1.023–1.025 (~35 ppt). |
| Other targets | dKH ~8–12; like all inverts, zero tolerance for copper. |
| Feeding | Photosynthetic (via zooxanthellae) PLUS small meaty foods — mysis, chopped fish, shrimp or mussel — roughly 1–3× a week. Don't overfeed. |
| Temperament | A moderate stinger — it can sting corals within reach and catch small, slow fish. Give it a buffer zone. |
| Reef-safe | With caution — it stings corals it touches and can wander; site it with space from corals and screen your pumps. |
| Natural range | Indo-Pacific / Western Pacific. |
The fish store gets these wrong
Common myths, kindly corrected — no shame for having believed them.
- “My ocellaris/percula will host it.” Often false — the LTA's natural hosts are Clark's and pink skunk clowns; ocellaris and percula frequently ignore it.
- “Any substrate is fine.” No — it needs a deep 3–5 in soft sand bed to bury its foot, and crushed coral can lacerate that foot.
- “I can add it to my new tank.” Host anemones need a mature, stable system — adding one too early is a top cause of loss.
- “It's fully reef-safe.” It stings corals within reach and can catch small fish; give it a clear buffer zone.
Before you buy
- A deep (3–5 in) soft sand bed — the non-negotiable it's most often denied.
- A mature, stable, established tank (this is a host anemone, not a beginner's first buy).
- Moderate-to-high light (~PAR 200–300) and gentle, indirect flow.
- Screen every powerhead intake and overflow — it can wander.
- Realistic expectations on hosting: Clark's and pink skunk clowns are its natural partners.
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:
- Deflated, or mouth gaping and staying open — a stressed or declining anemone; test water and be ready to remove it before it fouls the tank.
- Constant wandering that never settles — usually light, flow or unstable water; a roaming anemone is also at risk in pumps.
- Shrinking, fading or turning pale/translucent (bleaching) — a light, feeding or stability problem.
- Detaching and tumbling in the flow — check it hasn't drifted toward a powerhead, and stabilise conditions.
Work through the Long-Tentacle Anemone trouble card — the water, light, flow and pest checks that fix almost every struggling invert.
Never
- Never add it to a new or unstable tank — the top killer of host anemones.
- Never keep it over crushed coral or a shallow/bare bottom — it needs deep soft sand for its foot.
- Never run unguarded powerhead intakes or overflows — a wandering anemone gets shredded.
- Never dose copper-based medications with any anemone in the tank.
- Never buy one assuming an ocellaris or percula will host it.
Common long-tentacle anemone questions
Does a long-tentacle anemone need sand or rock?
Sand — a deep, soft bed of about 3–5 inches to bury its foot in (it often grips buried rock underneath). This is the big difference from a bubble-tip, which anchors its foot in rock. Crushed coral is a poor choice because it can cut the foot.
Will my ocellaris clownfish host a long-tentacle anemone?
Maybe, but don't count on it. The LTA's natural hosts are the Clark's clownfish and the pink skunk clownfish; ocellaris and percula often ignore it. An individual clown may or may not adopt one, and no clownfish needs an anemone to be healthy.
How big a tank does an LTA need?
Around 30 gallons or more, and it must be a mature, stable, established tank — plus a deep soft sand bed. Anemone stability matters far more than a big tank number.
How much light and flow does it want?
Moderate-to-high reef light (roughly PAR 200–300) and low-to-moderate, indirect flow. It dislikes a direct powerhead stream, so aim the flow across it, not at it.
Do I have to feed a long-tentacle anemone?
It gets energy from light via its symbiotic zooxanthellae, but it does best with small meaty foods — mysis, chopped fish, shrimp or mussel — about 1–3 times a week. Don't overfeed.
Is a long-tentacle anemone reef-safe?
Only with caution. It stings corals within reach and can catch small, slow fish, and it can wander until it settles. Give it a buffer from corals and screen your pumps.
🐚 Did you know? — Long-Tentacle Anemone fun facts
Little true delights about the long-tentacle anemone — each one checked against a named source, no reef-store folklore.
- The long-tentacle anemone keeps its column buried in the sediment with only its flared crown of tentacles at the surface, and it can pull its whole body down into the sand when disturbed. Wikipedia
- Its long, evenly tapering tentacles sometimes curl into a corkscrew shape, which is why it is also known as the corkscrew tentacle sea anemone. Wikipedia
- The long-tentacle anemone is a natural home for five different species of anemonefish that live safely among its stinging tentacles. Wikipedia
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:
- Reef Chasers — Long Tentacle Anemone Care Guide — PAR 200–300, 3–5" sand bed, low-moderate flow, moderate difficulty, temperature band, pH, Indo-Pacific
- AquariumDomain — Long Tentacle Anemone Species Profile — 30-gal min, semi-aggressive, temp 72–79°F, pH 8.1–8.4, SG 1.023–1.025, sand-burying placement, carnivore feeding, clown hosts
- LiveAquaria — Long Tentacle Anemone — 30-gal min, moderate care, dKH 8–12, ~4" sand/rubble substrate, hosts A. perideraion & A. clarkii
- TFH Magazine — Host Anemones and Clownfishes — natural hosts limited to Clark's and pink skunk; grows well over a foot across
Written and fact-checked by The Coralkin Team against marine-aquarist sources — if your long-tentacle 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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