Mertens’ Carpet Anemone
(Stichodactyla mertensii)

Descrição

Mertens’ Carpet Anemone: A Magnificent Reef Centerpiece

Bring the grandeur of the Indo-Pacific to your marine aquarium with the stunning Mertens’ Carpet Anemone. Its expansive disc and vibrant hues create a captivating focal point.

Overview
The Mertens’ Carpet Anemone (*Stichodactyla mertensii*) is renowned as one of the largest sea anemones, boasting an oral disc that can exceed a meter in diameter. Its flattened body and dense, short tentacles give it a plush, carpet-like appearance, ranging in color from cream, yellow, or green, often with contrasting tentacle tips. Unlike some other carpet anemones, its disc typically lies flat, attaching to rocky or coral substrates. This species is also a famous host for numerous clownfish species, offering a fascinating symbiotic display.

Care Level
Keeping a Mertens’ Carpet Anemone is considered advanced due to its demanding care requirements and sensitivity to unstable conditions. It requires an established, mature reef system to thrive, not a new setup. While generally sedentary once settled, ensuring its appropriate placement on hard substrate in an area with moderate water flow is crucial for its long-term health. Compatibility is primarily with host clownfish and certain other symbionts, as its potent sting can be deadly to most other aquarium inhabitants.

Tank Essentials
Given its potential size, a minimum tank size of 475 litres (125 gallons) is absolutely necessary for a single Mertens’ Carpet Anemone, with larger systems always being preferable. Maintain stable water parameters: pH 8.1-8.4, temperature 25-28°C, salinity 1.024-1.026, dKH 8-12, calcium 400-450 ppm, and magnesium 1250-1350 ppm. Ammonia and nitrite must be undetectable, with nitrates below 2 ppm. Intense lighting (VHO, T5, or metal halide) is vital for its symbiotic zooxanthellae.

Diet
The Mertens’ Carpet Anemone is a carnivore and an opportunistic feeder. While its symbiotic zooxanthellae provide significant nutrition, regular supplemental feedings are essential. Offer meaty foods such as chopped shrimp, fish, or other marine fare once or twice a week. Ensure portions are appropriate to avoid overfeeding and potential water quality issues.

Why Buy From Us
When you buy your Mertens’ Carpet Anemone online from Corais de Vidro, you’re choosing a responsibly sourced, healthy aquarium fish. We prioritize ethical practices and robust quarantine to ensure your new centerpiece arrives in prime condition, ready to flourish in your dedicated reef system.

• Scientific Name: Stichodactyla mertensii
• Common Name / Variant: Mertens’ Carpet Anemone
• Maximum Size: 100 cm
• Origin: Indo-Pacific
• pH Range: 8.1–8.4
• Temperature: 25–28°C
• Lifespan: [data unavailable]
• Swimming Zone: Bottom

Transform your reef aquarium with a magnificent Mertens’ Carpet Anemone today!