Unless they are hosting clownfish or somewhat reef-safe, Anemones don’t get a fair share of attention in the aquarium world. But things could be different if we saw more mimic anemones like this wonderful blue Phyllodiscus semoni which we sighted on the Fluval Sea Flores Expedition.
This blue mimic anemone was all alone on a dynamited reef looking like the near perfect mimic of a blue Acropora digitifera colony, albeit a little lonely since there was nothing but rubble surrounding it. It would have been easy to miss this this bright blue mimic anemone had it been resting in a field of blue finger Acropora coral which it closely resembles. Either way, the brilliant blue pseudo-tentacles hiding the classic anemone shape within were equally gorgeous, probably much easier to keep than the original blue stony coral model.
However it must be remembered that mimic anemones like Phyllodiscus semoni pack quite a sting so it’s important to wear safety equipment or keep a good distance between your hands and this beauty’s stingers. That caveat aside, wouldn’t it be cool to see a nice SPS reef tank with one of these mimic anemones mixed in just to throw off your search image of what shallow water SPS corals look like?
