Seafan

    Loading the index

    Emergencies
    On this page

    Anemone

    Bubble tip anemone

    Entacmaea quadricolor

    Also sold as BTA, Rose or rainbow BTA

    Bubble tip anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor)
    Photo: Nick Hobgood, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
    Type
    Anemone
    Care level
    Intermediate
    Light
    150 to 300 PAR (high)
    Flow
    Medium
    With neighbours
    Stings neighbours

    Safety: handling bubble tip anemone

    Low risk to people; sting harms corals

    How do you care for bubble tip anemone?

    Placement

    It chooses: likes its foot in a crevice or under an overhang typical, check

    Flow

    Moderate

    Feeding

    Regular meaty foods typical, check

    Growth

    Can split; one keeper reported one becoming four within a year typical, check

    Water quality

    Add only to a stable tank of at least 6 months, ideally a year. Wandering suggests light, flow or chemistry problems typical, check

    How much light does it need?

    Sources put it at about 150 to 300 PAR, measured where the coral sits. No figure was published for this coral itself, so this is the usual range for its group. Start a new coral at the low end and raise it over weeks.

    High light per retail listing. typical, check

    Which neighbours are safe?

    Wanders and stings corals it touches typical, check

    Plan a zone for it; it will move

    Fish

    Fish known to nip this group of corals, or small enough to be caught by it.

    Take care (1)

    Other corals

    This coral stings. Give these neighbours space.

    Take care (44)

    • ZoanthidsBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the zoanthids out of reach.
    • PalythoaBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the palythoa out of reach.
    • Mushroom coralBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the mushroom coral out of reach.
    • Hairy mushroomBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the hairy mushroom out of reach.
    • Florida ricordeaBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the florida ricordea out of reach.
    • Yuma ricordeaBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the yuma ricordea out of reach.
    • Toadstool leatherBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the toadstool leather out of reach.
    • Finger leatherBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the finger leather out of reach.
    • XeniaBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the xenia out of reach.
    • Pulsing xeniaBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the pulsing xenia out of reach.
    • Waving hand coralBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the waving hand coral out of reach.
    • Green star polypsBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the green star polyps out of reach.
    • Clove polypsBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the clove polyps out of reach.
    • Kenya treeBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the kenya tree out of reach.
    • Hammer coralBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the hammer coral out of reach. Hammer coral stings neighbours up to about 15 cm away at night; keep the bubble tip anemone out of reach.
    • Frogspawn coralBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the frogspawn coral out of reach. Frogspawn coral stings neighbours; keep the bubble tip anemone out of reach.
    • Torch coralBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the torch coral out of reach. Torch coral stings neighbours; keep the bubble tip anemone out of reach.
    • Duncan coralBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the duncan coral out of reach.
    • AcanBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the acan out of reach.
    • FaviaBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the favia out of reach.
    • FavitesBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the favites out of reach.
    • Chalice coralBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the chalice coral out of reach.
    • BlastomussaBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the blastomussa out of reach.
    • Candy cane coralBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the candy cane coral out of reach.
    • Bubble coralBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the bubble coral out of reach.
    • GonioporaBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the goniopora out of reach.
    • AlveoporaBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the alveopora out of reach.
    • Open brain coralBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the open brain coral out of reach.
    • LoboBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the lobo out of reach.
    • GalaxeaBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the galaxea out of reach. Galaxea stings neighbours up to about 15 cm away at night; keep the bubble tip anemone out of reach.
    • Scroll coralBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the scroll coral out of reach.
    • Montipora capricornisBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the montipora capricornis out of reach.
    • Montipora digitataBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the montipora digitata out of reach.
    • AcroporaBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the acropora out of reach.
    • Acropora milleporaBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the acropora millepora out of reach.
    • PocilloporaBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the pocillopora out of reach.
    • StylophoraBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the stylophora out of reach.
    • Birdsnest coralBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the birdsnest coral out of reach.
    • Horn coralBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the horn coral out of reach. Horn coral stings neighbours; keep the bubble tip anemone out of reach.
    • Fire coral (not Acropora millepora)Bubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the fire coral (not Acropora millepora) out of reach. Fire coral (not Acropora millepora) stings neighbours; keep the bubble tip anemone out of reach.
    • Rock flower anemoneBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the rock flower anemone out of reach.
    • Mini maxiBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the mini maxi out of reach. Mini maxi stings neighbours; keep the bubble tip anemone out of reach.
    • Carpet anemones (Haddon's, giant)Bubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the carpet anemones (Haddon's, giant) out of reach. Carpet anemones (Haddon's, giant) stings neighbours; keep the bubble tip anemone out of reach.
    • Ritteri anemoneBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the ritteri anemone out of reach. Ritteri anemone stings neighbours; keep the bubble tip anemone out of reach.

    Invertebrates

    Invertebrates that may nip corals when hungry.

    Take care (3)

    These checks follow the reasons fish and invertebrates clash: same species or genus, similar shape, mouth size, temperament, food, burrows, tank size and the order they are added. Individual animals differ; every source agrees on that.

    Pests, dips and quarantine

    Not a pest host, but cover every pump intake: wandering anemones get shredded typical, check

    Do not use coral dips; inspect and acclimate slowly

    No dip reliably kills pest eggs, so a dip lowers the risk rather than removing it. Inspect new frags with a torch after lights out, including the underside and the plug.

    Sources

    1. World Wide Corals rainbow BTA listingRead 21 October 2026, search summary only.
    2. Reef Central BTA threads (wandering, powerheads)Read 21 October 2026, search summary only.
    3. WetWebMedia BTA FAQ (6 months minimum, 1 year best)Read 21 October 2026, search summary only.

    Last checked . How we check

    Found a mistake? Tell us how to fix it.

    Rock flower anemone

    Phymanthus crenatus (and others)

    Care
    Beginner
    Light
    Medium
    Flow
    Low
    Neighbours
    Peaceful

    Photo RevolverOcelot, CC BY-SA 3.0

    Mini maxi

    Stichodactyla tapetum

    Care
    Intermediate
    Light
    High
    Flow
    Medium
    Neighbours
    Stings neighbours

    Photo Chaloklum Diving, CC BY 3.0

    Ritteri anemone

    Radianthus magnifica (formerly Heteractis magnifica)

    Care
    Advanced
    Light
    High
    Flow
    High
    Neighbours
    Stings neighbours

    Photo Nick Hobgood, CC BY-SA 3.0