海葵是标志性的海洋生物，长期以来一直捕捉到盐水水族馆业余爱好者的想象。不幸的是，其中许多标志性的动物在普通水族馆中适合生活。甚至那些通常被认为是好的水族馆候选者的人，例如流行的泡泡糖海葵（Entacmaea Quadricolor), are still demanding in terms of their physical environment and must be placed in a system designed around their specific needs and behaviors.
The good news is, hobbyists who are seeking a beautiful but more accommodating anemone species can find what they’re after in the flower anemone, aka rock flower anemone (Phymanthus crucifer*). This Caribbean denizen is very hardy and tolerates a fairly wide range of aquarium conditions, making it a good choice for reefkeepers of virtually all experience levels, even beginners.
Physical appearance
乍一看，P. crucifer可能被误认为是特别华丽的蘑菇海葵。围绕口腔盘边缘的触角可以光滑，但通常是串珠或脊的。实际上，“串珠海葵”是该物种的另一个常用名称。可能的颜色范围从均匀的棕褐色，绿色，橙色或奶油白色到同一标本上不同颜色和色调的彩虹般的组合。尺寸在尺寸上，这种海葵通常只有几英寸的直径出售。它的直径可能超过六英寸，但是我见过或保存的大多数标本都位于三到四英寸的范围内。
水族馆条件
P. crucifercan thrive under a relatively wide range of lighting and water-flow intensities. While reef-quality water conditions must be provided, this anemone is reasonably forgiving with respect to dissolved nutrient levels and modest fluctuations in water parameters (emphasis on “reasonably forgiving”—they won’t thrive on neglect). As far as tank size is concerned, just about anything goes. Being small, hardy, and often visually stunning, this anemone has become a popular choice among nano aquarium keepers, but it can also be a great addition to larger systems, especially if multiple specimens are introduced to create the effect of a flower anemone garden.
Flower anemone placement
The specimens I kept preferred being situated down on the substrate right at the base of a rock, each with its foot attached to the rock below the surface of the substrate, allowing them to vanish with surprising speed if disturbed. However, like other anemones,P. cruciferwill move around the tank to find the most suitable site, so keep in mind that any given specimen may or may not stay put exactly where you place it.
This tendency to roam means it’s important to screen off any anemone “danger zones,” such as overflows or powerhead intakes, if you plan to keep this species. Also, though its sting is reportedly not especially strong, a wandering flower anemone can blunder into and damage other sessile invertebrates in its travels. Fortunately, owing to its diminutive size and the limited reach of its tentacles,P. cruciferposes less of a threat in this regard than most other anemones.
Feeding
P. crucifer是光合作用的，但确实从常规喂养中受益。我每周大约每周一次提供我的Mysid虾或小块切碎的肉类海鲜，它们似乎在该方案上做得很好。
What’s your experience with the flower anemone?
Of course, this is just a bare-bones profile of this little Caribbean beauty. We’d love to hear about others’ experiences with this species. Let us know in the comment section below.
*注意：我指的是Phymanthuscrucifer在整个帖子中，其中还有其他几种Phymanthus属。我不知道可以为我们的爱好收集哪个（如果有的话）并以同名出售。
