Can anyone recommend some colorful inverts?

Question

I have a fish- only saltwater aquarium and I am not ready to purchase the special lighting that you would need for most inverts.. I know that there are some anenomes out there that can survive without this lighting.. just don't know what they are?

Answer 1

You won't find any anemones that are good choices. Some need more lighting than others, but you should have at least a compact fluorescent for those with minimal lighting intensity needs. Anemones are photosynthetic because an algae grows inside their cells, so you have to have enough light for the algae to make food. This is true for many of the corals and brightly colored clams you see in stores. The most tolerant of low lighting conditions are the mushrooms (not a coral or anemone, but similar), but even these are photosynthetic.

Instead of looking for anemones, why not look at shrimp (if your fish will not eat them)? Peppermint, coral banded, Yellow coral banded, and fire shrimp are all colorful and easier to care for.

I'd strongly suggest avoiding nudibranchs, sponges, and sea apples - these don't do well in home tanks, and can release toxins when they die (although they are colorful!).

You can find more info on some of these inverts on these links: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/index.htm
http://www.peteducation.com/category_summary.cfm?cls=16&cat=1896

Answer 2

Survive yes there are some anenomes that will survive without high lighting. They still won't do as well as if they had the lighting and will not live as long. I believe what you are thinking of are the discosoma anenomes that are sold as mushroom corals even though they are actually an anenome. They are still photosynthetic but do well in low lighting and are pretty tolerant of poor water conditions. They range in colors from amazing reds, oranges, blues, and greens to dull corraline colored that blend in with the live rock. For a lower light aquarium you can also look into various polyp type corals as they are very hardy and can have some very nice colors as well.

Answer 3

Tube anemones such as these : http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/june2004/invert.htm
are fairly hardy and very colorful.

You may also want to consider Mushrooms and Feather dusters as they can be very colorful as well.

Almost all anemones require intense light and perfect water to survive. The least difficult anemone to keep is the Entacmaea quadricolor. Or the Bubble-Tip anemone. They require the least light (although still need Subcompacts or better) and are the most tolerant to change. They are not easy to keep but easier than the others.
http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/bta/bta.html