Rainbow BTA (Entacmaea quadricolor) - buy guide + care

Rainbow BTAs are the most-sought bubble tip anemone color morph. Multiple gradient bands across each tentacle - typically green, purple, orange, and red. Aquacultured Rainbow BTAs trade for $150-400 per anemone, making them one of the most expensive anemone purchases in the hobby.

Identification

Rainbow BTAs (Entacmaea quadricolor) are color-morph variants of the standard bubble tip anemone. Signature traits:

Pricing (2026)

Small Rainbow BTA (2-3 inch): $150-250.

Medium (4-6 inch): $250-400.

Large show specimen (8-12 inch): $400-700.

Premium grades (vibrant 4-band specimens) clear $500+. Standard Rose BTA (single-band orange-red) starts around $40 - much cheaper.

Care

Same as standard bubble tip anemone. 100-200 PAR, moderate flow, stable parameters. Full care guide →. Compatibility chart →.

Critical: Rainbow BTAs need stable established systems (6+ months mature) + steady alkalinity. Parameter drift causes color regression. Light acclimation over 2-3 weeks if moving from a different system.

Where to buy

Fast Aquatics aggregates Rainbow BTA listings from charter aquaculture vendors. Verify the source - multi-band coloration takes 6-12 months under stable conditions to fully express. Pictures should show actual specimen under standardized blue + white lighting.

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Frequently asked questions

Will my Rainbow BTA hold its color?

Yes if parameters are stable + lighting is appropriate (100-200 PAR with strong blue spectrum). Color regression to standard rose BTA pattern happens with alkalinity drift, light acclimation issues, or move stress.

Can a Rainbow BTA split?

Yes - BTAs reproduce by binary fission. A healthy Rainbow BTA in optimal conditions can split every 6-12 months, producing two genetically-identical clones. This is how the cultivar propagates.

Sources and references

Recommendations on this page cross-checked against the following authoritative references and our internal vendor + breeder database.

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