An Anemone's Live Morsel

1884

In one of the apartments of the San Francisco Aquarium, the interior being plainly visible through the plate-glass front, are a number of sea anemones, or sea sunflowers, about three or four inches in diameter, clinging to pieces of rock, and among them several young halibut.

Near the front, in plain view of the writer the other day, was a halibut about five or six inches long in a natural horizontal position, with his nose just touching the center or mouth of the anemone, apparently feeding. Looking closer it was observed that the anemone was in motion, and in a short space it was doubtful whether the fish or anemone was the eater. Presently the ineffectual struggle of the fish to loose himself denoted his capture. It seemed that the finny marauder had pushed his nose against the innocent-looking mouth of the plant in pursuit of food and was caught. The face of the anemone, which had previously been flat and circular, like its namesake, the sunflower, became concave and closed up and around the head of the fish, elongating itself for the purpose, and in about five minutes the head was covered entirely to the gills. While closing the plant raised the fish to a vertical position. Soon the head was covered to the gills; its respiration almost stopped.

At this juncture the writer's pity for the fish prevailed over his curiosity and he released the prisoner. In two minutes more it would have passed, or at least so much of it as would have answered the purpose, into food for the anemone. — The San Francisco Call.