Colorado Sunburst Anemone: What This BTA Color Morph Is

By Hektor Jorgo Published December 26, 2023 Updated June 14, 2026 3 min read

A bright orange and yellow bubble tip anemone displaying a sunburst color pattern in a reef aquarium

Quick Facts

Species: Entacmaea quadricolor (bubble tip anemone) — a color morph, not a separate species
Distinctive Feature: Vivid orange-to-yellow 'sunburst' gradient coloration, often most pronounced toward the tentacle tips or oral disc
Rarity/Price: Often among the more sought-after and higher-priced BTA color morphs due to its striking appearance
Care Requirements: Identical to other BTA color morphs — moderate-to-high lighting, stable parameters, adequate space
Color Maintenance: Vibrant coloration can be influenced by lighting quality and intensity over time
Origin of the Name: A trade/hobby name describing the color pattern, not a geographic origin claim about the anemone itself
Clownfish Hosting: Functions the same as other BTAs for clownfish hosting — color doesn't change hosting likelihood
Risk of Color Loss: Like other vividly colored morphs, stress or inadequate lighting could lead to fading over time

Of all the trade names attached to bubble tip anemone color morphs, "Colorado Sunburst" is one of the most evocative — and one of the most sought-after, for reasons that come down almost entirely to how it looks.

Short Answer

The Colorado Sunburst is a color morph of Entacmaea quadricolor (the bubble tip anemone), named for its vivid orange-to-yellow "sunburst" gradient coloration, often most pronounced toward the tentacle tips or oral disc. Like other BTA color morphs — purple tip, Rose, and Black Widow — it's the same species with a distinctive color presentation, not a different species or subspecies. It tends to be among the more sought-after and higher-priced BTA morphs due to its striking appearance, but its care requirements are identical to any other BTA.

What Makes It a "Sunburst"

The defining feature is a vivid orange-to-yellow color gradient, often radiating outward in a way that resembles a sunburst pattern — particularly noticeable toward the tentacle tips or around the central oral disc. This places it among the more visually dramatic BTA color forms, distinct from the greens, browns, and pink-to-red tones (Rose and Black Widow) more commonly seen.

As with other BTA trade names, "Colorado Sunburst" describes a color pattern recognized within the hobby, not a formal taxonomic category — the anemone itself is Entacmaea quadricolor, the same species as every other BTA color morph.

Why It Tends to Cost More

Striking, relatively uncommon color patterns generally command higher prices in the aquarium trade, and the Colorado Sunburst's vivid orange-to-yellow appearance makes it one of the more desirable BTA color forms for keepers building a colorful display. This is purely a market dynamic — a Colorado Sunburst BTA isn't more difficult to keep than a more commonly available green or brown BTA, just more in demand relative to how often that particular color presentation occurs.

Keeping the Color Vibrant

There's no special care routine specific to the Colorado Sunburst beyond what applies to BTAs generally. The factors that influence color vibrancy in any BTA morph apply here too:

Stable, appropriate lighting — both intensity and spectrum can affect how vivid coloration appears, and sudden lighting changes are a known stressor (see our general anemone health guide)
Avoiding bleaching stressors — an anemone that expels zooxanthellae under stress can lose color regardless of its starting morph
Overall health and stability — a shrinking or stressed anemone is unlikely to display its color at its best, whatever the morph

In short: a healthy, stable BTA tends to look its best, and that's as true for a Colorado Sunburst as for any other color form.

Clownfish Hosting

Color morph has no bearing on a BTA's role as a clownfish host — BTAs generally are among the most commonly hosted anemone species, and a Colorado Sunburst functions the same way as any other BTA in this respect. For more on clownfish-anemone and clownfish-coral hosting relationships, see our guide on what corals and anemones clownfish host.

Quick Reference

Colorado Sunburst is a color morph of Entacmaea quadricolor (bubble tip anemone), not a separate species
Named for its vivid orange-to-yellow "sunburst" gradient coloration
Often among the more sought-after and higher-priced BTA color morphs
Care requirements are identical to other BTA morphs — lighting, stable parameters, space
Color vibrancy reflects overall health and lighting, not a separate care routine
No taxonomic distinction from other BTA color forms like purple tip, Rose, or Black Widow
Functions the same as other BTAs as a clownfish host

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a 'Colorado Sunburst' anemone different from other bubble tip anemones?

Nothing biologically — it's still Entacmaea quadricolor (the bubble tip anemone), just a particularly striking color presentation. The 'Colorado Sunburst' name describes anemones displaying a vivid orange-to-yellow gradient, often most concentrated toward the tentacle tips or around the oral disc, creating a 'sunburst' appearance that's distinct from the more common green, brown, or rose color forms. Like purple tip, Rose, and Black Widow morphs, 'Colorado Sunburst' is a trade/hobby name for a color pattern, not a different species, subspecies, or geographic variant in any formal taxonomic sense — though the name itself does suggest a specific origin point in the hobby's history for this particular color line, even if the anemone itself is the same species found throughout the broader BTA population.

Why are Colorado Sunburst anemones often more expensive than other BTAs?

Striking, less commonly occurring color patterns tend to command higher prices in the aquarium trade, and a vivid orange-to-yellow 'sunburst' presentation is among the more visually distinctive BTA color forms — which generally translates to higher demand relative to supply compared to more commonly available green or brown BTAs. This is a market dynamic rather than a husbandry one: a Colorado Sunburst BTA isn't harder to keep alive than a more common color morph, but its appearance makes it more desirable to collectors and reef keepers seeking a colorful display piece, which is reflected in pricing.

How do I keep a Colorado Sunburst anemone's color from fading?

The same general principles that apply to maintaining color in any vividly colored BTA apply here: stable, appropriate lighting (both intensity and spectrum can influence how vibrant coloration appears, and sudden changes can be stressful — see our general anemone health guide), and avoiding the stressors that lead to bleaching (see our guide on anemones expelling zooxanthellae, which covers the process by which an anemone can lose both color and symbiotic algae under stress). There's no special 'Colorado Sunburst-specific' care routine beyond what applies to BTAs generally — the goal is simply a stable, healthy anemone, since color vibrancy in any BTA morph tends to reflect overall health and lighting conditions rather than requiring a separate maintenance approach.

Will a Colorado Sunburst anemone host a clownfish?

As a BTA (Entacmaea quadricolor), yes — color morph doesn't change a BTA's general suitability as a clownfish host. BTAs broadly are among the most commonly hosted anemone species for clownfish, particularly captive-bred clownfish raised with anemone hosts available, and this applies regardless of whether the individual anemone is a Colorado Sunburst, Rose/Black Widow, purple tip, or any other color form. For more on which anemones and corals clownfish are likely to host, see our guide on what corals and anemones clownfish host.

Sources & Further Reading

About the Author: Hektor Jorgo

Co-Founder & Marine Biologist

Hektor is a co-founder of Sea Life Planet and has kept reef and freshwater aquariums for over 15 years. He holds a background in marine biology and focuses on species care accuracy, water chemistry, and tank husbandry.