This sea anemone is found in muddy situations at bathyal depths in deep water canyons in the Gulf of Mexico.

[3] Venus flytrap sea anemone is a passive suspension feeder, and orients itself on its often slender column so that it faces the upwelling current.

It extends its tentacles in two rows, one reflexed back and one sloping forward, and collects food particles as they drift past.

Large numbers of the tunicate Pyrosoma atlanticum were involved, the moribund carcasses sinking to the seabed and accumulating in canyons and by the pipeline.

At a depth of 900 metres (3,000 ft) few fish were present, but Venus flytrap sea anemones were numerous.