Invert ID

Robdog · #1 03/13/2007, 08:34 PM

Hi guys,

I bought this anemone about a week ago and I'm still confused as to its true identification. It was sold as one thing but a lot of people tell me it is another.

Thanks for any help

The last 2 pictures were taken after lights out and I've heard that pictures of the stem can help with ID'ing

mfh_anderson · #2 03/13/2007, 08:49 PM

long tentacle?

Robdog · #3 03/13/2007, 08:57 PM

Is that your diagnosis or a question?

Wicked1z · #4 03/13/2007, 08:59 PM

it looks like a purple tip condalactis. I know I didnt spell that right. But thats just my opinion

IslandCrow · #5 03/13/2007, 09:33 PM

I agree with Wicked. . .looks like a Haitian Pink Tip (Condylactis). I'm no anemone expert, though. By the way, taking a picture of the foot does help with the ID. My initial impression from the first picture was bleached Bubble Tip.

clevername2000 · #6 03/13/2007, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wicked1z
it looks like a purple tip condalactis. I know I didnt spell that right. But thats just my opinion

agree

Robdog · #7 03/13/2007, 09:50 PM

Well it definitely wasn't labelled as that when I bought it.

Just a thought and it might be relevant, I'm in Sydney, Australia and I highly doubt that this would be anything Haitian and more than likely comes straight off the GBR. Or is the Haitian just a name not a location???

Robdog · #8 03/13/2007, 10:45 PM

I have had people identify it as a BTA which I presume would be Entacmaea quadricolor. It was actually sold to me (and priced accordingly) as a Heteractis Magnifica. It would seem now that this is not the case.
My Ocellaris clowns definitely don't seem to recognise it as the LFS guy said they would.

MusMusculus · #9 03/13/2007, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Robdog
I have had people identify it as a BTA which I presume would be Entacmaea quadricolor. It was actually sold to me (and priced accordingly) as a Heteractis Magnifica. It would seem now that this is not the case.
My Ocellaris clowns definitely don't seem to recognise it as the LFS guy said they would.

Does look like a pink tip condy, not H. magnifica. http://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4

Wicked1z · #10 03/14/2007, 08:49 AM

Well I sell them at my LFS. Also I just got 4 last night

steri · #11 03/14/2007, 09:24 AM

When I saw the pics, my first thought was Purple tip Condy. That's what others seem to be saying too. You may have gotten a little bit of the shaft

Sorry.

Reet15 · #12 03/14/2007, 10:22 AM

I agree with the consensus. And as for the clowns, they may or may not take to it in time. Mine have opted to host my xenia rock!

IslandCrow · #13 03/14/2007, 08:36 PM

I've noticed condis are the most mislabled anemones out there, and I think a lot of places do it on purpose. They're pretty inexpensive anemonies, and they're often times sold for higher prices as another type. It may very well be your LFS made an honest mistake, but then if they can't tell one anemone from another, do they really have the knowledge level they should to run a fish store? I wouldn't trust a carpenter who couldn't tell the difference between pine and oak.

Ron Popeil · #14 03/14/2007, 09:15 PM

im very certain the anemone is e. quadricolor or a bubble tip anemone. a nicely colored one with some potential to look great.

Robdog · #15 03/14/2007, 09:41 PM

Why do you say that over the Condy Ron?

GSMguy · #16 03/14/2007, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Robdog
Why do you say that over the Condy Ron?

Condy is an atlantic anemone not much chance of one showing up in Sydney

raoul · #17 03/14/2007, 10:05 PM

It's definately not a magnifica or any of the species LTA would apply to, there's no verrucae (bumps) on the underside.

After 2 years, I'm still getting my feet wet in ID'ing nems, but I would side with Ron on this one.

The tents don't look quite right for a condy - they have a shape all their own, and I don't see that here.

Also, the "beaded" look around the edge of the disk looks very much like my bta - but I haven't seen a shot like this on a condy, so I wouldn't stake my ID on that alone.

You should probably be thankful you didn't get a magnifica, those are typically hard nems to keep under the best conditions. If you ended up with a bta they're typically the least demanding and most forgiving of the host nems, and it looks like you're pretty new at this so that's a really good thing.

If you did end up with a condy - take it back and get a refund, you paid too much

Seriously though, while they can host, they're not host anemones and your risks are higher that your nem will eat your clowns.

Good luck

SVXH6 · #18 03/14/2007, 10:30 PM

its a BTA.

Slakker · #19 03/14/2007, 11:52 PM

Condy's tend to have almost pointy tentacles...this looks like a BTA to me.

I think in time with proper care and some good lights maybe it'll color up to a nice green color.

illcssd · #20 03/15/2007, 12:48 AM

Ron is right, the anemone is a e. quadricolor. Bta. Not a condylactis anemone or haitian. The base shows the slight rumple around the edge that alot of bta's show and the tips show some bubbles on the end. Haitians have neither. Your anemone is a bubble tip.

Robdog · #21 03/15/2007, 05:49 AM

Well the reason that I specifically bought it, under the impression it was H. magnifica was for my Ocellaris clowns to host in it. The guy in the shop even asked what type of clowns I had to make sure that this was the right anem for my situation.
It was. I bought it. Now I find out it's not the right one.
I'm aware of "Buyer beware" but what about "Seller should know the difference between a BTA and a Ritteri"????

Robdog · #22 03/15/2007, 06:22 AM

Hey Illcssd,
I noticed you have a Ritteri and Perc tank. Is it the same as your avatar??
Any more pics for comparison?

Flighty · #23 03/15/2007, 10:56 AM

definitely either a BTA or a Magnifica (ritteri) . Keep your fingers crossed that it is a BTA. Magnificas are very challenging, get huge and really need a planned setup for them.

A magnifica, particularly color like that can frequently not show the verrucae and if it does they can just be variations in color rather than bumps. The way the foot is right now is more magnificaish, but new BTAs often do that too.

I can't really say what makes me solidly in the "its a BTA" camp, but after looking at many of both that is my opinion. If the foot goes into a rock crevice and the anemone stretches out more trumpet shape as it settles in, then it is %100 BTA (also called E. quadricolor)

I have some pics in my gallery for comparison.

Good luck with it.

Amphiprion · #24 03/15/2007, 11:01 AM

I also believe it to be a BTA.

cschweitzer · #25 03/15/2007, 12:27 PM

I love those beautiful BTA's

If you got a condy(I don't think it is, but...) out there in AU, it may not be getting the shaft at all...I bet they're pretty rare out in AU.

That is a BTA, healthy, and amazing color at that. Not bleached, but not a GBTA either...never seen that morph.