ID on an anemone please?

[realmswalker]

here is the critter, Looking for an Id and any info on, hardiness, eating habits, lighting needs, and any othe pertinent info, thank you.

[EricHugo]

you sure its an anemone?

[realmswalker]

I guess I dont know for sure. I am pretty sure its not a coral, I dont know what else it could be.

[Experimenter]

Check out the link below. It is an online version of Fautin and Allen's book. There are really good descriptions of the host anemones, which should help in determining which one you have (if it is one of them).

I have to say that the tentacles look more like that of a coral, but I think I can see its foot, so I think it is an anemone.

http://biodiversity.uno.edu/ebooks/intro.html

Fautin & Allen (http://biodiversity.uno.edu/ebooks/intro.html)

Good luck,
John

[realmswalker]

well It has been crawling around for about a day or so now, do any corals do that?

ENTACMAEA QUADRICOLOR (RÜPPELL AND LEUCKART, 1828)

Bulb-Tentacle Sea Anemone

thats the anemone I believe it is.

[EricHugo]

It sure doesn't look like E. quad to me. I'll move thsi to Ron's forum so he can have a look.

[EricHugo]

Oh, and for the record, Fautin and Allen's book concerns anemones that host clownfish, and not all the ones that don't. The only soft bodied thing I can think of or have ever seen with ball tipped tentacles like that outside of several corals is Psuedocornyactis - and it doesn't much look like that either.

[rshimek]

Hi,

I agree with Eric on this. It is not an Entacmaea. We need a better picture - an in focus macro shot would be nice, and if you can do some from a couple of angles it would help (often the necessary diagnostic characteristics are not visible from one side, but are from another).

:D

[realmswalker]

I wish I could do a better shot, but the little bugger has attached himself to to glass, facing the back, theres No way to get a good angle for a pic on him. I will grab a pic if and when he moves. I dont know if him being at the very top of the tank right on the glass is bad for him, is it possible for the lights to burn him? I have 36 watt PC and one 6000k 50/50. Should I move him myself?

[Experimenter]

realmswalker,

Actually, a picture of his underside might help a little in identification. So I would still take the picture. There are other characteristics, however, that you need a shot of the top to see.

Good luck,
John

[realmswalker]

Ok here are some better pics, here is one of the underside

[realmswalker]

one of the top

[realmswalker]

and another one

[rshimek]

Hi,

[thanks] Those additional photos help a lot.

My guess is that it is a small ritteri anemone, a Heteractis magnifica. :mixed: The tentacle shape is relatively distinctive as, actually, is the position in the aquarium. They like to be high up in high current situations.

If I am correct in the identification, I wish you luck. These are difficult animals to keep for a couple of reasons. First, they have relatively demanding requirments of high current or surge, and they need a lot of food, which makes keeping the tank water nutrient levels low a problem. Second, they pack a nasty sting (to other animals) and they are aggressive and if not "happy" with their situation or surroundings will "walk" around tanks leaving a trail of mayhem in their wake.

They are pretty spectacular animals when large, but small ones are seldom seen in the hobby.

Good luck! :D

[realmswalker]

Thanks a ton for the ID :D

I have alot of current In my tank, so I see no problem there, as to the food source what do you recommend feeding and how often?

Mine is the size of a softball. So far I dose my tank once a week with phytoplankton, feed brine shrimp once a day, and I have frozen krill and squid. is this enough to feed him and keep him happy?

It is a sixty gallon tank with 40lbs of live rock, some mushrooms, a spotted hawk, scooter blenny, a coral beauty, and just the ritteri.

Would getting a clown fish to bond with help him in any way?

[rshimek]

Originally posted by realmswalker

Hi,

as to the food source what do you recommend feeding and how often?

I would start with lancefish/silversides, as many as it would take, and probably a couple of times a week.

is this enough to feed him and keep him happy?

They don't eat phytoplankton, and while they may eat krill, they will probably do best on the big stuff. I don't think brine shrimp will do much for it.

Would getting a clown fish to bond with help him in any way?

Maybe, but I think it is really too small to support a clown. Small host anemones seem to get bumped, bounced, and battered too much by clowns. Get it to start to feed well first, and then maybe try a small clown.

:D