Another What kind of anemone is this?

[yardboy]

Found on Florida Aquacultured rock.

[Flighty]

aptasia

[yardboy]

Different species than the little demons I've got in another tank? I've never seen them over 1/2" diamter, this guy's about 3"

[rssjsb]

That doesn't look like any aiptasia I've ever seen.

Looks like the rare and elusive turnip anemone.

(Sorry, no idea.)

[CHARLIE AGUILAR]

Aptasia on steroids!!!!!!

[yardboy]

Anyone want to venture that it could be a Bartholomea annulata?

[seapug]

That's an Epicystis crucifer, or "Flower Anemone." Cool find.

[Flighty]

Are you guys sure? That is exactly how the largest of the aptaia looked on our gulf liverock. The babies would have a more typical aptasia look, but would grow into these.

[Flighty]

Here is a picture of the ones that were on my live rock although it is a little more extended from feeding.


here is the thread on our club website where the rock is discussed
http://www.bostonreefers.org/forums/...highlight=gulf

I am not sure of the scientific id, but I am relatively sure that it is neither of the anemones mentioned and that it will behave like aptasia.

[yardboy]

Well, the Boston Reefers link seemed to indicate that it isn't aiptasia. It does look quite similar to the picture, and it is likely the same species. I've had two of the specimans shown for about two months and they haven't moved from where they were on the rock.
By the way, the Bartholomea that I mention is in the Aiptasia family. (and I thought aiptasia was a genus) Not sure how Aiptasia are supposed to behave. If they start spreading out of control I have a bottle of conc. NaOH to work on their butts. It's the only thing I've found that works every time, but if you aren't real careful, it'll work on other things besides Aiptasia too.
I'm still bugged though. The corkscrew anemone in some pictures look like mine, in other pics they look nothing alike. I'll have to see if I can find a Periclemenes and see if he likes them.
Seapug, I've got rock anemones and they only have tentacles around the disk. This guy's oral disk is covered by the tentacles, especially when he retracts. I do love rock's though!

[seapug]

The picture above looks exactly like Flower anemones I've seen before and nothing like any Aptasia I've seen. In fact, it looks almost identical to a picture of Flower Anemones in the "Natural Reef Aquariums" book. Curlycue Anemones are very easy to identify-- they look like overgrown aptasia with long stringy curlycue tentacles.

Then again, I could be wrong....

[yardboy]

Crazy anemones. I went diving today and saw a colony of anemones just like mine, but they looked more like rock/flower anemones than before. I wonder where I can find a doctor of anemone biology! IF he was any good he'd probably say, "Can't tell much from no damn picture. Send me a specimen"!

[55semireef]

Originally posted by Flighty
aptasia

Definately not aptaisia. The tentacles are too "bulbed" like.

[yardboy]

Well, if it is aiptasia, or at least behaves like an aiptasia, I'm screwed because it spawned last night. I flipped on the lights just before bed to have a last look and found this.



So maybe I'll have little aip's covering the rocks. Funny thing is, I want this tank for a couple of butterfly fish, so maybe an infestation of aiptasia will be okay!
By the way, there is another anemone on the rock in this tank and he does look like an aiptasia, but he's huge and hasn't spread in two months. He generally doesn't extend his stalk either, but here's one of him eating flake food.

[reefing102]

not aiptasia - maybe majano