Anemone ID - Not Aiptasia sp.

[MattM]

OK, we've been seeing these anemones in our fish system lately:

They are not the common Aiptasia genus, so please try to limit the number of "It looks like Aiptasia to me..." replies.

They may in fact be in the Aiptasidae family, but their appearance is distinctly different from common Aiptasia.

Peppermint shrimp do not touch them, despite devouring common Aiptasia in the same tank. Also, Kleinii butterflys, which somtimes eat Aiptasia, ignore them as well. They spread as fast as or faster than Aiptasia. They also seem to be more resistant to kalkwasser injections, although a heavy dose right into the body will usually kill them.

Anyone else seen these?

 

[JennM]

Walks like a duck, sounds like a duck, looks like a duck. Must be a chicken!

I won't say it, but I'm thinking it.

It's possible that it is a different species of that same pest, that isn't palatable to the predators that you have.

Jenn

 

[SPC]

Matt, I have a couple of them in my refugium and I do know that they came in on Florida rock. I have been meaning to kill them and I believe I will tonight after reading your post on how fast they multiply. BTW, they sure look like....

Steve

 

[danmhippo]

Matt, usually you should know more than I do on anemone. But, could the specimen you have being a family of Bartholomea Lucida or bartholomea annulata? I The striping pattern of the tentacles reminds me of the specie. Where is the original rock from? If its from Caribbean, then it could either be the bartholomea, tube anemone (arachnanthus nocturnus), or the aiptasia (perhap it could be the aiptasia mutabilis because of the stripes on the tentacles.)

Good luck finding out.

 

[eodjj]

Take a look at this article. It is what everyone is thinking.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/aiptasia.htm

 

[Anonymous]

If you look in the Reef Aquarium vol 2,on page 370,there is a picture of an aiptasia that closely resembles your photos 1 and 3. The 3 or 4 existing aiptasia I have are very plain,but I have seen these more colorful ones at the LFS. Sometimes the actinics will make them glow like that.

Dan

 

[Anonymous]

Picture three does look like a Mark 1 Mod 0 Aiptasia, in fact I really didn't want that one posted. The other two are closer to reality, and there is another view we'll post tomorrow which is them on glass and they are quite distinctive and definitly NOT a standard or even slight aip variant.

Location is impossible to distinguish as they appeared in our central system which obviously has animals from all over the world in it. Curious however that they only seem to be spreading - flourishing on the fish system and haven't made an appearance in the coral tanks yet.

[ November 17, 2001: Message edited by: MickAv8r ]</p>

 

[MattM]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by danmhippo:
<strong>...could the specimen you have being a family of Bartholomea Lucida or bartholomea annulata?</strong><hr></blockquote>

We occasionally sell the Bartholomea annulata anemones, and some customers often mistakingly think they are really large Aiptasia. The Bartholomea genus is in the Aiptasiidae family, but they don't spread like Aiptasia. In fact, I don't think we've ever seen a B. annulata reproduce.

It looks like someone else got one of these from IPSF. Check this thread from Reef Central. Note that he says he got "two Aiptasia that he killed and this". When you see them side-by-side its really obvious that this one is different from common Aiptasia.

The distinctive feature seems to be the bright ring on the edge of the oral disc. Its clear in my second photo, and in the picture on Reef Central. It kinda blends in with the sand in my first picture. If you look carefully you can see it in the third picture as well.

JennM may be right - that its a different species, but still in the Aiptasia genus. What's distressing is that none of the effective Aiptasia controls seems to be working on these.

 

[afss]

I don't know what it is, but the #1 picture looks like what I have seen sold as curly que anemone in Florida.
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[Rich-n-poor]

just wanted to say...That I didnt say it...even though I was thinking it....and really really wanted too.

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[danmhippo]

I have 2 curly cue anemone in my tank, and they grows quite large, too large to be mistaken for common aiptasia. Mine looks different from the picture matt posted. 1. size, 2. pattern, 3, curly cue's often extend its stalk above the subtrate, where as the picture does not show it. It's obviously very close related species though.

BTW, curly cue's does not reproduce as quickly as matt described. I fed mine a cube of prime reef every 3 days, and has not seen any splits yet. I have heard that curly cue's reproduce sexually, haven't seen it happen in my tank yet! Matt, Maybe one of the reason that you have only noticed the anemone in the fish tanks is because that some of the original stock's sexual reproduciton has occurred. Whereas in the reef tanks, there are more predation on the egg and gamets, and in the fish only tanks, predation of the mated eggs are significantly less and that's why you notice more new specimens in the fish only tanks.

 

[Anonymous]

They are definitely a type of aiptasia due to their shape,close coloration,and reproductive habits. It is not a curlycue anemone. Maybe they hybridized with another anemone from another local. Not sure of anything but the fact that they are aiptasia sp.. Take one out and send it to Dr Ron. I'm sure he'll let you know.

GL
Dan