Anemone ID

[defigart]

If we can't figure it out here, I'll take it to WWM.

 

When I bought this Anemone it look and was behaving like a stressed BTA of some sort, obviously he doesn't anymore.

 

Any ideas as to what he is?

[jptrson]

I've seen them from Portland area called Purple flat Anemone, if it isn't much bigger than a silver dollar. Don't know the scientific name off Hand.

[defigart]

Its a good 6-7 inches across. Haven't seen it get smaller than 4 inches across.

[jptrson]

Seabae?

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497+499+633&pcatid=633

[Ron Popeil]

its a bleached and starved heteractis species...very likely heteractis malu...but could be heteractis crispa...

[defigart]

its a bleached and starved heteractis species...very likely heteractis malu...but could be heteractis crispa...

 

The color is much better in person. Its VERY colorful. I don't think its bleached out, or starved, but after looking at the pictures I see why you would say that.

 

I suck at photography, and the actinic lights, and flash weren't helping.

[Ron Popeil]

its definitely healthy enough looking for a full recovery, but i say starved because of the length of the tentacles. in both species the tentacles will be longer, significantly longer in the crispa. as for being bleached...rarely are these anemones that color. typically they will be much richer in color...

[snowpunk]

I had one that looked identical to that long ago, I was told it was a purple tipped seabae, don't seem to live long for some reason.

[Rob Allen]

I was thinking this is a Ricordia, or possibly Rhodactis. I can't tell from the picture, but Heteractis have longer tentacles. Again, this maybe a misread on the picture. If I am correct with it being Ricordia or Rhodactis, you can tell the difference by looking at the tentacles -- if the tentacles have fingers, it is Rhodactis. If the tentacles are single ended / just round at the end, it is Ricordia.

[ThePremiumAquarium]

I have kept a few variety of heteractus before and to me this does not represent one from that family. It looks to me like either a variety of sebae or perhaps a carpet anemonie(what I am thinking it is) of types. Heteractus also tend to clime to the top of tanks or rocks whereas the other two tend to like being either in the sand or lower in the rock structure. Very cool looking anemone for sure! I like it!

 

 

Garrett

[Ron Popeil]

well, not entirely correct. heteractis malu and heteractis sebae have very similar characteristics: both enjoy sandy substrates to bury their feet, typically near rocks, both are difficult to distinguish from each other when bleached and starved and both are labled "sebae" anemone. heteractis magnifica tends to wander up glass and top of rock structures. the three carpet species common in the hobby would have far smaller tentacles, and more densely arranged, even if starved.

 

here are healthier, if not more colorful, version of your anemone. yours will eventually darken up to look something like this:

 

 

or the tenticles could lengthen and look more like this:

 

[ThePremiumAquarium]

That is really good to know. I wasn't aware that sebae anemones where a member of the heteractus family and this is where I made my mistake. I do think that it is a sebae or similar so heteractus would be correct if that is what sebae are. I have kept only magnifica it seems, as all of mine have looked quite different and have all taken a likeing to the upper glass or rock structure.

 

 

Nice work!

 

Garrett

[Ron Popeil]

ah, i even made a mistake too. heteractis crispa is what i meant to say instead of heteractis sebae...sebae just seems to be the blanket common name given to these anemones who typically arrive bleached with stubby purple tipped tentacles....

[defigart]

Here is a better picture of it, when it is in a tank and happy with its clown.

[Rob Allen]

Yes indeed. Ron was right on. Those other pics threw me.

[tidalsculpin]

So can we tell from Doran's last picture and the behavior of the animal that this is a malu or a crispa?

[CA2OR]

The pic's make it look like some sort of Carpet anemone

[CA2OR]

Oh...disregard my last post. I didn't see the big picture.

[Romewhip]

This thread has been around for a while, so forgive me for hijacking it. I was given a couple chunks of rock, and on the top of one is something that looks almost exactly like this. The one I have has no color at all, and has small pointed tentacles. I don't have a way to get a picture of it, sorry. I thought it might be a rhodactis of some sort, after much searching, it's hard to tell as it was unhappy and starved. Does pointed tentacles mean rhodactis, and rounded ends on the tentacles mean anemone? It may also be a rock flower anemone- it hasn't moved at all. It does seem to like targeted feeding of cyclopeeze every few days, it's gotten a little fuller and tentacles are bigger. I've only had it about a week. Any other suggestions? Will it recover?

[Reefin']

U sure its not an aiptasia or majano , which are pests....I dunno.....look them up on google

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