Can you help me id this?  Thalassianthus   12/16/08
Thanks for such an informative site. Many of us really trust you experience.
<Thank you for your kind words.>
Attached are two pictures I took of something growing in my reef tank � I was hoping you might tell me what it is - and what I should do � if anything. They are beginning to populate and are very difficult (impossible) to remove from the rock. Is it some form of anemone?
<Yes. I am sure this is a Thalassianthus species or at least closely related. Do a WWM search for this genus to find further posts. The picture nicely shows small grape-like balls, these are nematospheres, quite typical for this genus and only found in one anemone family. Can become a pest. I have them in a fish/soft coral tank without any problems and think they are beautiful. But in SPS tanks or tanks with sensitive animals like clams they may be problematic, especially when propagating like crazy.>
If so, if I try to remove them and do a partial job - will I create a pollution problem?
<As I wrote to another poster, I'd try: Careful (!) injection of boiling water, muriatic acid or sodium hydroxide solution as described at http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3/aiptasia_impressions/aiptaisia_impressions.htm under �other chemicals�. Don't kill too many at the same time and always filter with carbon and also watch the pH when using pH changing substances. You can also try to remove them with an old, but clean tooth brush, just brush the foot for a few minutes and the animal may eventually decide to loosen its grip. Then, they can be removed with fingernails or an old knife or piece of plastic. This method needs some practice, be aware that they are able to burn at least the underside of your arms, possibly even your fingers. Carbon should also be applied when going this route. Removing them in one piece is more difficult, but might be worth it (you'll avoid most of the pollution) and some fellow hobbyists with less sensitive animals or fish tanks might actually be happy about them.>
One is actually growing on the shell of my clam!!
<Needs to go.>
My tank: 125 gallons with about 130 pounds of life rock taken directly from a friend's 400g tank. 30 gallon sump/refugium Skimmer. Change water every other week (15g). 3 x 150 MH lights. 4 x 96 actinic lights. 8 moon lights.
Thank you for any help you can provide.
Regards, -gene
<Hope this helps. Marco.>

Re: Can you help me id this?, Thalassianthus II  12/17/08
Fantastic! Thank you so much for the information.
<You are welcome.>
Actually, I'm not as concerned as I was before. Since you have some in your tank and with a careful eye on control -- they apparently are not a serious problem.
<Not in my specific tank, I put them in there intentionally. But if you have sensitive stony corals, they might become a problem or at least mean some work.>
Just an update -- my clam doesn't seem concerned at all at this point -- but I'll follow your recommendations. Thanks again. By the way -- since I had no idea what this was, I really
didn't know how to do my 'home work' before asking for your help. �gene.
<No problem. There is not much information available in the usual aquarium literature on this anemone family as far as I know. Cheers. Marco.>

Re: Can you help me id this?, Thalassianthus III  12/17/08
Marco
<Glen.>
-- one other thought -- I use Aiptasia-X (Red Sea) to control the Aiptasia in my tank -- and it works well. Do you think it would be effective on the Thalassianthus?
<Yes. Works quite similar to Calcium hydroxide. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_1/cav1i3/aiptasia_impressions/aiptaisia_impressions.htm .>
Of course, I can try it without harm - just curious about your thoughts. If I do try it (and it works) would you like me to share that with you and your team?
<Of course. It will help others in the future. Thanks. Marco.>

Hitch Hiking Disc ID 12/14/08
Hello WWM Crew,
I have about 10 of these discs on my live rock.. all appear to be thriving.
They move around until they find a spot they like. If you touch them they pull right into a hole/ base and shrivel up. They have a base like a mushroom/ anemone. I believe it may be a variety of Epicystis sp. from other posts on your site. Here are some pics..
<Hmm, could be Epicystis sp. (a little bleached)...>
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk60/nallender/DSC02003.jpg
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk60/nallender/mysterydisc.jpg
<It's hard to tell from the photos, but they might also be some type of Corallimorph (i.e. mushrooms, etc.).>
Thanks for all your help,
Nick
<Best,
Sara M.>

Re: Hitch Hiking Disc ID 12/16/08
Thanks for the response. I just wanted to update you on my hitch hiker. I have posted on some forums and searched the internet and I believe 100% that it is a mini carpet anemone. Most stay under 1"-1.5" in diameter. A lot of people have shown interest in these little guys! I might have to look into mini carpet anemone propagation!
<Cool... thanks for the info/update!
-Sara M.>
<<Stichodactyla tapetum... Interesting indeed. RMF>>

Zoanthid or pest anemone?  12/14/08
I just want to thank you all for your priceless service. I have enjoyed your site for years. I just sent an incomplete email a moment ago, my apologies. I forgot to mention that I browsed all of your Zoanthid ID pages, and all 20-something of your anemone pages, and didn't see anything quite like these.
<I see>
I have attached a pic of some supposed Zoanthids that I was given by a local shop. They also look a lot like some pest anemones I have seen. They had come loose from a frag and covered the shop's frag tank wall. I scraped
off a dozen or so and superglued them to the rock in the pic.
<Okay>
They spread on a translucent white base a lot like some clove polyps do--- on runners that form a tangled mat.
<Ahh! A good clue>
They are about 1/2" diameter and the tentacles are only a single row around the disc. Would you say they are an anemone or a Zoanthid type?
<The latter>
I have never seen a pest anemone spread on runners before, but that isn't saying much coming from me.
Oh, and they are being kept in a 10 gallon nano with a bull shark.
<Heeee! With the emphasis on bull!>
Do you think the bull shark would host a Condylactis anemone? Or should I try one of those pretty pink sebae anemones? ;)
<I think we might start a Bob and Matt comedy routine!>
Thanks!!!
Matt
<Do take a read here: www.wetwebmedia.com/zoanthid.htm
re the table detailing the differences twixt Zoanthids and Actinarians...
and here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/anemoniafaqs.htm
for some pix of Anemonia...
are similar, but note the "number, arrangement of tentacles"... and the mat appearance you mention. Oh, and the usual cautionary remarks re Zoanthid keeping, handling... and watch out for bites from the Carcharhinus leucas...
Bob Fenner>

Corallimorph? ID
Hi Crew
<Hi Karen, Mich here tonight.>
I was doing my usual cleaning/water change on my reef tank last weekend and
out rolled the critter pictured here -
<Cool!>
it seems to have been hanging out in the substrate.
<Really, unusual place for it.>
I stuck it in a hole in the rock to keep an eye on it;
<I'm sure it's happier there!>
in the upper part of the tank where there is good flow.
<It will appreciate that.>
It looks like a Corallimorph;
<It is.>
similar to Corynactis californica;
<Close, but I believe you have a Pseudocorynactis caribbeorum.>
but if so I am at a loss to explain how a cool-water species got into my tank.
<Pseudocorynactis caribbeorum are warmer water species.>
There is one main polyp, which when fully extended is about 1.5 cm. There also appear to be 3 small buds attached to the main polyp (one is visible as the pink mass on the right of the main polyp).
<Wow! I see it. Great that you were able to capture that on film. You may want to contact Brian Plankis the founder of Project DIBS, as there was interest in breeding this species and he would likely find your photo helpful. Please see his post here:
http://www.projectdibs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1153 >
There is a central mouth, and the tentacles are club-tipped and clear.
They retract to direct food to the mouth.
<Yes, you can see photos of this on the site above.>
The whole polyp closes into a pea-sized ball when it has something to "swallow". I have not seen, however it extending the tentacles and mouth on a stalk like mushrooms do. Finally - although it does not seem photoactive, it does have a weak fluorescence in the club-part of the tentacles, which I take to be due to zooxanthellae?
<Yes, often the tips are orange, thus the common name Orange Ball Anemone.
These are generally nocturnal, and are capable of locomotion, and in my experience tend to gravitate to lower light areas of the tank.>
Any idea what this is, and is it ok in a tropical environment?
<Yes and yes.>
This tank is about 5 years old; with thriving soft coral (mostly mushrooms and green star polyps).
<Highly allelopathic animals, best to keep this tank dedicated to these animals.>
I added some pacific live rock and Florida live sand about 10 months ago; which is how I imagine it was introduced.
<Likely from the Florida sand, as this is a Caribbean species.>
Thanks for your help
<Welcome.>
Karen
<Mich>