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FAQs about Zoanthid Identification
4
Related Articles: Zoanthids,
Sea Mat: An Ocean Of Color For The Aquarium by Blane Perun,
Related FAQs: Zoanthid ID 1, Zoanthid ID 2,
Zoanthid ID 3,
Zoanthid ID 5, &
Zoanthids, Zoanthids 2, Zoanthids
3, Zoanthid Behavior,
Zoanthid Compatibility, Zoanthid
Selection, Zoanthid System,
Zoanthid Lighting, Zoanthid
Feeding, Zoanthid Health,
Zoanthid Reproduction, |
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Possible SPS Hitchhiker/Coral ID 11/05/09
I bought a small rock with some yellow polyps on it and after a week I
noticed two encrusting colonies growing on it. I can't seem to find out
what these are. They are two different types of, what I am hoping are
corals, and even the colours are different.
The diameter of the larger heads are about 1mm, and the smaller ones, on
the lower colony, are about .5mm in diameter.
I'm hoping to find out what they are so that I can place them properly
in the tank. I want to see what these guys will look like when they
continue to grow out. Since I don't know if they are coral that
relies on photosynthesis or not I don't know if they will need
supplemental feedings.
A little on the tank: it's a 90G reef setup with a 30G sump and a
separate 10G refuge. I have about 110lbs of live rock and a good
sandbed. There are some other corals (mostly Zoas and LPS, but one
Monti).
<What you have are Zoanthid colonies, commonly called Sea Mats, Button
Polyps or False Corals. See here.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/zoanthid.htm>
Thanks in advance,
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)><<Good eye James. B>>
Jason
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Identification, Zoanthid
06/02/09
I'd like to thank you folks for the use of your great site.
<Welcome>
I usually use the information on your site to answer all of my
questions. Unfortunately I am stumped about this identification. I
attached a photo of the unknown. I have read up about the majano anemone
and it seems that they have rounded tips and there mature size is not to
large and coloring varies from brown to greenish depending on antics
used.
<Mmm, yes... Note the absence of tentacles about the mouth... the squat
body...>
Let me describe to you what mine look like. Yes coloring varies
brownish-green pending on antics, tips are pointed, approximate size of
some of the largest 1"-2" (in the photo there is a Mexican turbo snail
next to it), the base of mature ones when fully extended (1"-2") and is
brownish with green polka-dots and they do have a visible mouth. I
believe I acquired 4-6 of them on a frag 3 years ago and I now have
about 24 of them, most of them live in clusters and a few that sit
alone. Lastly the reason for my concern now is that I am changing over
to a reef system and would like to know if these guys are a problem to
other corals.
<Am pretty sure this is a Zoanthid... see a/the chart here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/zoanthid.htm
Can be problematical in proximity (and not) to other Cnidarian life.
(see the linked FAQs file re Compatibility) Bob Fenner>
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Critter ID
4/19/09
Good day,
<Jerry>
I come to you once again looking for help in identifying a marine
critter.
This individual was a freebie from someone that I purchased a number
of frags from. The gent told me that he thought it was some kind of
sponge, but he didn't know what genus nor did he know anything about
its care.
It's been in his tank for about 6 months with no special handling or
feeding.
<You likely have "good reef conditions", as this looks to be either
a sponge or Ascidian growing over/on another sponge... both of which
are filter feeders>
I've scoured the web and your site, but can't seem to find anything
that even remotely resembles this beast.
<Two species here>
The piece that I have is a frag from a much larger organism that
resembled fingers. My section is about 4 inches long. Any help would
be greatly appreciated.
Thanks and cheers.
Jerry
<Maybe a read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/spongeidfaqs.htm
the linked files above, and Sea Squirts coverage.
Bob Fenner>
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Re: Critter ID 4/19/09
Bob,
Thanks for the quick reply.
<Thank you for this follow-up Jerry>
I did some more digging, and it seems as though this beast is
described in the UK as a Candy Cane Sponge (Axinella damicornis)
with encrusting Parazoanthus axinellae. In Canada it's known as
White Line Sponge,
(Trikentrion flabelliforme).
<I see>
In case you're interested here's a link to a discussion on the
organisms.
http://www.defineyourreef.frihost.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=35
As always, thank you so much for your assistance and dedication to
the hobby.
Jerry
<Thank you again. Will append our prev. corr.. Cheers, BobF>
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New Life…The Wonder of Discovery
– 03/17/09
Good morning,
<<Good afternoon>>
I have been a fan of the site since my first freshwater aquarium. Thank you
for all that you do!
<<We are happy to share>>
Six weeks into my first marine tank (92 gallon, pH 8.25, KH 12, 50 lb LR, 3
inches LS) and I have an arrival that I did not purchase!
<<Hitchhikers are common…some are good, even great…some, not so much>>
I can only assume that because of your site I have not made any grievous
errors.
<<Keep reading, researching, learning>>
I have looked through the site and no pictures convince me one way or the
other if this is a worm or a polyp. Can you help me identify?
<<Hmm… Is a Cnidarian for sure… Looks to be of the order Zoanthidea, and
based on the tentacle size and spacing, I would place this animal from the
genus Protopalythoa…perhaps P. mutaki. Do see WWM/the NET in general re and
see what you think>>
Many thanks,
Nathan in SC
<<Happy to assist… EricR…also in SC>>
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Creature ID 3/5/09
Folks,
<Jerry>
Let me begin by congratulating you on a phenomenal website.
<Thank
you.>
I'm just starting off in the world of marine fish keeping and your
resources and advice are peerless. Thank you.
<Welcome.>
I have a
hitchhiker on one of my pieces of Live Rock and I've searched your site and most
other places on the web, but can't find anything that resembles it. The organism
doesn't look anything like the images of Aiptasia or Anemonia majano that I
could find, nor does it look like anything else that I've seen. Any help in
IDing the creature would be
greatly appreciated. The centres of the organisms
are a much brighter green that what shows up in the images. The tentacles
retract very quickly into the body when disturbed and the organism seems to be
flourishing and growing rather quickly in my otherwise barren tank (It's still
just cycling with LS and LR)
<What you have is a small Zoanthid colony. Read
here and related articles/FAQ's
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/zoanthid.htm>
Thank you again for your tireless efforts.
<Again, you're welcome. James
(Salty Dog)>
Jerry
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Anemonia? 1/14/09
Bob,
Thanks for all your work
to help reefs around the world (both in nature and in our homes)
thrive. I have two anemone that I believe to be majano. A picture is
attached and I was hoping that you might verify my suspicion.
<Might be this Anemone... but due to the lack of tentacles nearer
the mouth, arrangement on the periphery of the crown... these could
be Zoanthids...>
They are on a clam away from everything else in
my tank. If they are Majano sp. I have a few questions. First, do
they simply divide by fission in the tank and therefore will only
reproduce in the area that they are in and spread from there or can
they find there way across the tank without my noticing some how?
<Both these groups of stinging-celled life principally spread
through asexual fission... pedal laceration and such... about the
area where they're located... though in the wild, sexual
reproduction, very wide spreading does occur>
Can they kill the
Maxima clam that they are on now?
<Either could be a negative
influence, yes>
Should I remove them and place them in my trigger
tank?
<Yes I would... and carefully... outside the main system...
with a sharp implement... scrubbing the remaining area with an old
toothbrush... rinsing the clam a few times in new water... carefully
disposing of the "cut process" water... Do wear gloves and eye
protection>
Should I be upset at my LFS who told me that the one
that was there when I bought the clam was a small flower anemone?
<Mmm, is a/nother common name for this (A. cf. majano) and other
life...>
(I realize you likely will not advocate harboring enmity
toward others but I thought I would ask anyway).
Thanks for all
your help Joe Marchetti Anchorage, AK
<A pleasure to meet, share
with you Joe. Bob Fenner> |
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Re: Anemonia? 1/14/09
Thanks Bob. Will proceed as
suggested. Joe Marchetti
<Ah, good Joe... I really should have,
and now will urge you to read this area re some further
(reinforcing) cautions concerning Zoanthid contact:
http://wetwebmedia.com/zoanthidcompfaqs.htm
Cheers, BobF> |
Anemone cluster identification 1/1/09
Hi crew,
<Michael>
WWM is an awesome website. I've had a 120
gallon SW tank with ~175lbs live rock, peaceful fish, some invert
cleaners, a few corals for almost 3 years now. The information on
your website has helped me through many trials and tribulations. The
scariest event was a plague of BGA that spread like wildfire in my
tank, covered almost everything, starved my algae blenny...then
rapidly lifted after I vacuumed a half inch of detritus that
collected in my sump over a 1 year period! It was an amazing feeling
to see it all disappear! If I tried vacuuming the BGA, it just
reappeared within a day.
<Ahh!>
I finally write to you now for
the first time with an attached picture (sorry if the pic is of poor
quality). Can you help me identify this cluster of what looks like
tiny anemones.
<Mmm, yes, I think so>
They are very small,
somewhat brownish in color. All of my live rock were purchased
through liveaquaria.com, except for this piece, which I bought at a
local pet store
(maybe 1.5 years ago). One day, I noticed a few
of this cute little guys, then they've slowly reproduced over the
last year. I'm curious if they're considered a pest and could
eventually cover the whole piece of rock. I could remove the rock
and chisel them off. :)
<Do so carefully, outside the system...
they're quite toxic... to you, your livestock>
As far as invert
cleaners, I have assorted hermit crabs, snails, a pistol shrimp and
serpent sea star. All of my emerald crabs and peppermint shrimps
seem to have perished. I plan to get more. My setup has an outer
orbit light fixture with 2-130W CF's and 2-150W MH's, moonlights. I
have more live rock rubble in the sump.
Any ideas on the cluster?
Thanks again for maintaining such a resourceful website!!!
Michael
<You're welcome. This appears to be a group of
Zoanthids... Please see the chart here re discerning various
Cnidarian groups:
http://wetwebmedia.com/zoanthid.htm
and the
linked file re Zoanthid Compatibility above. Cheers, Bob Fenner> |
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