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FAQs on Anemone Identification 8

Related Articles: Anemones, Bubble Tip Anemones, LTAs, Cnidarians, Coldwater Anemones, Colored/Dyed Anemones

Related FAQs: Anemone ID 1, Anemone ID 2, Anemone ID 3, Anemone ID 4, Anemone ID 5, Anemone ID 6, Anemone ID 7, Anemone ID 9, Anemone ID 10, Anemone ID 11, Anemone ID 12, Anemone ID 13, Anemone ID 14, Anemone ID 15, Anemone ID 16 Anemone ID 17, Anemone ID 18, Anemone ID 19, Anemone ID 20, Anemone ID 21, Anemone ID 22, Anemone ID 23, Anemone ID 24, Anemone ID 25, Anemone ID 26, Anemone ID 27, Anemone ID 28, Anemone ID 29, Anemone ID 30, Anemone ID 31, Anemone ID 32, Anemone ID 33, Anemone ID 34, Anemone ID 35, Anemone ID 36, Anemone ID 37, Anemone ID 38, Anemone ID 39, Anemone ID 40, Anemone ID 41, Anemone ID 42, Anemone ID 43, Anemone ID 44, Anemone ID 45, & Cnidarian Identification, Anemones 1, Anemones 2, Anemones 3, Anemones 4, Anemones 5, Invertebrate Identification, Aiptasia Identification, Aiptasia ID 2, LTAs, Bubble Tip Anemones, Caribbean Anemones, Condylactis, Aiptasia Anemones, Other Pest Anemones, Anemones and Clownfishes, Anemone Reproduction, Anemone Lighting, Anemone Feeding, Anemone Systems, Anemone Compatibility, Anemone Selection, Anemone Health, Anemone Behavior, Anemone Placement

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Anemone Success
Doing what it takes to keep Anemones healthy long-term

by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Identifying an Anemone  11/11/05 Hello Bob, thank you very much for replying!! <Welcome> My question regards trying to identify an anemone I have.  I am pretty sure it is an LTA, as these are the only ones I can find on the web that resemble mine.  I have attached some photos so maybe you can tell me if I am correct. <Is a Macrodactyla doreensis: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemones.htm. One of whose common names is the LTA, yes> Also I am having a rough time placing this little guy. (seems common with LTA anemones, another reason I'm thinking that's what this is...)  he always seems to end up in live rock "caves" or face down in the sand.  Right now I have him on the substrate with a clear plastic bowl over him with holes drilled in it,  which gives him just enough room to spread out and move around a little. Anything else I should do?? <Mmm, best to "nestle" in an opening twixt two or more rocks...> I have read that LTA like to be in the substrate, not on the rocks. Am I correct? <Yes> Also, he has no tears to his foot, appears very vigorous and healthy, and eagerly devours any shrimp or squid I give him 1-2 times a week. I have had him for about three weeks now.  I have a 30 gallon tank with 25 Lbs. of live rock, ammonia is 0, nitrites 0, nitrates very low, pH of 8.3. I also use Phosguard by Seachem to control phosphorous/algae, and I supplement with calcium/magnesium, and add phytoplankton.  I have 3 Damsels (still there from cycling), and a True Percula Clown, which absolutely loves the anemone. Also I have a Peppermint Shrimp, and some Blue Legged Hermits for algae control.  My only coral so far is a patch of purple and green Zoanthids that came in on some LR. My substrate is 1.5 inch deep very finely crushed coral.  Any help you can give me will be greatly appreciated!! Thank you very much Eric <About all we have written re is posted on WWM... please see the link above the citation above... Bob Fenner>

This photo posted thanks to Sam's help. Marina

Anemone ID 11/3/05 Hey y'all, This is miles here and I just purchased an anemone and I am not sure which kind it is. I was told that it was a Sebae Anemone <Nope> but it looks like Stichodactyla gigantea (gigantic carpet anemone) <Looks like it> My 2 False perculas are hosting in it. I was just wondering what type of anemone it was. Thanks, Miles <Welcome. Bob Fenner> 
Condylactis Anemone? - 10/29/05 Oops, forgot to attach pic! <<No worries mate.>> Hi guys....I'm running 375 gallons and have lots of inhabitants. <<ok>> Have read a bit on here regarding Condylactis and was wondering whether you could confirm identity. <<Could be, hard to say for sure from the pic...Condylactis Anemones will usually have a prominent "stalk" as a base.>> I know they can be dodgy for Clowns, so just want to confirm exactly what she is. <<Dodgy, yes...considering they never see each other in the wild. They will sometimes cohabitate, but more often than not the Condy eats the fish.>> I bought it very small and was unnamed, but nice and healthy. <<All the better for eating your fish. <G> >> My guess would be Condy........can you confirm? <<Not 100 percent, no...but does look like one.>> It is about the size of a woman's fist. Regards and keep up the good work! Craig, New Zealand. <<Regards, EricR>>

Majano Anemone 10/27/05 I have these tree like things growing out of my live rock. they are brown with tentacles. <Sounds like majano anemone.> There is {are} 2 of them. Can you help(?) I can send a pic if needed thank you Jason <A pic would be necessary to be sure but in the mean time read this: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3/aiptasia_impressions/aiptaisia_impressions.htm , Adam J.>  <<Jason.. Jason..!  This is Marina calling...  Please capitalize and use punctuation. Thank you!>>  

DomRep Sea Anemone Identification  10/5/05 Hi! <Hello Uli> I found you website http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/twaanemones.htm looking for help. I need to identify an anemone. Please find jpgs attached. I could not yet find it anywhere! By the way: I was not the photographer, "it" was not touched to see a reaction, all we have is the photo shot in the Dominican Republic. Any idea? <Appears to be an Actinodendron species.  Mr. Fenner may have some input here.  James (Salty Dog)> <<I concur. RMF>> Thanks a lot!  <You're welcome> Uli
Biologist
Germany

Anemones?  9/29/05 Hello, <Hi, Justin here.> I currently have an all fish 150 gallon aquarium with 25 pounds of live rock, in addition to some 30 (estimate) pounds of non live/volcanic rock.<So a FOWLR tank then, ok.> All the rock is built in to a pile with many crevices for my fish to hide in. I recently moved and followed your instructions for doing this very carefully. Once the tank was back up and running, and I was sure all my animals were adjusted and happy, and eating (say about a week later), I happened to be looking around and I noticed a growth on one of the rocks, notably a volcanic and NOT a live rock.<This will happen on both types of rock, If the base rock or dead stuff you added has been in there long enough it becomes live.> I continued to keep an eye on this and finally saw that it was in fact some kind of anemone (don't have a camera myself right now, if a picture would help let me know and I'll get a friend to swing by with one). I figured this was a fluke but in coming weeks and proceeded to sprout, by now five little "flowers" that, if disturbed, will retreat back into their "stems". Like I said, at first I thought of them as a fluke, but now I've kind of  taken a liking to the little guys. I would just like to know; what are they? Where did they come from? Should I be doing anything to take care of them? Please don't take these questions as to mean I am a novice, I take religious care of all my animals be they my fish or my reptiles or bugs or my cat, marine inverts just aren't really things I'm into (and thus I never purchased any, thus I am at a loss at my "adoption" of them). Any help would be great!! THANKS!!! Pat <Well Pat, what you have sounds like a flower or glass anemones.  While these may be interesting to watch, they are a nuisance in fish tanks and are able to spread across your tank and kill off anything they can sting.  I highly recommend trying to inject their bodies with a Kalkwasser or other calcium mix to kill them.  While pretty now they will have you cursing down the road.  also try the www.wetwebmedia.com search engine and read the FAQ's of others with similar problems and you will also see pictures of the types to help you ID your specific type and how best to handle it.> <Justin (Jager) >

Hitchhiker Anemone 09/25/05 On August 9th I came back to college to find the saltwater aquarium pretty much in ruins. <<Sorry to hear this.>> After a good cleaning, I found that almost everyone was still alive (3 damsels, one a tomato clownfish, 1 Pseudochromis, a few Asteroidea sp. and Ophiuroidea sp. and many hermit crabs and snails). Our Condylactis sp. anemone was dead, though, and the coral-banded shrimp was missing (presumed dead). Two days ago I found the shrimp, a little smaller than I remembered, in a corner in the tank. That's not too mysterious; my best guess is that the iodine level is low and he went off to hide while he was molting. <<Concur on the hiding though I'm not sure about the down sizing.>> I'm going to get a hold of a test kit from my professor tomorrow (Monday) to check the iodine level. The weird thing is that this morning I found a small (about 1" diameter) anemone attached to a shell. Where did it come from? <<The anemone probably arrived with some live rock. Search WWM for "majano" and "Aiptasia".>> Thanks for your help, Jessica <<You're welcome. Cheers - Ted>>
Re: Hitchhiker Anemone 09/26/05
Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention that we haven't added anything new to the tank!  Hmmmmm...  Also, I forgot to mention that it's definitely not Aiptasia or Majano, it's actually quite beautiful, and I'd like to keep it! It's white with purple tips.  Maybe a Condylactis?  That's what makes me think it's somehow related to the old one.  My biology professor says that he thinks the other one majorly downsized, but I don't remember it being the same color.<<It very well could be the old anemone as they will shrink. I would try feeding it (be careful about overfeeding).>> Also, bad news...I found the coral-banded fish dead and being eaten by the starfish. <<Too bad>> I think he was dead before that, but I'm not sure why he died. Tomorrow before I do anything else I am definitely finding a way to check the water.  Something is not right with it I think. <<Excellent idea. Testing for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and pH would be appropriate.>> Thanks for your (incredibly rapid) response.  I'm pretty much working alone on this, and I'm a newcomer to marine aquaria, though an old pro at freshwater ones! Thanks again, Jessica <<You're welcome and good luck - Ted>>

Purple Tip Anemone  9/22/05 This photo was taken by someone else for about.com contest. I recently got this anemone too, but regrettably don't have enough information about it. I'm worried about it, but couldn't find the photo/intel I needed in your articles. What's it's scientific name and requirements. food, light, etc. Thanks  <Renae, that info is on the WWM here http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemones.htm  It is a Heteractis malu <<Actually H. crispa>> also known as the sebae anemone. Nice pic by the way.  Bob may use this in his daily photo.<<Mmm, no... see above... belongs to someone else. RMF>> James (Salty Dog)> Renae

Hmm, an Anemone I see in my tank.. but what is it I ask  9/3/05 Hey, <Hey, hey> I am new to raising salt water fish, and so far is really rewarding. I enjoy the many hours of staring at my tank, and enjoying the fish, and as it appears the many things that come for the ride on the live rock that I purchase from a locally owned tropical fish store. The most recent frags I bought for decoration of the tank came with these small translucent "mushrooms with tentacles" on them. The biggest one is about 1cm-1.5cm tall (from rock base up stem to disk bottom"), and is bright red to purple color, depending on how you look at it. with several tentacles radiating from the edge of the disc. The tentacles are clear, with a white tip. It reacts to touch, and will pull its tentacles towards the center and fold in on itself, into the live rock. I think it is an Anemone from what i read on your site, but I am not sure, can you help me out. Oh, and if it is an anemone, how do I feed it? and care for it. <Dave, without a pic it would be difficult to say what it  is.  If it is an anemone search our WWM site, keyword, "anemones", and you will find all the info you need.  Might even see a pic of what you have.  James (Salty Dog)> Thanks,
Dave

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