HetMagIDFAQs

FAQs on Magnificent/Ritteri Anemone Identification

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

by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Anemone Identification 6/28/13
Hi WetWebMedia team,
<Vagner>
First of all, I'd like to thank you for all precious information you provide for all of us, aquarists that love their hobby.
<Ahh!>
I've just bought this nem and I have some doubts if it is really a Bubbletip one, since its base is orange and tentacles very short and unusual in shape.
Thanks in advance.
All the best!
Vagner
<Mmm, my guess is on Heteractis magnifica; based on the pedicle, color... and the current scrunched down tentacles. Do see WWM re this species; not easily kept and quite predatory. Bob Fenner>

Anemone ID 8/29/10
Hello Crew at WWW,
My friend has this anemone that dropped a little baby. I have searched your site for over two hours now and I've seen some cool things but nothing like this anemone. The picture is attached. It's about the size of a volleyball and It's only a side view so unfortunately you can't see the big huge lips on it. It looks like it's always puckering for a kiss.
Before I take the little baby he offered me (the size of a dime) I would like to know what I'm getting in to. The LFS that he bought this thing from don't even know what it is. Any ideas?
Thank for the great site!
Rhonda
<Likely a Magnificent... not easily kept. Read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/hetmagnifica.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Re: BTA shrinking tentacles more info... Allelopathy 4/24/2009
Hi I sent you guys a question earlier this morning about my bubble tip anemone problems. I sent a picture of him, and listed all water and lighting other livestock etc. I did not mention the other corals in my tank. I have been reading on your site all day and I'm wondering if the brown, gold, and green Zoanthids in my tank could be the problem.
<Mmm, yes>
I thought it was the new light bulbs. I will continue researching on your site, but wanted to add to my earlier e mail that there are a lot of Zoanthids in my tank, also some metallic green star polyps, a toad stool,
and a mushroom.
<All these can be toxic to other Cnidarians... most so the Zoanthids>
If the Zoanthids are the problem, should I get rid of them. Our tank has been set up for a long time and they have multiplied a lot. Will my BTA survive? What's the easiest way to get rid of them? Thanks. Dawn D.
<Mmm, best for you to read: http://wetwebmedia.com/cnidcompppt.htm
and the linked files above... till you understand your situation, options, consequences. Bob Fenner>

bubble anemone shrinking tentacles... Nope... sent secondarily 4/24/2009
Hi Crew. Thanks in advance for your help. I am needing some help with my bubble tip anemone.
<Not... see here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemones.htm
Can't be sure from your image, but from the color of the pedicle, the verrucae... this looks like a Heteractis magnifica>
I purchased him at my LFS about 2 months ago. I am in the process of trying to correctly identify him using your web site, but when I got him he had beautiful frosty bulbs with purple on the tips.
<Mmmm?>
He was fine, behaving and eating as I would expect based on the research I've done about them. About a month ago we replaced the bulbs in our aquarium. Compact fluorescents 2 each of 65w dual actinics and 2 each of 10,000K dual daylights.
<How far away...?>
Our tank is a 90 gallon with a 15 gallon sump. No mechanical filtration. 6 inches live sand, 110 lbs live rock, a pro clear aquatics 150 protein skimmer in the sump, and a pacific coast imports chiller that keeps the
temperature at a constant 78. specific gravity is always 1.024 with water that has evaporated replaced each day with RO water from a Kent RO unit. We do weekly 10% water changes. Calcium is about 400, PH is 8.2-8.3. no ammonia etc. alkalinity is on the high side of normal according to my test kit. The aquarium has been set up for over 3 years. This is the first time adding a BTA. Also I change a carbon pillow monthly in the sump. We have four ocellaris clowns, one desjardinii tang, one regal tang, one yellow tang, a coral beauty, and a male and female mandarin dragonet. Also a lot of snails, some hermit crabs a couple cucumbers a skunk cleaner shrimp and two red fire cleaner shrimp.
Anyway, since we replaced the light bulbs, our BTA has not been well. His color on his body is still the same, brown, but his tentacles have shrunken more and more until they are almost gone. He still eats and excretes waste. I feed PE mysis shrimp mixed with Cyclopeeze and formula two flakes daily to all tank inhabitants, and I feed small chunks of shrimp and scallops from my local grocery store to the BTA every few days. Usually he takes it.
Occasionally he lets it go. Are the lights the problem?
<Perhaps a contributing factor... This amount (intensity) of light is insufficient for either Entacmaea or a Magnificent...>
Should I move him?
<I would try this>
He is attached to a large rock that can be moved lower in the tank. I am attaching a photo that I took of him this morning. At night when the lights are out his disk expands like a big soft pillow full of water, about 4 or 5 inches across, but the bulbs still stay shrunken. His mouth is tight and smooth. Can you guys(and or girls) help? Thank you so much. I love your site!
<Please use it. Bob Fenner>

Anemone ID 9/26/08 Hi! <Carrie> This is a cherished wonderful anemone that has been thriving for a long time. I have sent pictures to other people and I always get different opinions. When I bought it, it was on the sheet as a Ritteri (due to name change, now called Magnificent Anemone (Heteractis magnifica). It was 6" when I got it and has grown to 10" (in a 150 gallon). From the research I have done, with the tips at times (they are NEVER pointy, just blunt) having double tentacles or branching and that is what I read was typical of a H. magnifica. <Mmm, from your pix, including the verrucae on the pedicle, the size of the animal, its tentacles as you say... I too believe this is a Heteractis magnifica> They are not always green with purple bases, so I couldn't base my ID on that. The tentacles are more stubby some days and longer and thinner on others. So that is not a good basis either. Here are the pictures and if you could be sure to identify this guy accurately, I would really appreciate it! Here is a short tentacle day: Longer on this day: This is when I first got it, before my first crash (person did NOT top off tank) and it had lost it's zooxanthellae, but feeding it daily pulled it around. This is the first inhabitants, a pair of saddle backs: They were kicked out: Much later, 2 years....... This is after recovery and with new tenants: CLOSE UPS and base: <My work on this species here: http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/hetmagnifica.htm and the linked files above. Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Re: Anemone ID 9/26/08 Bob, <Carrie> When I got this anemone, three years ago, the shop owner told me that he had a tank near the window and this guy did really well. My 150 gallon gets sunlight every day for several hours right where the anemone stayed. They love to be up high in the tank near the light. I understand what the deal is about anemones, but do to the fact that I had everything this guy needed and that he has grown. I have no reservations about my ability to care for it. Tons of research went into it's care, and feeding it every other day brought it back from the white, bleached out color, which it was when I BOUGHT it. I feel my husbandry is much higher than the person who brings home an anemone with 2 watts per gallon. Also, I have never had it balloon and float around...... again, it's needs were met. I also had a water pump near him so he could move into it if he wanted. He would once in a while. I don't ever even remember him deflating, except when I had a tank crash and lost all of my wrasses (cirrhilabrus) when the water didn't get topped off for a week. So I would say they are pretty tough once established. They need to eat almost every day and those who do not may not have much success. The SAME spot has been occupied by this anemone for 3 years, and I think because of what I read, this may have something to do with it. <Yes> Like you said Bright light...... They LOVE to be up high so I build a "tower of rocks" so he was JUST under the surface of the water. I had CF, then T-5s, and he was happy with both. I also provided a pump for his pleasure... lol that sounds a little risk-ay.... and he got several hours of sunlight and was fed daily. 3 large jumbo raw thawed shrimp keeps it happy for 2 days, but if I offered a shrimp a day, that was fine. Once a week I would offer enough until satisfied. Point is they are BIG BIG eaters!!!!!!! The clowns could NEVER satisfy this voracious appetite by pulling scraps of food. I feel that in the wild, the reason they host so many (mine actually hosted 2 saddlebacks and 2 tomatoes until the crash) is to get more food! Just a thought. Thanks again for your response! :) <Thank you for sharing your valuable experiences re the husbandry of this animal. BobF>

ID help Hi <Hi, Mike I with you today> I was wondering if you could help me ID this anemone. 2/18/08 <Can only try!> I received it from a friend who was breaking down their tank. Thanks Rich <The animal appears to be Heteractis magnifica, commonly know as the Magnificent Sea Anemone. The animal may be slightly bleached. They are particularly demanding anemones to keep, especially in terms of lighting and water flow. Do have a read through our anemone indices here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemones.htm and also more specifically, here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/hetmagbehfaqs.htm

Another ritteri to go. RMF.

Some help with identification etc please. -- 07/18/07 Hi. I'm sorry to bother you with a few stupid questions, but if you would help me, I'd really appreciate it. Please can you identify this anemone for me (hope the pik is ok!), <Isn't very clear, but from the size of the specimen, the number, arrangement and shape of tentacles, their tips, color of the base and apparent verrucae on the pedicle, this appears to be a Heteractis magnifica> and tell me what is the best food for it. <... My friend... these animals are not easily kept... do not have high natural recruitment... You NEED to investigate all such purchases AHEAD of acquisition.> Also as you can see I have 1 Clown fish that is absolutely besotted with this Anemone and hardly leaves it alone, so loosing <losing...> it would be a big blow for me as it is so entertaining watching him thrash around in it. I have a 50L tank <Much... too small> that is about 10 months old with no special lighting or a skimmer. Is that going to prove to be a problem <Yes> as I have read numerous times in your Q&A page's that they need good light? The guy at the LFS said "no specific lighting required", which I'm beginning to doubt.... I really try to take care of my tank doing mixed water (sometimes RO water with liquid Calcium and PH&KH buffer, and sometimes with water from the Cape Town Aquarium) changes of about 10% per week. My PH is roughly 8.0, Calcium 450 and salt content 1023, is that ok? LFS say it's good.... I really want to get into salt water and if I can pull this tank off for a while, want to upgrade to a 450L tank with sump, skimmer etc. <Oh!? Much better> but I am worried that I'm going to lay out all the money and be disappointed in a big way. I know that this is not the easiest hobby (or the cheapest!) in the world, but I enjoy it so much! <Ah, yes... we're "hooked" as well> Anyway, your time taken to read this and answer my questions is greatly appreciated, keep up the good work, your page's have been a great place for info so far... Damien Kent <Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/hetmagnifica.htm and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Question: what is the colour in mouth Heteractis Hello, From a picture from Malaysia, I am doing a clownfish orange with one white band without dark around and Heteractis magnifica with earth and it is cooked. I am painting it and, i don't known the colour inside arms (it seams it's yellow-brown when i sea the picture on the web site Heteractis magnifica. Excuse my english because I am French and I live in Antibes, south of France. I love diving yet, I am only level one. Thank you very much if you give a response. Michele H <Most Heteractis mouths are tan to greenish... have seen some though that were blue or light violet... Bob Fenner>

Heteractis magnifica? - 01/27/06 Wonderful Fish Gods, <<Mere mortal EricR here tonight.>> Simple questions, well I hope. <<Me too <grin>.>> I have read thru the related FAQ. <<Ok>> The reason I am double, even triple checking is I want to make sure I am feeding properly. <<Ok>> 1. I was told this was a carpet anemone, is it? <<Hmm...looks like Heteractis magnifica to me. Very nice pics, by the way.>>>> 2. I have a Deltec MC500 on a 55g, will this be good enough for the 55? <<Yes>> 3. I have 4 65w PC 2 actinic, 2 10k, is this sufficient lighting? <<Possibly...just... I would rather see 4x96w PCs for this anemone.>> Thanks very much for the great Site!!! <<Glad you like it.>> P.S. I do have a 46g with one 250w MH that I use for my corals. Which I will move the Anemone to if it is better for him/her. <<Ah, yes! This tank (sans corals) would make an excellent specimen display for this anemone. Regards, EricR>> <RMF can't find file... >

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