ID help request - possibly a rock flower anemone?   9/3/11
I bought some live rock from the Gulf, (Florida) and despite having spent almost a year reading tons of books, articles and forum postings, thinking I was ready to handle whatever hitchhiker that I may acquire, I got a hitchhiker I can't ID. I've asked for help on some forums and the feeling is either a Mushroom or a Rock Flower Anemone. I was thinking if it were a mushroom, it'd be a Ricordea but I'm thinking it's more likely it's an anemone.
<Mmm, appears to be a Lebrunia species... Read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/twaanemones.htm>
I wish to provide it the best environment I can and feed it what it needs, but haven't been able to find much on if it requires light, how much, what to feed it (it's really small).
I've attached a few pictures of the little guy to help in IDing it. It's in a hole in the rock and if something upsets/startles it, it retracts entirely from view within the rock. The edges can fold up and seem to be tipped with tiny stubby tentacles. It also has bumps/tentacles in the middle part of the disk. It's about the size of a dime or maybe a penny at best. Originally I didn't notice him and had that part of the rock towards the side of the tank, but after I saw him, I turned the rock around so it faces into the tank and gets light. I didn't face it up towards the light, as I figured it would possibly shock the critter. I also thought it might give me a clue as to its needs given how it reacted, shying away into or stretching out towards the light to see if I needed to move the rock again.
I tried cutting up a piece of shrimp and offering a teeny piece to it, but that turned out to be problematic. It shied away from the offering, but I'm not sure if that's because the piece stuck too firmly onto the stick or because it didn't care for it. I'm hoping it's been eating some of the many pods in the tank, because occasionally I see it curl up parts of itself.
The rest of the critter I've seen briefly when it stretched out a bit for a moment, it seems to be a long brownish stalk inside its rock cave. It tends to be smaller/deflated at night and more open during the day. From the pictures, you can see it's a yellow center and yellowish tan edges and tan-ish in the middle. The early pictures I had of it seemed more colorful, but I'm not sure if that's a trick of light when I photographed or if its actually becoming more brownish.
There's a little red crab in the rock I've not seen much of, but the critter doesn't seem to mind the crab. In fact, a couple of times I've seen the crab peeking out from underneath it, looking almost like the crab was wearing a frilly hat.
Could you please help?
- Barb
<See the linked files above as well. Bob Fenner>

anemone ID, FLA, washed-up... and Centropyge eye issue     8/31/11
Hello!
<Hi there>
Nick here.
<Bob here>
Have a couple of questions. First off, your site is stellar and it's a great service you're doing for fish everywhere.
<Glad to help>
Recently 'rescued' an established aquarium and in the process of getting it re-set up. It had been a little neglected - it came with plenty of live rock and live sand, but It had very little crab, shrimp, snail or other 'cleaning crew' life. Plus, trucking it 50 miles mixed things up a bit. I kept all the water I could and worked backwards in setting it up, wet live sand first then about 1 week later the live rock which had been in giant aquarium water plastic tubs. It's been cycling for 2-3 weeks now and Nitrite, Nitrate, Ammonia are all virtually nil....
I was at the beach this weekend here in Florida, and Hurricane Irene had whipped up a pretty wild swell which left flotsam mats scattered up and down St. Augustine beach. In looking through them, I came across a bunch of white legged hermit crabs, sally lightfoot crabs, sea Cukes and some weird white/tan balls which turned out to be anemones. Figured I would bring them home as they were just dying on the beach there.
<An experiment!>
The anemones are chillin' in a shallow 10g until I know if they're safe to go in the big 95 gallon. Can you help me ID these and determine if they're safe for the tank? The big tank is stable now and there's 2 damsels and a scarlet hawkfish. I also have a yellow and regal tang and a coral beauty in a 10 gallon quarantine tank waiting to go in to the big tank one at a time.
Thanks! Pictures attached.
<Look to be "rock anemones" from there... Aiptasia pallida, perhaps Epicystis crucifer; a bit strung out (understandably)>
Finally, the Coral Beauty has developed pretty severe pop-eye in one eye.
Not sure if this happened at the old place, during transit, or in the quarantine tank, or if it is related to water quality since they're all jammed in the small tank while the big one cycles (even though they're getting at least 1 water change a week). Been reading a lot that isn't too helpful, a la "just wait, it'll go away on its own"
<Often the best approach>
It seems to have been getting worse and I'd hate to see him lose an eye.
I've been feeding the quarantine tank antibacteria medicated food (by Jungle) but not sure if that stuff is really helpful or not.
<Most antibiotic use in/w marines is of limited to no value>
Suggestions? If all goes well with the hawkfish, I'll probably move the Tangs over later this week and early next and then would be able to add whatever to the water to help the Beauty.
Thanks!
<Read on WWM re marine fish eye issues.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/Popeyecures.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>