can't ID an anemone

[Eskhellion]

I'm pretty sure this anemone is a pest type becuase my tank had nothing of the sort for many years, then I noticed one about 3 weeks ago. Now I have about a dozen anemones and they're growing very quickly both in size and number.

I started my tank a number of years ago, but because of deceptive salespeople, never realized how much the thing really cost and as a result, never finished setting it up. Right now, my 90gal tank has been sitting with no skimmer, ceiling lights, and a 304 filter for 2 years. I also haven't fed it for about that long and the dozen or more hermits seem to be doing just fine living off of the rock. Inside is about 60 lbs of live rock, caulerpa, hermits and some mushroom corals that grew out of the rock. I was getting ready to put a fish in when I noticed an anemone. I was stunned to see it because it didn't look like aiptasia, and I was under the impression that other types of anemones wouldn't grow without light.

These guys are transparent, but if you look at htem at an angle, have a blue green irridescence on the tenticles. They also have little flesh colored balls on the end of each tenticle. I think the sting must be quite bad because I had trouble pulling one off of my hand without damaging it. I didnt feel a sting, but it was holding on very hard. The largest now is about 2 inches across at full extension. I have 5 that are nearing or at the 2 inch mark and about 2-3 more of the tiny ones.

Do you guys have any idea what this is or should I borrow a camera and take a pic?

I'm tempted to pull them but they're really pretty and I haven't got much else growing in the tank... Still I have sooo many of them now.

Thanks.
Alina.

 

[Eskhellion]

Actually, I just found a pic that looked strikingly similar - the creature was called a 'jewel anemone' but there was no information. I can't actually find any information on it anywhere.

Is this creature good, bad or indiferent?

A.

 

[steve-s]

A jewel anemone is actually a Corallimorph (Corynactis sp.) not a true anemone species. While it is possible it could be a jewel, the more common hitchiker "look alike" would be Pseudocorynactis sp. which is also a species of Corallimorph and somewhat common to the area's where reef rock is collected.

Can you post an image?

Cheers
Steve

 

[Eskhellion]

I think you're right. I have a great pic but I don't know how to get it up there. I'm curious why they gave these species differnet names since they're nearly identical in every way except color.

It's in my album... gah.

A.

 

[steve-s]

Definately looks like a species of Pseudocorynactis. They are for the most part nocturnal and primarily prey capture vs light dependant. They are increadibley aggressive and can easily kill nearby corals and small fish so be very wary of allowing them to get a stronger foothold within your tank. Especially if this is a reef tank or soon to be one. Not sure if Joe's Juice would work on them or not.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Eskhellion]

Ok, I thought so because one got stuck to my hand and it pulled off the rock before it let go.

They're beautiful, but I was already thinkng to pull them. If I put nice lights on it, will it kill the anemones?

I can pull them by sticking my hand against them. They propgate fast but I didn't have any for 2 years so maybe they'll just die off?

A.

 

[steve-s]

They're beautiful, but I was already thinkng to pull them. If I put nice lights on it, will it kill the anemones?

More likely they will just move to a shaded spot away from the light. They will not "appreciate" the new light, but it won't kill them.

I can pull them by sticking my hand against them. They propgate fast but I didn't have any for 2 years so maybe they'll just die off?

I'm not sure how closely related they are to Aiptasia sp. (if at all) but I would be careful. Aips reproduce through tissue separation (any breakaway piece) but the Pseudocorynactis will reproduce more commonly by splitting (fission) given there is sufficient food sources/stores in the first place. I'm pretty sure your safe removing them forcefully but not bare handed. You could easily end up with a bad rash or an abrasion/cut on the finger can lead to septic conditions, wear gloves!

Cheers
Steve

 

[Eskhellion]

Which locale are they from? Most of my rock is from Vanuatu but I got a couple of small bits from my university.

Dang.I feel so bad. They're so pretty and my family has watched them grow (and multiply with alarming speed). We like them.. but if they will kill my reef critters, I think I have to start thinking about taking them out. I have no fish in my 90 - only snails and some crabs. One of my snails died mystriously yesterday. I found it's shell within arm's length of one of the anemones...

I want to put in a yellow wrasse - one of those little deals that supposedly eats bristleworms. Will it be ok with these anemones or should I pull them before I put the wrasse in?

Is there a better wrasse for a reef that still eats britsles? The six and four lines don't.. I think the fish is too small. Larger verts that eat those things don't seem to be reef safe at all...

ideas?

Alina.

...... everything in my tank stings in some way, shape or form

 

[steve-s]

Which locale are they from? Most of my rock is from Vanuatu but I got a couple of small bits from my university.

Most likely from the Vanuatu rock. They are common to the Fijian area's and the Coral sea area.

Dang.I feel so bad. They're so pretty and my family has watched them grow (and multiply with alarming speed). We like them.. but if they will kill my reef critters, I think I have to start thinking about taking them out. I have no fish in my 90 - only snails and some crabs. One of my snails died mystriously yesterday. I found it's shell within arm's length of one of the anemones...

Death by association doesn't necessarily mean the Pseudocorynactis was the cause. Your mention of multipying at an alarming rate is the biggest concern. Often one can be found and never be a concern nor really mutiply. Then they are simpley an oddity but when they spread quickly, they need to be controlled else you will have problems.

I want to put in a yellow wrasse - one of those little deals that supposedly eats bristleworms. Will it be ok with these anemones or should I pull them before I put the wrasse in?

Wrasses are very curious fish and will dart in and about the rock. There is a high potential for loss depending on the density of the mushrooms.

Is there a better wrasse for a reef that still eats britsles? The six and four lines don't.. I think the fish is too small. Larger verts that eat those things don't seem to be reef safe at all...

Unless you have an overload of worms, I see no reason for you to need something "added" in which to control them. The most efficient way of controlling bristleworm populations is through the amounts of food you feed. That is a direct link to "out of control" populations. Removal will prove itself futile quite quickly and lend to an unhealthy sytem in the long term if successful. Bristleworms unto themsleves are quite harmless for the most part but it's knowing which species are good and which are bad. Bristeworm is in fact a very general reference for many diffferent species of polychaete and it is rather rare to get species that are predaceous. They are however usually easily identified.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Eskhellion]

Funny thing is that I haven't put any food in this tank at all for 3 years - not one scrap of it. I do water changes and change the filter media. The protein skimmer's pump died and the lights are slowly going dim. I've had no money so it's been sliding. I only did water changes to maintain the life and was hoping for a better financial situaiton in order to fix it. The thing came to life as soon as I stopped mucking with it. There are millions of bristle worms tho. The tank is writhing.

 

[steve-s]

It is most likely feeding off the fauna within the system. If you have that many brisstleworms, there has to be some sort of nutrient feeding them. Wether that be algae or otherwise (pods?). I am pretty sure they are to at least a small extent photosynthetic (zooxanthellae) animals so could be a combination of the two. It might also explain the lack of color?

Cheers
Steve