FAQs on Anemone Identification 5 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 6, Anemone ID 7, / Anemone ID 8, 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,

New Print and eBook on Amazon:     Anemone Success Doing what it takes to keep Anemones healthy long-term by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Unusual small anemones?
Hi Adam!
< Hey Narayan >
How are you? Everything is running well with the tank... Well almost. I had Caulerpa racemosa go sexual after I pruned it back heavily. I wish I'd eliminated it when the first bubble popped out! 
< Yah it can do that, but it is still worth having. >  Anyway I have two hitch hikers on my live rocks.  Two months ago an anemone with black and white striped tentacles popped out of the rock and I tried to nuke it with Kalk. Now two more have popped out! This is definitely not a curly Que anemone. It doesn't look like your typical Aiptasia either.
< I agree, it is different. Personally, I'd keep them. > I also acquired a few more pounds of live rock. These are covered with these translucent tubes that stick out ?" and are about 1/16" in diameter. Out of this pops out a retractable head that contains a single row of very fine brown tentacles -this looks very much like Aiptasia, except they are very small and the mouth area fluoresces yellow under actinic lighting.  < But they have a tube that is firm? or soft? Either way, I wouldn't try to get rid of it. >  It could also be described as a very brown looking ? scale yellow polyp coral that retracts in to a tube... It looks like this hydroid picture that I found on the web, but unlike any other hydroid picture I could find. Is this some sort of polyp coral or a pest anemone or hydroid?  < I'm going to say colonial anemone. I'd say good, and would prefer to keep them and see what happens than to make a rash decision to eliminate them. > Would these two coexist with my xenia and Capnella coral?  < Yes definitely. > Thank You,  < No problem. > Narayan < Blundell > 

Florida pink tipped anemones I bought 3 anemones, 2 are white, 1 is all pink are they all the same? 2 are long and thin, 1 is short and fat { the pink one} ?  <If they are all from Florida, as your subject states, then yes, they are all probably Condys. Without pictures, I cannot be positive. Do a search on the Wet Web Media. I'm sure you will find the correct ID there. James (Salty Dog)>

What is this anemone Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2005 I sent a pic yesterday but this is a little better. Is this a bad guy? It is very small.  <Hi Chris. Picture is too blurry to get a good look at it. Sending it as an attachment rather than a PDF file may help. James (Salty Dog)>

Carpet Anemone ID Hey Wet Web People... <Discriminating against extraterrestrials, are we?  The shame!> I bought a carpet anemone...sadly I for once didn't look up your website and wonder if I will regret it now.  They are cheap here in Bangkok and I got suckered in (US$8) as it looked healthy and well coloured. <Starting off with a healthy specimen is half the battle, but PLEASE do your research before impulse buying!  Life should not be measured by the cost of acquiring it> I am not sure what species of carpet it is. <Most likely Stichodactyla haddoni or Stichodactyla Gigantea...can you get a picture of it, especially a pic of it's mouth?> The colouration is a soft pinky burgundy base and the tentacles are light green.  Its about 7 inch wide.  Also very sticky.  Is it gigantea? <See above.  Stickiness is a good sign though, make sure you feed it often> Are all carpets fish eaters?  I have seen tanks with them with fish in the past...it's one hell of an ordeal to get LFS to take stock back here so I am hoping not to.  The tank occupants are two pipe fish - Doryrhamphus sp.. (black snout/orange front to the body/blue back section with a black tail with a white central patch and rim?), a clarkii clown, and sifting goby of some variety. Other than the clown, I am guessing they aren't the best tank mates with one of these. <Yes they are, and expect to lose all of your fish eventually except for the clarkii, especially the pipe fish.  Do you have adequate lighting, space, and water flow for your new anemone?  They like bright light, you will need halides or natural sunlight to keep one long term.  Make sure you keep it well fed also, with shredded\small pieces (1\4") of fresh seafoods> Thanks for the advice <Anytime> Brett Moloney <M. Maddox>
Bangkok
<Aym ah Texan>

What is this? Here is a better picture then the others I have sent. Gerard <Our least liked anemone, Aiptasia. Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm and the linked Related FAQs (in blue, at top). Bob Fenner>  

Large white spot on Coral Beauty 12/16/04 Can you please tell me what this spot is on one side of my coral beauty?  It appeared today and he's now swimming awkwardly - often on his side. <It looks like a physical abrasion.  Most heal fine of their own, but do watch for signs of infection.  If it appears to get worse or infected, consider moving the fish to a hospital tank for treatment.> FYI, I have a 75 galloon, 25 lbs of live rock, 2 dozen scarlet reef hermits, 1 sand sifting star, 1 coral banded shrimp, and just added a clarkii with an unidentified anemone (my wife surprised me but doesn't recall what is was called, oh boy).  I'll attach a picture of the new additions as well.  Thanks in advance, you seem to be so much help to so many people! Matt <The anemone could be a "Sebae" or Condylactis, it is hard to tell from the pic.<<Is very likely a Sebae, Heteractis crispa. RMF>>  If it is a Sebae, it is bleached.  Recovery is about 50/50.  Be sure to feed it a marble sized piece of fish, shrimp or shellfish every few days until it regains color.  For a quick guess on the ID, consider cost.  Condylactis usually cost less than $10, while Sebaes are usually over $30.  Do consult "Anemone Fishes and Their Host Sea Anemones" by Fautin and Allen or some other good reference to confirm the ID. Best Regards. AdamC.>

Anemone hitchhikers 10/13/04 We've been trying to identify these little things that came with a piece of LR we bought recently.  Hope the photo is ok. Some suggested majano anemones but after looking at some photos, I don't think they are.  They look like tiny anemones, about 1/2 inch diameter, have got a mouth in the middle and cauliflower-like edges.  The base is like on a mushroom or anemone.  They are light brown/cream colour and under the actinics you can see little green areas. Thanks Jo and Colin <they are indeed anemones... tough to ID from the pic distance/clarity. It may be a "mini-carpet anemone" Stichodactyla tapetum... do use the name for a keyword search on Google for this species/pics. Anthony>

Another saddle carpet anemone AWOL Hi I have a issue regarding my carpet anemone.  It is in a 46 gallon bow aquarium, w/ 2x96 watt VHO and 175w MH.  I feed him every other day, ground up misc. seafood (shrimp, perch, squid) Mysid shrimp and occasional live brine shrimp and black worms.  Water tests are fine and I did a 20% water change on Friday as I do every other week with R/O water.  I test my water myself and occasionally I take samples to my LFS and everything is inside the normal range. Nitrate is usually undetectable. <How about Ca and Alk?> I've had him about 13 months.  The past two weeks it has gone crazy eating fish--3 clowns, a lawn mower blenny, maybe a damsel. <All anemones are predators, and carpet anemones have some of the most powerful stings of all of them.  I have lost several shrimps and a couple of fish to mine.  These are definitely not community tank animals.> I now have a tank with 100 lbs of live rock, xenia and a Chromis, and one beautiful, green anemone, about 10". <Hmmm...  I am a bit suspicious here.  Who identified the anemone?  Although green saddle anemones (Stichodactyla haddoni) do come into the aquarium trade, they are unusual.  There is a similar looking Caribbean anemone that is also unusual in the trade, but (being Caribbean), is not a natural clownfish host.... and it is a vicious predator.  See Delbeek and Sprung, "The Reef Aquarium, Vol 2" and/or Fautin and Allen's "Anemonefishes and their host sea anemones" to try and properly ID your anemone.> I've been pondering getting rid of him.  Although I was willing to dedicate my only  tank to it--I at least wanted to be able to keep some clowns or something, otherwise it just is not worth it.  I've struggled, knowing that if I trade it in--most likely will not get the same level of care and lights, maybe not enough to survive. <Good to see that you are providing proper care and don't want the animal to fall into less caring hands.  Your local aquarium society can be of great help here.> Today he is missing.  Somehow he has berried himself under the gravel/sand in the tank.  It is only 1.5" deep and he is under it.  He did this all  within the last hour. He has never moved before. I wondering if it is complications from eating such large food, or if he is just dying as so many anemone's long term do.  Should I leave it or try to fetch it from the tank? <Both S. haddoni and the Caribbean look alike are capable of withdrawing completely into the sand (although into 1.5" is surprising) as well as wandering the tank.  Be sure it is not on the move (inevitably toward a powerhead, drain or pump inlet).  They do this occasionally as a response to disturbance or sometimes for no reason at all.> Honestly I'm done with anemones--everyone out there--they are too much of a pain, even if you do everything seemingly right? Thanks.  Jennifer Von Canon  <How very true.  Just like any animal, they have specific needs and certain problems associated with their care.  Unfortunately, they are exaggerated compared to many other animals.  Best Regards.  AdamC>  

Bleached anemone... needs help 9/17/04 Crew, If you would be so kind as to identify the anemone in the attached photo? It appears to me to be a Condylactis, but my Cinnamon clown (Amphiprion melanopus) loves to hang out in it and he is only supposed to like bubble tip anemone (Entacmaea). What do you think? <the anemone clearly is a bleached bubble-tip anemone: Entacmaea quadricolor> It was sold to me as a bubble tip (with the rock). David A. Bidwell <the ID was correct... although this anemone is EXTREMELY unhealthy... bleached of all zooxanthellae and soon to be dead (months) if it does not get some very regular feedings from you - finely minced meats of marine origin several times weekly or near daily. Thawed Mysid shrimp and Pacifica plankton are a good start. Anthony>