Hungry Anemone - help to ID please

[mab]

Can anyone tell me what kind of anemone is this? I got it on eBay, it's in a QT tank but I am affaid to transfer it to the fish tank as it seems to want eat anything that goes by including my finger. Is it fish safe?

 

[Rich-n-poor]

Yeah I had one, I think the LFS had them labled as rock or flower anenomies. sorry but packed my books up.

At any rate, i kept one in a reef and the will eat anything but are pretty harmless. Im not saying you wont lose a snail, but I cant remember any of my fish coming up missiing.

BTW the are pretty hardy, even more so than condi's but I hope you didnt pay much.

On the down side a clown wont look at it twice, neither will an anenome crab. I have had both crabs and clarki's take to condis which is unusual.

rich
_________________
joint

 

[mab]

Thaks Rich, this gives me something to go on. I could usew more corroboration form you experts before I move Canibal to the reef.

 

[Mac1]

Ditto what Rich said. My LFS's call those "Sunflower Anemone's"...? They're pretty harmless IME. I had one for several years, sat in the corner of my tank on the sandbed quite contentedly. Lost it in a move. Ate anything meaty that came across it's tentacles, but I didn't see any inverts (Snails, hermits, etc.) having trouble with it. Would sting neighboring corals, but it was pretty mild.

- Mac

 

[Anonymous]

It looks like an E.crucifer anemone, common name...flower anemone. A hardy anemone that should be kept away from corals.

 

[John_Brandt]

I am leaning towards Phymanthus sp. They readily host the "Porcelain anemone crabs" (Neopetrolisthes spp.)


John Brandt

MASNA
MAC
CMAS-Chicago

 

[mab]

Thanks Don and John. The question here is: do you think the anemone is safe for small and medium fish? It has very sticky tentacles and seems hungry all the time, it will try to eat just about anything I offer her including my finger.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree. Epicystis and Phymanthus are one and the same. They hail from the Caribbean and Florida among seagrasses. I'm not sure about the crabs but they are host to Periclimenes spp.shrimps, as well as Thor spp. shrimps. The common name is rock anemone. they have a strong sting, but most fish know this already and will avoid them.

 

[Anonymous]

Definately a phymanthus. The give-away is the variegated tentacles. Mine each selcon soaked scallops. very hardy and safe.

 

[John_Brandt]

I agree. Epicystis and Phymanthus are one and the same. They hail from the Caribbean and Florida among seagrasses. I'm not sure about the crabs but they are host to Periclimenes spp.shrimps, as well as Thor spp. shrimps. The common name is rock anemone. they have a strong sting, but most fish know this already and will avoid them.

Anemonebuff,

I think you might need to buff up on your anemones. I may have out-of-date information, but Epicystis and Phymanthus are not the same. Phymanthus is Indo-Pacific, and I suspect that is exactly where mab's anemone came from.

I might also add that in addition to hosting Neopetrolisthes spp. crabs, these anemones also host Periclimenes and Thor spp. shrimps.

John Brandt

MASNA
MAC
CMAS-Chicago

 

[mab]

John,

The anemone came from Florida.

 

[John_Brandt]

My apologies to Anemonebuff, as it appears that there is some synonymy between Phymanthus and Epicystis. The photo may not allow for species declaration.

I think we can agree that it is what is commonly sold as "Rock anemone" in the trade. I have heard of them called "Flower anemone" as well.

My local wholesaler gets hundreds of them, and I cherry-pick the orange ones. These appear to have the same pigment as the Rose Bubble-tip Anemone.

John Brandt

MASNA
MAC
CMAS-Chicago