Baby Sebae?

[JDCagley]

I bought a sebae anemone back in early July. I had red BT's in past tanks and hoped to have this in place of an all consumning red BT 'only' tank! I was selling them off left and right.
Anyways, the sebae didn't last long before he started falling apart. Watched in horror over the course of 2-3 days as he slowly died. It was a sunday, took my kids back to their mothers house and when I returned, he was so far gone - mouth wide open ~1.5" diameter - and shedding skin - I pulled him from the tank. He was in my tank ~10 days.
Fast forward to 2 weeks ago - I found, what I beleive to be, a baby of him. What say you? This is between nickel and dime size (USA Currency) - 0.5 - 0.75".

 

[OrionN]

It is possible. BTA can grown from fragment. Often this happens with healthy fragment from PH or overflow tear a BTA apart. Sick BTA that disintegrates not so much. So maybe. Keep an eye on him. Feed him and you can tell for sure as he gets a little bigger.

 

[JDCagley]

Just to clarify - I have not had any other anemones in this tank. The sebae was the only addition. I showed this to LFS person and he felt it was a baby sebae as well, but like you said, hard to tell right now. He seems to be eating on his own rather well. Every 3 days or so he grabs a piece of meaty food and is closed up. Anxious to see this grow out.

 

[OrionN]

Sebae anemone is a common, inaccurate name of several species of host anemones. IMO, if the LFS don't know what it is, they call it Sebae anemone so they can sell it. Only two host anemones commonly reproduce asexually are H. magnifica (Magnifica, Magnificent or Reitteri anemone) and E. quadricolor (BTA). Rarely S. gigantea (Gigantea Carpet anemone) survive getting split in two, but much weaker and does not seem to regenerate their inner organs well.

The rest of the host anemones only sexually reproduced. They have separate sex. Your anemone spawn and self-fertilized is an impossibility because it takes two to produce babies. You may have a small clone from your BTA (if the rock used were the same, or a hitch hiker anemone. There are a variety of anemones that can hitch hike, include smaller host anemones if the rocks are keep in great condition though out. Normally the host anemones are too sensitive to be a hitch hiker. Best of luck. Please keep us update.

 

[JDCagley]

TBH - i have no idea what the original was - they called it 'sebae'. It was white, purple-ish tips and a flesh colored foot. That is the extent to what I know about it - other than it died rather quickly. I have not added anything since him that could have hitched a ride into the tank - so I guess that would exclude this from being a sebae but rather some sort of BTA then? I stopped adding corals pre-'that anemone' as I was having trouble getting NO3/PO4 under control and didn't want to introduce anything new. I was particularly surprised to find this as it must have been 'hiding' somewhere for a few months (4 ish) before I noticed it. Will post prgression pics as he grows.