Gigantea with no visible verracue?

[Rtaylor]

I recently received this nem. It was sold as a purple gigantea. I have recently ordered 3 other gigantea and instead received Haddonis so I might be a bit paranoid, anyway, I wanted some opinions on whether or not this is a gigantea. The main reason I am questioning the identity is because there are no visible verracue at all. Not even faintly visible. I think it does look different from the haddoni’s I’ve gotten….but it’s tentacles are still pretty short as well (I’ve only had it a few days). Sorry about the pics, it’s in an awkward spot to get a good angle. What do you think? Appreciate your input!

@Nemguy123, @gig 'em , @OrionN , @Eagle_Steve

 

[James M]

Looks like a Haddoni

 

[Rtaylor]

Looks like a Haddoni

Ugh…..it definitely could be… the tentacles aren’t really tapered and they seem to be more dense (more like a Haddoni) than gigantea…..

there are only 3 lfs near me and they never have carpet anemones. So I have to order online.
If this is the 4th wrong anemone in a couple of months…..that would be extremely frustrating.
Thanks for your input
@Taylor t - opinion?

 

[Rtaylor]

I’ll add that the tentacles do move pretty constantly which I don’t see in my Haddonis, if that info is helpful at all.

 

[argiBK]

+1 on Haddoni. The pink rimmed mouth is a giveaway to me (could be wrong here) and I think even the hybrids have light verrucae that attach to surfaces. Haddoni do stretch their tents from time to time and can twitch when they do.

Looks like you're having the same issue I had about a year ago, sourcing a gigantea. It was such a PAIN trying to source one from a LFS, even worse sourcing a healthy one. This time last year I got in touch with @galactic_coral in Houston, and they informed me that the season for collecting them was ending (basically winter months in the US). The only places/people I was able to reliably find a healthy gig was through bluekai and nemguy.

There might be a chance you have a hybrid, but, ultimately, this is a beautiful and healthy specimen! If it meets your criteria for what you're looking for, keep it around!

 

[Rtaylor]

+1 on Haddoni. The pink rimmed mouth is a giveaway to me (could be wrong here) and I think even the hybrids have light verrucae that attach to surfaces. Haddoni do stretch their tents from time to time and can twitch when they do.

Looks like you're having the same issue I had about a year ago, sourcing a gigantea. It was such a PAIN trying to source one from a LFS, even worse sourcing a healthy one. This time last year I got in touch with @galactic_coral in Houston, and they informed me that the season for collecting them was ending (basically winter months in the US). The only places/people I was able to reliably find a healthy gig was through bluekai and nemguy.

There might be a chance you have a hybrid, but, ultimately, this is a beautiful and healthy specimen! If it meets your criteria for what you're looking for, keep it around!

Thanks for your input. Here’s a couple pics i was able to get this morning that show the oral disc better

 

[ocboat]

+1 on haddoni. I had the same problem several years ago with a well known online retailer. I was sent 3 haddoni instead of the gigantea that I ordered.

 

[Rtaylor]

+1 on haddoni. I had the same problem several years ago with a well known online retailer. I was sent 3 haddoni instead of the gigantea that I ordered.

Thanks for your input. How did you handle it with the retailer?

 

[ocboat]

I finally gave up and just kept them since I had no way to send them back easily. This is not one of them from that time, but another haddoni that I picked up from a lfs that looks similar to yours.

 

[gig 'em]

Judging by the short stubby tentacles and lack of visible verrucae, I’m saying haddoni as well

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I agree with haddoni. Looks almost identical to one of mine.

 

[Rtaylor]

Judging by the short stubby tentacles and lack of visible verrucae, I’m saying haddoni as well

Yeah, that’s what I thought. Thanks for the input

 

[Rtaylor]

I agree with haddoni. Looks almost identical to one of mine.

Thanks for the input. That’s what I thought

 

[Taylor t]

Yep, Haddoni.

 

[Rtaylor]

Yep, Haddoni.

Thanks! This is frustrating! This is the is the 3rd retailer to send a haddoni after I ordered a gigantea…..is it too much to expect to get what was advertised? I’m being serious….is it unreasonable to expect that sellers can identify what they are selling? The first thing I said when I opened the bag for this nem was, “it’s a haddoni.” My fiancé convinced me I was probably mistaken and being paranoid….ugh…sorry just venting.

 

[argiBK]

This is the is the 3rd retailer to send a haddoni after I ordered a gigantea…..is it too much to expect to get what was advertised? I’m being serious….is it unreasonable to expect that sellers can identify what they are selling?

It's super frustrating. I think a lot of staff at online retailers and non reef-specialty LFS don’t know (or take much care) to spot the difference between most anemones and they probably label them based on the collector or distributor's identification.

Sebae and Malu anemones suffer from similar misidentification, and potentially even Condy and LTAs. Hell, I've messaged Reef Beauties multiple times that they're mislabeling Genicanthus melanospilos (Swallowtail Angels) as G. semifasciatus (Japanese Swallowtails), they haven't corrected their listing in over 6 months.

 

[Anthony Scholfield]

if you want a gig that is a true gig, order from blue kai aquatics. They specialize in them and i have used them in the past.

 

[Nemguy123]

I recently received this nem. It was sold as a purple gigantea. I have recently ordered 3 other gigantea and instead received Haddonis so I might be a bit paranoid, anyway, I wanted some opinions on whether or not this is a gigantea. The main reason I am questioning the identity is because there are no visible verracue at all. Not even faintly visible. I think it does look different from the haddoni’s I’ve gotten….but it’s tentacles are still pretty short as well (I’ve only had it a few days). Sorry about the pics, it’s in an awkward spot to get a good angle. What do you think? Appreciate your input!

@Nemguy123, @gig 'em , @OrionN , @Eagle_Steve

Definitely a haddoni where are you getting it from by any chance there’s an online store that’s notorious for that I herd but it’s definitely a mistake a lot of people make

 

[Rtaylor]

Definitely a haddoni where are you getting it from by any chance there’s an online store that’s notorious for that I herd but it’s definitely a mistake a lot of people make

NY Aquatics

 

[Nemguy123]

NY Aquatics

They’re usually good surprising they listed it as haddoni