Hitchhiker coral?

[Mytoy]

I bought live rock for my new tank and after 2 weeks I just found this guy. I’m amazed it survived the initial cycle. At first I thought it may have been an Aiptasia, but I can’t find any that look like this. I think it may be some type of mushroom coral that maybe bleached or turned brown during the cycle process. Anyone know what this is?

These are pics I just took with lights off. It’s about 1 1/2 inches in size with a base that extends down into the rock about 2 inches.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

Can’t really tell with the photo

 

[Mytoy]

Can’t really tell with the photo

I’ll try to get a better pic with lights on tomorrow. It’s hard to see as it blends well with the rock.

 

[sfin52]

Looks like a type of anemone not an aptasia

 

[Mytoy]

Looks like a type of anemone not an aptasia

During the day when lights are on it doesn’t have the same extension. Is that normal for an anemone? I’ll try to get better pics during lights on.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

During the day when lights are on it doesn’t have the same extension. Is that normal for an anemone? I’ll try to get better pics during lights on.

Nope not normal per se….my ball tip nems though like darker corners of the tank…better pics will help

Try taking them straight on

You could use a flash light at night to try and get a pic

 

[MoshJosh]

Looks like a rhodactis mushroom like this but of a different color?:

 

[Reefing_addiction]

Looks like a rhodactis mushroom like this:

Uuummmm

 

[Mytoy]

Looks like a rhodactis mushroom like this:

Don’t see a pic or link, but I was thinking maybe a Rhodactis as well. I think day time pics will help ID.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

From those pictures you got this?

 

[MoshJosh]

From those pictures you got this?

Yeah sort of, looks like a flat disc with frilly edges, much like the photo you posted but reverse the colors.

 

[Mytoy]

So, during the day it does have shortened polyps and the closest thing that I could find was a rhodactis, but it looks badly damaged. Is it possible that it browned, lost color, or was damaged some how during cycling? Have any of you seen this happen before?

 

[MoshJosh]

Did you say where the rock came from?

The disk size compared to the tentacle size and overall number of tentacles also reminds me of a mini-maxi carpet anemone though the color (cannot really gauge without better light) does not. . .

Also RFA might be another guess, though the tentacle density/size seems off to the relative size of the oral disk makes me think it is not. Also, the way the "coral" is slightly folded in the second picture makes it look like the disk is rather thing which is not what I have observed in RFA:

Some other rarely seen in the aquarium trade coral or nem is always an options.

Will be interested to see better pictures.

Sorry for kinda pulling at straws haha but that it what I got based on what I can see.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

So, during the day it does have shortened polyps and the closest thing that I could find was a rhodactis, but it looks badly damaged. Is it possible that it browned, lost color, or was damaged some how during cycling? Have any of you seen this happen before?

Corals aren't harmed during "cycling". They literally eat ammonia.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

Is it a myth that tanks need to be cycled for corals?

Recently I set up a small pico tank with my roommate. We had some disagreements over it but I insisted it needed to be cycled before adding any sort of livestock including corals. My roommate disagreed and has had a tank before that he never cycled and he says his corals did just fine (he...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Mytoy]

So here are some other pics. Hopefully better. I turned off my pumps and turned on just white lights. These are pics from the top, front and side of the tank as it’s in a corner. It still has polyp extension. I’ll take another pic later today after lights have been on for a while so you can see what it looks when lights are on.

Did you say where the rock came from?

The disk size compared to the tentacle size and overall number of tentacles also reminds me of a mini-maxi carpet anemone though the color (cannot really gauge without better light) does not. . .

Also RFA might be another guess, though the tentacle density/size seems off to the relative size of the oral disk makes me think it is not. Also, the way the "coral" is slightly folded in the second picture makes it look like the disk is rather thing which is not what I have observed in RFA:

Some other rarely seen in the aquarium trade coral or nem is always an options.

Will be interested to see better pictures.

Sorry for kinda pulling at straws haha but that it what I got based on what I can see.

Intereseting, I’ve kept RFA before and I see the resemblance except this retracts in the light. The rock came from KP Aquatics.

 

[Mytoy]

So, here are a couple of pics while my normal lighting schedule is ramping. The only difference is blue is also on, which it seems is too bright for this and it starts to flatten its polyps / tentacles. I’m starting to lean toward RFA, but I don’t recall RFA’a flattening like this during lights on. It’s low to mid level in the tank and my lights are currently at ~25% with ramp to 50% and it’s already starting to ‘flatten’ out.

Crappy pics, but I think you can see retraction I’m talking about especially along the edges.

 

[Dburr1014]

There are many varieties of aptaisia anemone.
I think you have them.

 

[Mytoy]

There are many varieties of aptaisia anemone.
I think you have them.

Possible, although, the tentacles are not as long as these pics and it has smaller tenticales surrounding its’ mouth. Also, it’s currently flat agains the rock almost like a mushroom would flatten out. I’m still leaning more towards an RFA.

 

[Goaway]

If you got the rock from florida gulf or kpa, it coukd be a rock flower anemone.

Did you say where the rock came from?

The disk size compared to the tentacle size and overall number of tentacles also reminds me of a mini-maxi carpet anemone though the color (cannot really gauge without better light) does not. . .

Also RFA might be another guess, though the tentacle density/size seems off to the relative size of the oral disk makes me think it is not. Also, the way the "coral" is slightly folded in the second picture makes it look like the disk is rather thing which is not what I have observed in RFA:

Some other rarely seen in the aquarium trade coral or nem is always an options.

Will be interested to see better pictures.

Sorry for kinda pulling at straws haha but that it what I got based on what I can see.

Agreeing with this.