Is this an aiptasia?

Dave Clark · Mar 2, 2023

Newbie here, have mercy. Hitchhiker on live rock that showed up about a week after rock was put in tank:

Reeflix · Mar 2, 2023

pic is insanly blurry but yes... looks like aptasia

Dave Clark · Mar 2, 2023

Reeflix said:
pic is insanly blurry but yes... looks like aptasia

You were too fast for me. ;-) I reposted the picture, hopefully less blurry.

Reeflix · Mar 2, 2023

also your avatar so quite well with the pic

Reeflix · Mar 2, 2023

well now the picture is small... but i am going to say it still looks like an aptasia

Reeflix · Mar 2, 2023

try to finish it off pretty quickly, hopefully it is the only one

Dave Clark · Mar 2, 2023

Reeflix said:
try to finish it off pretty quickly, hopefully it is the only one

Went to pull it out and it darted into the rock ... as a newbie I have to say that was interesting to watch, even though I wanted to get it out. ;-)

Reeflix · Mar 2, 2023

i dont think pulling it will work... try a kalk slurry. it should think its food and eat it and dissolve

Dave Clark · Mar 2, 2023

Reeflix said:
i dont think pulling it will work... try a kalk slurry. it should think its food and eat it and dissolve

Thank you for your help.

Soren · Mar 2, 2023

Where is your live rock sourced from?
From what I have heard, Aiptasia (at least, the common invasive "glass anemone") is not present in the Caribbean.
I got lightbulb anemones on my live rock from the Florida Gulf that look somewhat similar to common Aiptasia but definitely are not the same. They are not invasive and can be interesting hitchhikers.

The main differences are:
Lightbulb anemones have thicker lightbulb-shaped tentacles when small, though the can stretch out in very similar shape to common Aiptasia.
Lightbulb anemones have some white bands on the tentacles while common Aiptasia tend to be plain light-brown in color with no banding.
Lightbulb anemones have sparkling speckling on the central disk while common Aiptasia tend to be mostly plain in coloration.

Dave Clark · Mar 2, 2023

Soren said:
Where is your live rock sourced from?
From what I have heard, Aiptasia (at least, the common invasive "glass anemone") is not present in the Caribbean.
I got lightbulb anemones on my live rock from the Florida Gulf that look somewhat similar to common Aiptasia but definitely are not the same. They are not invasive and can be interesting hitchhikers.

The main differences are:
Lightbulb anemones have thicker lightbulb-shaped tentacles when small, though the can stretch out in very similar shape to common Aiptasia.
Lightbulb anemones have some white bands on the tentacles while common Aiptasia tend to be plain light-brown in color with no banding.
Lightbulb anemones have sparkling speckling on the central disk while common Aiptasia tend to be mostly plain in coloration.

Thank you, very interesting information. I’ll look at it more closely. My rock came from the Florida Gulf.

Soren · Mar 2, 2023

Dave Clark said:
Thank you, very interesting information. I’ll look at it more closely. My rock came from the Florida Gulf.

I think I can see some banding on the tentacles of your anemone, but a better picture would be needed for a more conclusive ID. My opinion is that you can probably at least keep your Aiptasia panic to a minimum for now.

Dave Clark · Mar 2, 2023

Soren said:
I think I can see some banding on the tentacles of your anemone, but a better picture would be needed for a more conclusive ID. My opinion is that you can probably at least keep your Aiptasia panic to a minimum for now.

I see the banding. Also found another one in another part of the tank with the same banding. Thanks for your help.