Looking for help to ID this creature

[ScallyWag005]

Hey all. New reefer here! I noticed about a couple of weeks ago this pink dot like ring on one of my rocks. I can’t tell if it’s a coral or a sponge or what it is? It’s super tiny. Like maybe an 1/8 of an inch. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Tahoe61]

Pseudocorynactis

 

[ScallyWag005]

Thanks for the fast reply! Are these things harmful? Or are they ok to have?

 

[Tahoe61]

You're welcome.


In nutrient rich aquariums that are receiving broadcast feedings their numbers can increase. They have been reported to sting corals as well. Personally I have not had Pseudocorynactis become invasive and I think they are really pretty.

Welcome to R2R.

 

[SAPPER]

I love corallimorphs, I have bright Rhodactis, Discosoma and Ricordea but I love seeing little corynactis popping up in the tank.

 

[ScallyWag005]

That’s what I thought too when I first saw it pop up. ALOT nicer to look at compared to the couple Aiptasia that popped up recently as well. Haha well I’m hoping this little guy isn’t too harmful cuz it is super cool to look at. I did do a quick google search on them once you stated what it was and I read that their tentacles can become very sticky and will catch and eat small fish... hope that doesn’t happen because I just added two new black ice clownfish. Super beautiful fish

 

[SAPPER]

There is some confusion with these things. From what I have read and seen pseudocorynactis is the larger and Corynactis is the smaller. Pseudocorynactis can eat small fish as can its relation the Amplexidiscus even though it won't reach the size of an Amplexidiscus. But many people still go out and buy Amplexidiscus. Yours looks like a Corynactis to me and even they carry the fish killer myth. My watchman Goby used to use a Corynactis to rest his chin on and he was fine. The nicknames dont help as pretty much all of them end in anemone. These are not anemone they are corallimorphs so they are mushrooms along with Rhodactis, Discosoma, Ricordea and Amplexidiscus. You really have nothing to worry about, they can split fast in some tanks and I wish my ones would fill one area but they have not. If they were to be a problem they are easily removed as the foot does not have a strong hold.

 

[SAPPER]

Plus your super lucky with that colour, all of mine a transparent with a green ring on the disc

 

[ScallyWag005]

Awesome info! Thanks sapper! I guess I just keep enjoying the color it adds to the tank and see how it goes [emoji1303] I have noticed for sure that it’s definitely nocturnal as I noticed during the day it seems to stay closed up and blooms once the moonlights come on. Those pictures were taken just as the lights came on this morning

 

[ScallyWag005]

That’s also good to know about the watchman goby because I plan to add one in a month or so. Does it matter where these are in the tank? Right now it’s towards the top of the tank but the rock is a smaller piece that could be moved to another location if need be

 

[SAPPER]

They seem to like the medium to low lighted areas in my tank. And I do see them open during the daytime. But sometimes they retract their tentacles and actually look like a mushroom. They are not the only mushroom to have tentacles, a good few Rhodactis and the Amplexidiscus have them. It' easy to see why corynactis get called anemone as their tentacles are bigger than their body.