New Sebae anemone - Malu or Crispa?

[saltykoala]

I recently picked up this very bleached sebae at my LFS with the intention of trying to nurse it back to health in my tank. So far, over the past three days it has been moving around a bit and had a strong feeding response, eating about half a salad shrimp yesterday and today (here it is today with a shrimp). It has insisted on staying on the rockwork and hasn't wanted to move into the sandbed as I originally expected. When I picked it up, I thought it was an H. Crispa, but after looking at more sebae pictures and threads I'm wondering if it is in fact a malu based on the stubbier and more uniform tentacles. However, it is so contracted that I'm not sure. Any thoughts?

 

[davocean]

It helps to have some kind of natural light or at least not everything we see is blue pics.
Usually best ID is by seeing foot and base, not tentacles, but my best guess is it does look like crispa.

It looks like you are using heavy crushed coral, that could keep a sand dwellar from setting foot, sand is best really, and CC can be a nitrate sink.

 

[saltykoala]

I'll try to get some better-lit pics. I'll see if I can get a shot of its base but it's pretty wedged in there so I'm not sure I want to disturb it.

I have some extra live sand that I can use to pad the area. Thankfully my nitrates are very low despite the CC but I'll see if I can add a bit of sand thickness. It is actually mostly sand but I recently added some CC/shells from an older tank. Thanks a lot!

 

[saltykoala]

Here's a better picture. I don't really want to move it to take a picture of his base, since it's probably pretty stressed already.

 

[4FordFamily]

Looks like a crispa to me

 

[4FordFamily]

#reefsquad

@Amoo

 

[Amoo]

Do you happen to have a picture of the column? Crispa are generally fat and leathery, Malu are generally more skinny. Also I know @davocean has or had a Malu.

I do agree that the number of tents make me think Malu as well.

 

[davocean]

Yes I've had several Malu long term, they would rush towards sand bed and lay pretty low for the most part, but that substrate could be an issue, it should be sand.
It's present posture in those pics, and just looks to me like classic bleached purple tip crispa, but it's not always easy to tell new to tank and bleached from pics.
Give it some time to acclimate and relax.
I'd feed small easy to digest foods like mysis to help regain color and health.

 

[saltykoala]

Great, thanks everyone for the advice. I don't have any pictures of the base because it was very contracted when I brought it home, and it's pretty deeply anchored in the rock. Based off of what I've seen the base is pretty squat and leathery. It's expanded a bit since yesterday and looks pretty crispa-ish. Will update tonight with more pictures.

My substrate is mostly sand but has a layer of shells and CC on the top (I like the look and it keeps my hermits from murdering my CUC). Should I clear the area to help it settle or do you think it will be able to push through on its own?

 

[saltykoala]

Great, thanks everyone for the advice. I don't have any pictures of the base because it was very contracted when I brought it home, and it's pretty deeply anchored in the rock. Based off of what I've seen the base is pretty squat and leathery. It's expanded a bit since yesterday and looks pretty crispa-ish. Will update tonight with more pictures.

My substrate is mostly sand but has a layer of shells and CC on the top (I like the look and it keeps my hermits from murdering my CUC). Should I clear the area to help it settle or do you think it will be able to push through on its own?

 

[saltykoala]

.

 

[davocean]

Ok well that would be better than all CC
If it's mostly sand w/ a sprinkle of CC on top a sand dwellar should still be able to set foot in that, but you could groom that small area.

 

[Captain Quint]

Welcome to R2R saltykoala

+1 with davocean on;

' Give it some time to acclimate and relax.
I'd feed small easy to digest foods like mysis to help regain color and health.'