Rock flower question

[SueAubu]

I am starting a collection of rock flowers after one appeared (crawled out of a rock crevice where it was hiding) in a tank I inherited. Can anyone telle why my oldest looks like this:

(Fatter, happier and more active than I've ever seen it)

And the others look like (normal) this:

They're all happy. Healthy, eating and growing.... I'm just wondering.

 

[kevgib67]

Mmmm, that first one doesn’t look like any rock flower anemone I’ve ever seen. I’m leaning towards it being something else but what I don’t know. @ISpeakForTheSeas any help?

 

[SueAubu]

Mmmm, that first one doesn’t look like any rock flower anemone I’ve ever seen. I’m leaning towards it being something else but what I don’t know. @ISpeakForTheSeas any help?

It did spend it's early days flatter. I got it from a supplier we all know and isn't all that reliable about sending what you actually ordered (it was supposed to be a blue and silver RF...) it's the first one I ever had, so I didn't know better until the little green/red guy appeared out of hiding...

 

[kevgib67]

It did spend it's early days flatter. I got it from a supplier we all know and isn't all that reliable about sending what you actually ordered (it was supposed to be a blue and silver RF...) it's the first one I ever had, so I didn't know better until the little green/red guy appeared out of hiding...

I could be wrong it’s just I never saw one that even looked close. I tagged the big gun, we will see. I’m curious to find out as well.

 

[crazyfishmom]

Commenting because this is cool and I want to know what it is too!

 

[JoJosReef]

I've seen RFAs act like that when fed some foods like reef roids (someone else's posts). But I'm sure the first one is an RFA, just bloated. @jkcoral seen this look before?

 

[SueAubu]

I've seen RFAs act like that when fed some foods like reef roids (someone else's posts). But I'm sure the first one is an RFA, just bloated. @jkcoral seen this look before?

Unrelated.... Because he looks like this often... Since I put him in a new tank and he had all kinds of room to spread out (and not be fined by the evil yellow damsel)... But I fed the tank reef roofs the other day and he went bananas! He moved all over, tentacles grabbing at everything and shoving it in his mouth. The most active I've EVER seen him. Then I fed the carnivores my sis and he nomed that, too, but not as crazy.

 

[SueAubu]

Commenting because this is cool and I want to know what it is too!

Gonna try to find a pic of when it was new.

 

[SueAubu]

Gonna try to find a pic of when it was new.

No luck... There was an unfortunate meeting of my mower blades and my phone... The memory card was a casualty.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

But I'm sure the first one is an RFA, just bloated.

Yeah, the first one there seems to be a Phymanthus species (RFA's being Phymanthus crucifer), as the large, bumpy oral disk combined with the branching tentacles is quite unique - that said, I've only see a couple of specimens from a couple different species in the genus with the tentacle morphology like that (large branches with clearly defined small branches shooting off of them; the first pic in this thread has the most defined small branches I've ever seen - it kind of reminds me of cartoon character gloves - but that may be in part because of the bloating).

Either way, very unique to see, and very neat/unusual tentacle morphology there.

 

[JoJosReef]

Yeah, the first one there seems to be a Phymanthus species (RFA's being Phymanthus crucifer), as the large, bumpy oral disk combined with the branching tentacles is quite unique - that said, I've only see a couple of specimens from a couple different species in the genus with the tentacle morphology like that (large branches with clearly defined small branches shooting off of them; the first pic in this thread has the most defined small branches I've ever seen - it kind of reminds me of cartoon character gloves - but that may be in part because of the bloating).

Either way, very unique to see, and very neat/unusual tentacle morphology there.

You mean like my green guy?

My others have the more typical straight tentacles:

Or slightly notched:

 

[SueAubu]

Yeah, the first one there s andeems to be a Phymanthus species (RFA's being Phymanthus crucifer), as the large, bumpy oral disk combined with the branching tentacles is quite unique -

Either way, very unique to see, and very neat/unusual tentacle morphology there.

wellllllllll I felt that this reply deservef better pictures!!! Thank you!
(Sorry, the blues came on between photo shoots)



I guess the joke is on that supplier who didn't send me what I ordered.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

You mean like my green guy?

My others have the more typical straight tentacles:

Or slightly notched:

Haha, yes - pretty much just like that, very cool!

 

[SueAubu]

Here's the whole family

 

[SueAubu]

@ISpeakForTheSeas any idea why he puffs up? He's not so puffy now, with the lights fading.

I like to think he's just happier in a 220g fallow tank with no jerk face fish beating him up, like when he was in the 55g.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

@ISpeakForTheSeas any idea why he puffs up? He's not so puffy now, with the lights fading.

I like to think he's just happier in a 220g fallow tank with no jerk face fish beating him up, like when he was in the 55g.

Unfortunately, no - sorry. Certain foods being a cause wouldn't surprise me, but I'm not sure why this happens.

 

[SueAubu]

Unfortunately, no - sorry. Certain foods being a cause wouldn't surprise me, but I'm not sure why this happens.

I don't think there's anything wrong with him. I've just been curious... And if anyone would know, it would be y'all! Thanks for reading and playing along, everyone!

 

[SueAubu]

I don't think there's anything wrong with him. I've just been curious... And if anyone would know, it would be y'all! Thanks for reading and playing along, everyone!

I never even thought about a different species. Learn something every time I log in! Ty

 

[gastone]

Borneman anemone perhaps? Phymanthus buitendijki. I've been away from the hobby for about 16 years, but it does have a similar appearance. I kept them for a few years. They multiplied, but never got to plague proportions for me if that's what in fact it is.

 

[SueAubu]

Borneman anemone perhaps? Phymanthus buitendijki. I've been away from the hobby for about 16 years, but it does have a similar appearance. I kept them for a few years. They multiplied, but never got to plague proportions for me if that's what in fact it is.

I do believe you're onto something. I've had him for almost 6 months. He's only gotten bigger since I moved him into the big tank. I hope all this puffing doesn't mean I'm about to have many, out of one! (I'll send it back to the folks San Diego!!)