Weird Magnifica?

[argiBK]

Has anyone ever seen an H. Mag plant its foot deeply into rockwork?

I dropped by an LFS in New Jersey yesterday evening and came across this interesting specimen (also brought it home). Photo is from the LFS tank.

Guys at the LFS had guessed anywhere from a weird BTA, to Mag, to Hellfire (obviously not). They said they had it for about a week, which makes me assume it would have moved higher to get more light.

To me, it has the telltale signs of a beautiful mag — bright pink base, dense tenticles, bright green tips — except for some weird qualities:

• Likes to plant itself in the rockwork. Had placed it on top of the rockwock next to another mag in my tank, but overnight it moved to the bottom of the rockwork and is currently hiding its foot. Time will tell if it moves higher.
• Some of the tentacle tips are actually concave (hard to tell from the photo), like octopus suction cups.

Thoughts? Could it be a BTA (hope not) or some other type of Heteractis?

Thanks!

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

@Eagle_Steve

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I am on my phone so the pic sucks to look at for me, but it almost looks like a malu or sebae.

Pic of under the disk, the mouth and foot would help. If it is buried in the rocks, foot will be not able to get, but a good description of any patterning, color, visible "dots", etc would help ID it.

 

[argiBK]

Unfortunately, It's too far back in the tank to get a shot that would give more than the one above. Both at the LFS and in my tank, it appears to prefer hiding its mouth deep in the rock work.

When I placed it last night, there were no striations/white markings around the mouth, the column disk where it meets the tentacles appeared more velvet-textured vs. waxy (reminded me more of a BTA), I didn't notice any verrucae on the column, the mouth when closed appears similar to a H. Mag (puckered up tightly and pointed).

The description above, I had largely assumed I had gotten a mag, but it has me second guessing myself today.

If it moves to a more advantageous position, I'll be sure to get more pics.

Thanks!

 

[Jdadams]

I’m leaning towards mag. Your not going to get those colors with a sebae. There are some rarer colors of malu that pop up from Time to time but the tentacles are the wrong shape on this one. A pic of the foot or mouth would confirm but I’m betting on mag with how dense and rounded the tentacles are and the colored base and the mouth as you described it. It probably moved down because it’s acclimating and the lights are to much right now. The foot in the rock is questionable thought. Only time will tell

 

[argiBK]

I’m leaning towards mag. Your not going to get those colors with a sebae. There are some rarer colors of malu that pop up from Time to time but the tentacles are the wrong shape on this one. A pic of the foot or mouth would confirm but I’m betting on mag with how dense and rounded the tentacles are and the colored base and the mouth as you described it. It probably moved down because it’s acclimating and the lights are to much right now. The foot in the rock is questionable thought. Only time will tell

This thing is quite cryptic for an anemone, it doesn’t really conform completely to any common species. Closer to a sebae than a malu — I have the latter and it’s firmly planted in the sand. Closer to a mag than a bta by its coloration and tentacle density.

It’s still firmly planted it’s foot about 4-5” beneath my tank’s largest rock (though it’s not planted in a hole like typical btas). It had deflated momentarily yesterday, but I had no luck moving it. Doesn’t appear to be losing color or zoox, thankfully.

If/when it moves to a more photogenic spot, I’ll snap some pics.

 

[Jdadams]

With a sebae your not going to get colored tentacles and a colored base. So I think we can cross malu and sebae off the list. I had all the heteractis nems until my mag decided to go south on me a couple weeks ago. Aurora, malu, sebae and magnifica. Only one this looks like is my mag with the perfectly shaped and dense tentacles.

 

[Jdadams]

Any updates on the nem?

 

[argiBK]

It's still parked in the same area, it's slowly creeping towards the front of the tank, but isn't seeking more light or a higher perch. Here's a poor pic from tonight, spotlight as the lights are off:

I'm wondering if this might be an unidentified or uncommon species in the hobby, possibly one that typically resides in lower light / depths...

 

[Jdadams]

Yea that’s wild. Maybe it’s not a mag after all. You could be right, it could be some uncommon species.

 

[eVvoltura]

Mine is doing the same thing - it’s supposed to be a mag but hanging lower in the tank.

 

[dedragon]

very cool

 

[gig 'em]

I’m wondering if uncommon species is it too. Those tentacles are tiny as I compare it to the BTAs nearby and your rock work. I’ve never seen a mag with tentacles like that. Id love to see more photos of it and a shot off the column if you can get one.

 

[Paleozoic_reefer]

@argiBK any updates on the nem? Would love to see more pics!

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

@argiBK any updates on the nem? Would love to see more pics!

I've got one for ya. Not oP, but same weird Mag. Concave tips and all.

Won't stick in the rock or flow. Prefers to have its foot planted in the sand at the very lowest point of the tank with the least light and flow.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I am on my phone so the pic sucks to look at for me, but it almost looks like a malu or sebae.

Pic of under the disk, the mouth and foot would help. If it is buried in the rocks, foot will be not able to get, but a good description of any patterning, color, visible "dots", etc would help ID it.

Steve, have you gotten yours yet?

 

[Paleozoic_reefer]

@Lost in the Sauce nice! Love the purple vase. Looks like a little one too. How long have you had it?

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

@Lost in the Sauce nice! Love the purple vase. Looks like a little one too. How long have you had it?

I'd say about 2 months. It came in marked as a Rittiri. Here it is at LFS.

There are super unique looking. About 4" across

 

[Paleozoic_reefer]

@Lost in the Sauce so about 3 months ago my LFS got the exact same type of nem and they had it marked at a BTA. I knew it wasn’t a BTA but didn’t think it was a ritteri. By the time a went back to get it it was already gone. But it was exactly like yours!

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

@Lost in the Sauce so about 3 months ago my LFS got the exact same type of nem and they had it marked at a BTA. I knew it wasn’t a BTA but didn’t think it was a ritteri. By the time a went back to get it it was already gone. But it was exactly like yours!

I used the "phone a friend" option from the LFS because I hadn't seen anything like it before.

It looked healthy so it came home with me.

I believe I've seen a few others on R2R receive these in over the same timeframe.

I don't think they are true H. Mags. Definitely not in the bta realm either.