Giant Aiptasia?

[jeffopentax]

Bought this yesterday as an "unknown anemone" sight unseen. Looks an awful lot like a huge aiptasia. About 2-2.5" across altogether. What is it?

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[Shooter000]

Did it come on a rock or does it have a tube?, touch it does is fold right in on its self lightning quick, looks like a very unhealthy tube Nem or a HUGE aptasia.

 

[jeffopentax]

Just got it in a bag, no rock.

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[Salty Cracker]

Burn it with fire

 

[jeffopentax]

Been scouring the net after the tube anemone suggestion, and I think that may be what it is. Certainly lacking the colour of every picture of one i can find.


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[TORX]

Burn it with fire

+1

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[SamB]

Too risky
Dump it before it multiplies

 

[AdInfinitum]

Tube anemone will have a dark purple stem if it is missing the wrinkly tube of mucous that they build around themselves. Tube anemones also have a thick cluster of short tentacles around their mouth so you can seldom see it. It doesn't look like yours does in the pic.
Back in the bad old days of invert keeping stores routinely sold larger species of Aiptasia...called them Curly Q anemones because they were an invert that could survive with crappy lighting and poor water conditions that were so common before proper equipment and systems had developed...of course now with better conditions these "survivors" become plagues...

 

[TORX]

One of my LFS's sells live rock for twice as much as usual when they have anemones on them. Aiptasia is technically an anemone, so they aren't lying. These suckers were huge, face alone was larger then a toonie, plus the tentacles.

 

[jeffopentax]

One of my LFS's sells live rock for twice as much as usual when they have anemones on them. Aiptasia is technically an anemone, so they aren't lying. These suckers were huge, face alone was larger then a toonie, plus the tentacles.

That's about how big this is. SOB cost me $20. Lesson learned. When it's listed as "unknown anemone", you take your chances!


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[Shooter000]

Are there any uniform colours on the tentacles, like a stripe or dots, then It's a possibility of being a tube Nem, but it does look and act just like a aptasia

 

[jeffopentax]

Are there any uniform colours on the tentacles, like a stripe or dots, then It's a possibility of being a tube Nem, but it does look and act just like a aptasia

No pattern to speak of. I'm a little perplexed. I know the person who sold it to me wouldn't knowingly sell me aiptasia. Perhaps, like me, they didn't know it could grow to such a monstrous size.


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[Shooter000]

Basically the best bet is to isolate it or get rid of it, has it attached to the rock, or does it seem to have buried its foot, also does the base/foot look wrinkly or smooth, also is there a inner ring of tentacles or just and outer ring that's double layered

 

[Salty Cracker]

had one in my overflow that literally gave me chemical burns. It was bigger than that one.

Fire may not even kill one that big. Try plutonium.

 

[Salty Cracker]

One of my LFS's sells live rock for twice as much as usual when they have anemones on them. Aiptasia is technically an anemone, so they aren't lying. These suckers were huge, face alone was larger then a toonie, plus the tentacles.

Weird, we have one that does the something similar. "oh look there's some bonus anemones on there" I recall the phrase being.

 

[shamous113]

A neutron bomb may be the best bet in this case! +1 to @Shooter000 if you can isolate it and wait to see you may have lucked out.

 

[pulpfiction1]

One of my LFS's sells live rock for twice as much as usual when they have anemones on them. Aiptasia is technically an anemone, so they aren't lying. These suckers were huge, face alone was larger then a toonie, plus the tentacles.

some were more than 3" across and all his tanks were polluted with them, he was actually selling some and people were buying

 

[Kevin Cantelon]

People selling Aiptasia? wow I just laughed out loud. Picture does look like a lg. Aptiasia. I wouldn't take the risk of keeping it. Take it back to store.

 

[TORX]

People selling Aiptasia? wow I just laughed out loud. Picture does look like a lg. Aptiasia. I wouldn't take the risk of keeping it. Take it back to store.

Yes stores sell it for what it is, an anemone. There is one shop in London that recently advices someone on their Facebook page that aipstasia is good for a tank and is of no concern so long as it is in the sump. Some stores will sell you anything, even if it will destroy your tank. After all, you typically would have to go back to replace whatever dies.

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[jeffopentax]

Completely forgot about this! It was probably a couple weeks after I got it, it moved about two feet to another rock, and then about a week later there was no sign of it. I have absolutely no idea what it was, or what happened to it. Suppose it could still be lurking somewhere...


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