Anemone Identification

[choss]

I could use an opinion on this anemone - it came with gulf live rock.

 

[KJ]

Look like Bartholomea annulata ( curleycue anemone).

 

[choss]

Pest or ok?

 

[KJ]

http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Bartholomea_annulata/

 

[choss]

so it seems to be difficult to keep in an aquarium unlike a common aiptasia. So I guess its not considered a pest?

 

[John3]

I think they are also called lightbulb anemones. That guys tenticles will swell up a bit if you feed it. I had a bunch come on my live rock which also came from the Gulf. I heard they were colonial and would spread but mine have stayed pretty tame. I killed a lot of them by injecting them with boiling water so I could clear some landscape for corals. I still have 3 huge ones in a corner area and they don’t seem to bother anything or want to split or spread.

 

[John3]

Here’s a pic, these can get about a 3” spread. I don’t target feed them anymore and they are not nearly as plump.

 

[choss]

great - thanks for the info. I'm not sure yet if I will keep mine but as long as they don't spread I will probably give it a go.