Are these Haddoni or Mertensii

[New&no clue]

I bought two anemones I thought were S. Haddoni based on the pictures and description. However, I have received them both, and I think one is an S. Mertensii but looking for confirmation.

Here is the first one that I believe is an S. Haddoni. It is very sticky, and the tentacles go almost right to the mouth. When I put it into the tank, it folded. I put it on the sand bed, and after a couple of minutes, it started to dig down into the sand.

Here is the second one that I think is an S. Mertensii. Its tentacles are not sticky, and there is a larger space around the mouth devoid of tentacles. I also put it on the sand, and It did not dig down; instead, the foot almost curled up. The disc also has remained flat. After a couple of hours of it drifting on the sand, I moved it over to the base of the rocks, and it seemed to settle down.

 

[Jekyl]

@Lost in the Sauce @Eagle_Steve

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I am on my phone, so hard to tell. Lets see if @gig 'em can ID the second one for you.

I will say, I do not see any identifiable verrucae on the second nem, and that is a trait of a merten. They typically have very defined and easily seen verrucae. Again, on my phone, so may be missing something.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I'm in the same boat as Steve.

Gun to my head, I do not see any verrucae so would say two very pretty Haddoni but I'm far from the carpet whisperer as Grampa Steve

 

[Rtaylor]

I agree looks like a Haddoni. Mertens typically have purple verracue all the way down the foot.

 

[D-Nak]

Both are haddoni.

 

[californiarob]

I agree hard to tell but both look like Haddoni... definitely the lighter one is for sure

 

[dieselkeeper]

I have a Mertens. This is what you look for.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I have a Mertens. This is what you look for.

Great pic. Saved for reference.

 

[New&no clue]

Thanks all for the answers. New question. I have one that has buried his foot, but the other hasn’t. I’ve turned off the flow but it won’t dig down. Should I dig a hole for it and try putting it in? Should I just let it be? Typically with anemones I will leave them alone, but I don’t want to have the flow off for too long.

 

[californiarob]

I have a Mertens. This is what you look for.

yes... this is a Mertensii..... the verrucae is pigmented.... Mert's live in rocky areas not sand typically..... great specimen

 

[californiarob]

Thanks all for the answers. New question. I have one that has buried his foot, but the other hasn’t. I’ve turned off the flow but it won’t dig down. Should I dig a hole for it and try putting it in? Should I just let it be? Typically with anemones I will leave them alone, but I don’t want to have the flow off for too long.

yes this one is definitely Haddoni.... digging a hole and inserting the column and piling up sand around it will help, they usually will find a corner to get the water movement to their liking in most cases

 

[chizerbunoi]

Both are haddoni. They will bury themselves. If you have no luck after a week then I put it into a pond basket and nurse it back to health. Won’t take long to get sticky again.