Bellactis lux?

Michael Hughes · 2026-09-18T12:48:28-0400

Are these lightbulb anemones? Just noticed them on some TBS live rock. In life they are a translucent white color, not the pinkish hue that my aiptasia seem to have.

Baldyreef · 2026-09-18T13:56:03-0400

seems to be some for sure, really cool!

Andamaite · 2026-09-18T15:58:30-0400

IMO, those look more like hidden cup coral polyps.

Michael Hughes · 2026-09-18T16:01:59-0400

Andamaite said:
IMO, those look more like hidden cup coral polyps.

I appreciate the input, but they're definitely not Phyllangia americana. Thankfully I did get some of those with the TBS rock as well:

It's hard to tell the scale, but the polyps in the OP photo are only about 1/4" in diameter.

Baldyreef · 2026-09-18T16:03:35-0400

Michael Hughes said:
I appreciate the input, but they're definitely not Phyllangia americana. Thankfully I did get some of those with the TBS rock as well:

It's hard to tell the scale, but the polyps in the OP photo are only about 1/4" in diameter.

by the photo it almost looks like they have a skeleton, is this js the angle or me going crazy?

Michael Hughes · 2026-09-18T16:05:37-0400

Baldyreef said:
by the photo it almost looks like they have a skeleton, is this js the angle or me going crazy?

For clarity, the second photo is of Phyllangia americana (hidden cup coral) - which does have a skeleton - for contrast with the anemones in the original post.

EnterName · 2026-09-18T16:06:52-0400

Michael Hughes said:
Are these lightbulb anemones? Just noticed them on some TBS live rock. In life they are a translucent white color, not the pinkish hue that my aiptasia seem to have.

I'm quite bad at differentiating these so I can't give an ID with certainty.

Just know that some Aiptasia/Exaiptasia get rid of most of their zooxanthellae and become translucent making a differentiation difficult by color. I would rather be safe than sorry, but it's up to you.

Baldyreef · 2026-09-18T16:08:50-0400

Michael Hughes said:
For clarity, the second photo is of Phyllangia americana (hidden cup coral) - which does have a skeleton - for contrast with the anemones in the original post.

I thought I was just losing it lol

Michael Hughes · 2026-09-18T16:09:37-0400

EnterName said:
I'm quite bad at differentiating these so I can't give an ID with certainty.

Just know that some Aiptasia/Exaiptasia get rid of most of their zooxanthellae and become translucent making a differentiation difficult by color. I would rather be safe than sorry, but it's up to you.

Thanks! I've already got aiptasia, so I might as well keep these around and see what they turn out to be.