I think I received the wrong anemone

[crabwizard89]

Not sure if this is the right forum for this, but wasn't sure what category this exactly fell under.

This is NOT a bashing thread- the vendor I ordered from was extremely professional and I have no complaints about working with them, I just think I may have accidentally been sent a wrong item.

I ordered a number of WYSIWYG corals and an RFA from a vendor recently and everything I ordered looks exactly as pictured, with the exception of the RFA. It just looks wildly different from the one that was pictured.

I know things like different lighting, camera settings, and loss of color due to the stress of shipping can affect things and I've experienced that before, but I've never had an RFA change so drastically during transit. I even had another RFA from a different vendor arrive this morning, and that one looks exactly as pictured which is what prompted this post.

I had reached out to the vendor to confirm if maybe they sent the wrong one, and they said it's hard to tell for sure from the pictures.

What I ordered:

What I received:

Am I wrong for thinking I accidentally got sent the wrong anemone? I love RFAs, so if it's stress-related loss of color and this is what it ends up looking like, that's fine. But the coloring in the center is the main reason I ordered it and this one looks just like every other RFA at my LFS. As I said, I've never had one change this drastically before and the other one I received looks as I expected. Appreciate any opinions you might have- maybe I'm crazy and just need to give it more time.

ETA: This will not stop me from ordering from this vendor again in the future as I'm extremely happy with all the corals I received from them.

 

[Mmbra]

Yes, IMO that looks like an entirely different anemone.

 

[BeanAnimal]

But so do his two photos. Hard to tell, The vendor photo and his first photo appear to actually match a good bit around the oral disc.

The lighting is clearly insanely different as well.

There is just no way to tell at this point, but I would assume of the vendor is reputable and the other corals were all WYSIWG matches, then this is likely the correct specimen.

 

[exnisstech]

Looks totally different to me. I only have a few rock flower nems but I've never seen one like the first image. Not just the colors but the clumps of tentacles vs them completely around the nem like your images looks strange to me.

 

[JayM]

Hard to say for sure. The vendor's photo appears to me as if it's been heavily manipulated.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Looks totally different to me. I only have a few rock flower nems but I've never seen one like the first image. Not just the colors but the clumps of tentacles vs them completely around the nem like your images looks strange to me.

They are just rolled under in the first photo

 

[BeanAnimal]

Hard to say for sure. The vendor's photo appears to me as if it's been heavily manipulated.

I would think so - the saturation appears to be very high with a lot of blooming in the tentacles.

 

[crabwizard89]

But so do his two photos. Hard to tell, The vendor photo and his first photo appear to actually match a good bit around the oral disc.

The lighting is clearly insanely different as well.

There is just no way to tell at this point, but I would assume of the vendor is reputable and the other corals were all WYSIWG matches, then this is likely the correct specimen.

Yes, the first photo was under actinic lighting and the second photo is under whiter lighting which is what the vendor suggested since they photograph their RFAs under a whiter spectrum.
I played around with a number of different spectrums and there was no change in coloration in the center. But I did tell the vendor I was happy to wait a little while and see if colors back up in case it was stress related.

Appreciate your input!

 

[crabwizard89]

Looks totally different to me. I only have a few rock flower nems but I've never seen one like the first image. Not just the colors but the clumps of tentacles vs them completely around the nem like your images looks strange to me.

I think that's just them rolled over whatever the RFA was mounted to.

 

[BryanM]

Looks wildly different in pics....

That said, if everything else was what you ordered, I can't imagine this isn't also. That would be strange to me.

Also, I have one RFA in my tank. It changes its appearance fairly often.

 

[crabwizard89]

That said, if everything else was what you ordered, I can't imagine this isn't also. That would be strange to me.

That's what I was leaning towards because it does seem strange, until I had another arrive today that looks pretty much like the picture.

I've had them change color a bit in the past, but never to this extreme. Guess that's just part of the hobby

 

[crabwizard89]

Something else that made me think it was different was the tentacles, disregarding the bits that are folded over. It's hard to tell in the photo so it could just be the way the tentacles are positioned, but they appear to be more of the jagged variety rather than smooth like the one I received. Can RFA tentacles change shape like that? Of all the ones I've kept, their tentacles are either smooth or jagged, but I've never seen them change from one to the other.

Which to me appear more similar to these tentacles than the smooth ones it has

Is this a thing that happens and I've just never had it occur with any of my RFAs?

 

[Dragen Fiend]

Defiantly not the same RFA. Wouldn't be surprised if they couldn't grab the original so took whatever would let go.

The oral disks don't match nor does the tentacles. We can argue color all day long but the picture is clearly photoshopped. I would have expected better reds under blue light at least. But nothing really popping.

 

[crabwizard89]

Update:
I just heard back from the vendor. Turns out, I'm NOT crazy :face-with-tears-of-joy: They were able to track down the anemone I ordered. Apparently it had a hole in it's foot and was swapped with another one to ensure I received a healthy specimen. As a courtesy, they issued credit for the originally ordered RFA so this matter is now resolved. Thanks to everyone who chimed in!

 

[exnisstech]

Too bad you didn't get the first one. The one you received is pretty common but its free so alls well that ends well.

 

[crabwizard89]

Too bad you didn't get the first one. The one you received is pretty common but its free so alls well that ends well.

Yeah, it's a bummer but I appreciate that they made sure to send me a healthy specimen even if that got lost in communication. I think I'd be more disappointed if I had received it and then it subsequently died :grinning-face-with-sweat: and they made it right so all is good!

 

[braaap]

I love a good aquasd thread! Hahaha

 

[crabwizard89]

I love a good aquasd thread! Hahaha

:face-with-tears-of-joy: :face-with-tears-of-joy: it's actually a reputable vendor that's a sponsor here. I've read enough about SD to know to stay far away lol