Juvenile Ritteri Questions + Help!!

[sprungson]

Yes, I still think it's a BTA, because of the tapering tentacles. Let us know how the experiment works tomorrow, I'm very curious to know too!

My mag has tapered tentacles sometimes

 

[Micaeltercer]

It looks like a magnifica to me, not a bta. The new pictures are much better.

good to hear, it def opened up more as soon as I got it out of the acclimation box. When I had it in my hand it was doing that thing only mags do and curling in on itself. No other anemone curls in like that to my knowledge. Here’s a So-so photo of that curling on the left side.

 

[F i s h y]

I vote mag. Good luck with it, getting them through the first few months is the hard part.

 

[Micaeltercer]

I vote mag. Good luck with it, getting them through the first few months is the hard part.

absolutely, my first mag loved climbing the walls and getting maximum light and flow. Had to make an island just for it. Regret selling it to this day. This guy looks really good, no gaping mouth or tissue damage. Fingers crossed.

 

[Taylor t]

Looks like BTA to me too. Mags tents have bulbs at the ENDS. Based on your pics, that’s a BTA.

 

[BradB]

Looks a lot more like a mag than it did in the acclimation box, and my guess would be mag based on your pics, but I wouldn't be too surprised if it was a BTA or even a sebae.

My mag, more days than not, would ball up. It's column would get bigger, its tentacles would get smaller, and it would look like a small volleyball. I don't know why they do this, or if they only do it when they are big, but I've never seen a BTA or another anemone do anything like it. If you see this, you have a mag.

BTAs split. I've had one 9 months and it hasn't split yet, and I've heard of mag's splitting. But if you end up with a medium small anemone splitting into more small anemones, you can be reasonably certain you have a BTA.

Lots of people will tell you that they are certain, but I think there are a lot of exceptions to the rules, and it is hard to be certain.

A good, fast (but far from certain) indicator is where it goes. BTA's wander a lot more, but usually find a spot on the bottom of the tank or in crevices in the rocks. Mags do the opposite, they go to the highest flow and light they find and won't ever move more than a few inches.

 

[Micaeltercer]

Looks like BTA to me too. Mags tents have bulbs at the ENDS. Based on your pics, that’s a BTA.

I’m gonna con-fir with BradB on this one, it’s in now way a BTA. It doesn’t have the striations on the mouth like a BTA, it’s body column is shorter and wide vs a BTA that is like small->large from foot to tentacle. This guy is reverse. He went from golf ball size in the acclimation box to well over size of a softball now. His tentacles are remaining short yet bid base is larger and wide stretched.

 

[sprungson]

Looks a lot more like a mag than it did in the acclimation box, and my guess would be mag based on your pics, but I wouldn't be too surprised if it was a BTA or even a sebae.

My mag, more days than not, would ball up. It's column would get bigger, its tentacles would get smaller, and it would look like a small volleyball. I don't know why they do this, or if they only do it when they are big, but I've never seen a BTA or another anemone do anything like it. If you see this, you have a mag.

BTAs split. I've had one 9 months and it hasn't split yet, and I've heard of mag's splitting. But if you end up with a medium small anemone splitting into more small anemones, you can be reasonably certain you have a BTA.

Lots of people will tell you that they are certain, but I think there are a lot of exceptions to the rules, and it is hard to be certain.

A good, fast (but far from certain) indicator is where it goes. BTA's wander a lot more, but usually find a spot on the bottom of the tank or in crevices in the rocks. Mags do the opposite, they go to the highest flow and light they find and won't ever move more than a few inches.

Looks a lot more like a mag than it did in the acclimation box, and my guess would be mag based on your pics, but I wouldn't be too surprised if it was a BTA or even a sebae.

My mag, more days than not, would ball up. It's column would get bigger, its tentacles would get smaller, and it would look like a small volleyball. I don't know why they do this, or if they only do it when they are big, but I've never seen a BTA or another anemone do anything like it. If you see this, you have a mag.

BTAs split. I've had one 9 months and it hasn't split yet, and I've heard of mag's splitting. But if you end up with a medium small anemone splitting into more small anemones, you can be reasonably certain you have a BTA.

Lots of people will tell you that they are certain, but I think there are a lot of exceptions to the rules, and it is hard to be certain.

A good, fast (but far from certain) indicator is where it goes. BTA's wander a lot more, but usually find a spot on the bottom of the tank or in crevices in the rocks. Mags do the opposite, they go to the highest flow and light they find and won't ever move more than a few inches.

I swear all Anemones have personalities lol. I have two mags that don't move. I have another mag that loves to walk.

 

[sprungson]

I’m gonna con-fir with BradB on this one, it’s in now way a BTA. It doesn’t have the striations on the mouth like a BTA, it’s body column is shorter and wide vs a BTA that is like small->large from foot to tentacle. This guy is reverse. He went from golf ball size in the acclimation box to well over size of a softball now. His tentacles are remaining short yet bid base is larger and wide stretched.

Where did it end up settling. This is probably another indicator of what it is.

 

[Micaeltercer]

Where did it end up settling. This is probably another indicator of what it is.

It’s settled under a cave, but its on 180 degrees of the rock if that makes any sense. Of the Round rock, it’s covering 2/3 of that space. Here’s some photos i took with my phone inside the tank lol. You can see the body curls up into U shapes instead of being fully round. Sorry bout the quality. What do y’all think now?

 

[sprungson]

It’s settled under a cave, but its on 180 degrees of the rock if that makes any sense. Of the Round rock, it’s covering 2/3 of that space. Here’s some photos i took with my phone inside the tank lol. You can see the body curls up into U shapes instead of being fully round. Sorry bout the quality. What do y’all think now?

I honestly have no idea, but I can tell you of the six mags I've had, they all went to top day 1 ( even the unhealthy ones). It going into a cave us very strange for a mag.

These recent pics look more like bta.

 

[Micaeltercer]

I honestly have no idea, but I can tell you of the six mags I've had, they all went to top day 1 ( even the unhealthy ones). It going into a cave us very strange for a mag.

These recent pics look more like bta.

Hmm. Thank you for the insight. I also have known mags to be light lovers. I’m hoping its just acclimating and will go up when it’s ready. It could also be that its a younger mag and not yet fully recovered from shipping

 

[sprungson]

Taylor T and D-Nak been dealing with nems for decades? So they're usually not wrong. I'll cross my fingers for you that were all wrong

Do you have clowns? My occellaris usually goes into mags same day.

 

[Micaeltercer]

Taylor T and D-Nak been dealing with nems for decades? So they're usually not wrong. I'll cross my fingers for you that were all wrong

Do you have clowns? My occellaris usually goes into mags same day.

No clownfish here. Strictly Coral only tank.

 

[D-Nak]

Looks a lot more like a mag than it did in the acclimation box, and my guess would be mag based on your pics, but I wouldn't be too surprised if it was a BTA or even a sebae.

My mag, more days than not, would ball up. It's column would get bigger, its tentacles would get smaller, and it would look like a small volleyball. I don't know why they do this, or if they only do it when they are big, but I've never seen a BTA or another anemone do anything like it. If you see this, you have a mag.

BTAs split. I've had one 9 months and it hasn't split yet, and I've heard of mag's splitting. But if you end up with a medium small anemone splitting into more small anemones, you can be reasonably certain you have a BTA.

Lots of people will tell you that they are certain, but I think there are a lot of exceptions to the rules, and it is hard to be certain.

A good, fast (but far from certain) indicator is where it goes. BTA's wander a lot more, but usually find a spot on the bottom of the tank or in crevices in the rocks. Mags do the opposite, they go to the highest flow and light they find and won't ever move more than a few inches.

It’s settled under a cave, but its on 180 degrees of the rock if that makes any sense. Of the Round rock, it’s covering 2/3 of that space. Here’s some photos i took with my phone inside the tank lol. You can see the body curls up into U shapes instead of being fully round. Sorry bout the quality. What do y’all think now?

Based on these photos, I still lean towards a BTA (though I'm still not giving it the 100% BTA thumbs up). I see a lot of pointed tips and some tentacles that are bulbous. Not all BTAs will have the lines around the mouth. My CSB doesn't have them and I know for sure it's a BTA.

Can you see the attachment point? Is it on the rock, or in the rock? I like Jamie's idea of the attachment experiment, because we can often get confused by physical appearance, but it's hard to disagree with how an anemone behaves. Mags always prefer flat surfaces and spread their foot out, looking like a fried egg, while a BTA will typically try to hide its foot.

 

[D-Nak]

Looks a lot more like a mag than it did in the acclimation box, and my guess would be mag based on your pics, but I wouldn't be too surprised if it was a BTA or even a sebae.

I hate to poke holes in your response, but I feel the need for clarification.

My mag, more days than not, would ball up. It's column would get bigger, its tentacles would get smaller, and it would look like a small volleyball. I don't know why they do this, or if they only do it when they are big, but I've never seen a BTA or another anemone do anything like it. If you see this, you have a mag.

It's common for BTAs to ball up.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/anemone-balling-up.428262/

Balling up is not an indicator of species. I've even seen gigantea do it.

BTAs split. I've had one 9 months and it hasn't split yet, and I've heard of mag's splitting. But if you end up with a medium small anemone splitting into more small anemones, you can be reasonably certain you have a BTA.

True, but there are also BTAs that never split. And the only magnifica to ever split on me was a mauve one with white tips (that looked a lot like to OP's anemone).

Lots of people will tell you that they are certain, but I think there are a lot of exceptions to the rules, and it is hard to be certain.

99% of what you read on these forums is based on anecdotal evidence, and because of this 99% of what you read could be wrong.

A good, fast (but far from certain) indicator is where it goes. BTA's wander a lot more, but usually find a spot on the bottom of the tank or in crevices in the rocks. Mags do the opposite, they go to the highest flow and light they find and won't ever move more than a few inches.

Where is goes, in terms of attachment point, can be a clear indicator (so fairly close to certain) of whether or not this is a magnifica or a BTA. The anemone's physical disposition is indicative of species. Magnifica like to "perch" on the top of the rock, exposing their foot, extending it a bit so that it appears as if the foot is holding up the oral disc. While BTAs sometimes extend, they typically like to hide their foot and column, though they will expose it to get into the optimal position.

Wandering -- with all species of anemones -- can be a result of a change in water parameters, lighting, and/or flow. To say that a magnifica "won't ever move" is not accurate. In fact, when my water parameters somehow get out of wack, they're the first to start to wander.

 

[Micaeltercer]

Based on these photos, I still lean towards a BTA (though I'm still not giving it the 100% BTA thumbs up). I see a lot of pointed tips and some tentacles that are bulbous. Not all BTAs will have the lines around the mouth. My CSB doesn't have them and I know for sure it's a BTA.

Can you see the attachment point? Is it on the rock, or in the rock? I like Jamie's idea of the attachment experiment, because we can often get confused by physical appearance, but it's hard to disagree with how an anemone behaves. Mags always prefer flat surfaces and spread their foot out, looking like a fried egg, while a BTA will typically try to hide its foot.

So to follow up with the attachment point, it is attached “on” the rock. The foot is exposed and about 4” in diameter extended further out than the body of the anemone. It is not like my BTA that is all body extended out with a foot hidden in a crevice. What do you think about that?

@ D-Nak, thanks for all that knowledge. I know going through other forums, there’s a lot of evidence one way or another. Would you be able to share a photo of the “mauve” anemone that you owned? I’d love to see it.

 

[D-Nak]

So to follow up with the attachment point, it is attached “on” the rock. The foot is exposed and about 4” in diameter extended further out than the body of the anemone. It is not like my BTA that is all body extended out with a foot hidden in a crevice. What do you think about that?

@ D-Nak, thanks for all that knowledge. I know going through other forums, there’s a lot of evidence one way or another. Would you be able to share a photo of the “mauve” anemone that you owned? I’d love to see it.

And this is precisely the reason why I didn't want to give a 100% thumbs up to a BTA.

Every so often these "mystery" anemones arrive at the LFS that don't have definitive characteristics. IIRC, the last batch of these were more purple-green in color. Maybe it's an undescribed species (I know that's a long shot)?

Are you able to take a photo of the attachment point? I'm curious to see how the foot spreads out. Granted, my CSB is in a box, and there are times during the day where the foot is spread out quite a bit, though the tentacles are clearly indicative of a BTA.

 

[D-Nak]

Here’s a photo of the magnifica I was talking about:

And here it is in the process of splitting:

What's notable about these photos is that there isn't a single pointed tentacle to be found. Magnifica typically have blunt tips. If there is any kind of bulb, it happens are the very tip of the tentacle (there's no pointy part).

 

[D-Nak]

I looked at the photos of the anemone in question again, and I will say this: It may not be a BTA, but at the same time I don't think it's a magnifica. The pointy, bulbous tips in the latest round of photos are not indicative of a mag. Per the Fautin and Allen description that states the following...

" finger-like tentacles (to 75 mm long) that hardly taper to blunt or slightly swollen end"

...this does not describe the OP's anemone.

Granted, as previously stated, physical appearance is only one part of the equation. I'm not sure if we can come to a definitive conclusion any time soon.