Majano or Tiny BTA?

Tikki

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This little nem popped up under my rainbow bubble tip anemones a few weeks ago and relocated itself around to the front. My anemones split regularly but I’ve never seen them produce a tiny baby. Looks like a majano but I’ve never seen one with this coloration and it’s super similar to the bubble tips it sprouted next to. Trying to decide if I should just watch it or if I need to destroy it before it reproduces. It’s pretty cute 😭


20250909_113517_A544DC20-F702-468F-BA08-3852F6CCF118.png
 

bradleym

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It has a very nice pattern to it, btw. I’d love to see how it looks as it gets bigger.
 
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Tikki

Tikki

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Do not destroy it, it is almost 100% guaranteed to be a baby BTA. (Congratulations!) And if it splits and turns out to be a majano I’ll buy it off you for whatever you’re asking, lol!
I’ll keep an eye on it. It’s certainly cute but I have a feeling I’m going to wake up one day to millions of them 😆 I assumed it must be a bubble tip but as it gets bigger the tips seem to have a more flat spade shape and never elongate the way my anemones do.
 

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It is very common for bubble tips to bubble like this, it is where they get their name from. The “double bubble” on each tentacle is a bit less common though, and I can’t ever remember seeing that in a majano (I collect them). I’ve also never seen a red majano, so I would be incredibly surprised to find it being an invasive species.
 

vetteguy53081

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This little nem popped up under my rainbow bubble tip anemones a few weeks ago and relocated itself around to the front. My anemones split regularly but I’ve never seen them produce a tiny baby. Looks like a majano but I’ve never seen one with this coloration and it’s super similar to the bubble tips it sprouted next to. Trying to decide if I should just watch it or if I need to destroy it before it reproduces. It’s pretty cute 😭


20250909_113517_A544DC20-F702-468F-BA08-3852F6CCF118.png
This is a BTA and a keeper.
 
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Tikki

Tikki

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This little nem popped up under my rainbow bubble tip anemones a few weeks ago and relocated itself around to the front. My anemones split regularly but I’ve never seen them produce a tiny baby. Looks like a majano but I’ve never seen one with this coloration and it’s super similar to the bubble tips it sprouted next to. Trying to decide if I should just watch it or if I need to destroy it before it reproduces. It’s pretty cute 😭


20250909_113517_A544DC20-F702-468F-BA08-3852F6CCF118.png
This is not a BTA but a keeper. Its a Ball anemone and keeper. Unlike aptasia and Majano, I had one 2 years ago and it remained, had nice color and only one more ever emerged. They remain small and here is a puzzling fact as others stated they are a good anemone. Anemone ???
Ball Anemones are actually not anemones at all, it is actually a mushroom coral that is commonly confused by too many as a Majano Aiptasia. Unlike an Aiptasia, they are reef safe, they commonly stay closed during the day and open up at night. The tips if its anemone-like tentacles end with a ball tip giving it its' name
Hmm good theory but I’m not sure on this one. It’s relocated itself a few times in a very anemoneque fashion and each tentacle has two balls/bubbles, one on the end and one in the middle. So far the acan doesn’t seem too bothered yet though so that’s a plus.
 
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Tikki

Tikki

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It is very common for bubble tips to bubble like this, it is where they get their name from. The “double bubble” on each tentacle is a bit less common though, and I can’t ever remember seeing that in a majano (I collect them). I’ve also never seen a red majano, so I would be incredibly surprised to find it being an invasive species.
My nems bubble up sometimes but they go back and forth. I’ve never seen this little one stretch out or change shape but maybe that’s just because it’s so small. Have you ever seen a bubble tip reproduce in this way? When I first noticed it, it was about the size of a pencil eraser.
 

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It is very common for bubble tips to bubble like this, it is where they get their name from. The “double bubble” on each tentacle is a bit less common though, and I can’t ever remember seeing that in a majano (I collect them). I’ve also never seen a red majano, so I would be incredibly surprised to find it being an invasive species.
My nems bubble up sometimes but they go back and forth. I’ve never seen this little one stretch out or change shape but maybe that’s just because it’s so small. Have you ever seen a bubble tip reproduce in this way? When I first noticed it, it was about the size of a pencil eraser.
Yes, baby BTAs are rare but they do happen. Another rare but possible occurrence is a pedal laceration - a piece of the BTA foot tears off on its own during a normal split, and that tiny piece of foot is able to grow a new head.
 

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Hmm good theory but I’m not sure on this one. It’s relocated itself a few times in a very anemoneque fashion and each tentacle has two balls/bubbles, one on the end and one in the middle. So far the acan doesn’t seem too bothered yet though so that’s a plus.
I adjusted this likely while you read it as I looked on a larger screen and determined BTA
 

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