Random anemone- ID urgently needed!

[kase1084]

Hi everyone,

After a long time wistfully admiring other people’s marine set ups, cutting my teeth on planted co2 injected tropical set ups, I’ve finally bought my first nano marine tank today. It was a fully cycled floor model that I got for cheap since they were making way for the next model. So I could put livestock straight into it since obviously I didn’t need to establish a nitro cycle and they filled two 20 litre jugs with the water already in the tank and I rushed the whole ensemble home, quickly set it up 20 mins later so that my bio filter got some water running over it quick smart.

But when I was placing the live rock, I noticed a stowaway! Knowing the very picky care requirements of anemones and their tendency to die and poison whole communities, I was no where near wanting to take on the responsibility of an anemone yet! I just wanted some clowns and maybe a few more easy-care dudes until I got the whole reef thing down-pat first.

But little dude is here now and fish shop owner when I called him was like “Eh, no special requirements”. I want to urgently ID him so I know his care requirements. I’ve got a temp of 25 degrees celsius, and SG of 1.026. Do I need to monitor calcium as well now and all that jazz.

I’m located in Sydney, Australia, so that might narrow down what species he is. Also, apologies for all my metric system mumbo-jumbo

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hi everyone,

After a long time wistfully admiring other people’s marine set ups, cutting my teeth on planted co2 injected tropical set ups, I’ve finally bought my first nano marine tank today. It was a fully cycled floor model that I got for cheap since they were making way for the next model. So I could put livestock straight into it since obviously I didn’t need to establish a nitro cycle and they filled two 20 litre jugs with the water already in the tank and I rushed the whole ensemble home, quickly set it up 20 mins later so that my bio filter got some water running over it quick smart.

But when I was placing the live rock, I noticed a stowaway! Knowing the very picky care requirements of anemones and their tendency to die and poison whole communities, I was no where near wanting to take on the responsibility of an anemone yet! I just wanted some clowns and maybe a few more easy-care dudes until I got the whole reef thing down-pat first.

But little dude is here now and fish shop owner when I called him was like “Eh, no special requirements”. I want to urgently ID him so I know his care requirements. I’ve got a temp of 25 degrees celsius, and SG of 1.026. Do I need to monitor calcium as well now and all that jazz.

I’m located in Sydney, Australia, so that might narrow down what species he is. Also, apologies for all my metric system mumbo-jumbo

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

No photo was attached to your post, so we really can't say what anemones specie you have. Most "stow away" anemones are small Aiptasia or Majano species - these can become pests in established tanks by overgrowing everything.

Jay

 

[kase1084]

Ooh, Apologies! They mustn’t have attached.
But that’s useful. According to fish shop dude it is a bubble tip anenome, but he’s unsure of what type and wasn’t terribly helpful. Another person who I haven’t spoken with in *years* and who I reached out to (“Hiiiiii! So I know it’s been years, but let’s talk aquariums!!”) thought it was a rainbow bubble tip. Bonus, I got to reconnect and have a long catch up with someone who I don’t talk to much ‘cause life is hectic and stuff!

Anyway, so these guys can become problematic?

Also, do they have much of a PAR requirement?

 

[kase1084]

Ooh, Apologies! They mustn’t have attached.
But that’s useful. According to fish shop dude it is a bubble tip anenome, but he’s unsure of what type and wasn’t terribly helpful. Another person who I haven’t spoken with in *years* and who I reached out to (“Hiiiiii! So I know it’s been years, but let’s talk aquariums!!”) thought it was a rainbow bubble tip. Bonus, I got to reconnect and have a long catch up with someone who I don’t talk to much ‘cause life is hectic and stuff!

Anyway, so these guys can become problematic?

Also, do they have much of a PAR requirement?

Also, with regards to the urgency of my post, I am acutely aware of the whole “Die and poison everything” danger of anemones. Will he show signs of being poorly or will he just up and die? Will that happen in days or hours? Should I start testing for ammonia just in case I fail him in his care requirements and he avenges his untimely demise by poisoning my clowns?!

Agh! I researched this so much and thought I was all prepared before this little shyster found his way into my clumsy, inexperienced hands!

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Ooh, Apologies! They mustn’t have attached.
But that’s useful. According to fish shop dude it is a bubble tip anenome, but he’s unsure of what type and wasn’t terribly helpful. Another person who I haven’t spoken with in *years* and who I reached out to (“Hiiiiii! So I know it’s been years, but let’s talk aquariums!!”) thought it was a rainbow bubble tip. Bonus, I got to reconnect and have a long catch up with someone who I don’t talk to much ‘cause life is hectic and stuff!

Anyway, so these guys can become problematic?

Also, do they have much of a PAR requirement?

That isn't either of the two pest species, so that's good. It does look like a slightly deflated bubbletip anemone. Some Majano anemones develop bubbles on their tentacle tips, but the color doesn't seem right.

I don't know their actual PAR requirements - I just give them "moderate" light and they do fine. They also need mild water flow around them, and some people feed them directly once a week or so.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Also, with regards to the urgency of my post, I am acutely aware of the whole “Die and poison everything” danger of anemones. Will he show signs of being poorly or will he just up and die? Will that happen in days or hours? Should I start testing for ammonia just in case I fail him in his care requirements and he avenges his untimely demise by biting the big one and poisoning my clowns?!

Agh! I researched this so much and thought I was all prepared before this little shyster found his way into my clumsy, inexperienced hands!

"Die and poison everything" isn't really a thing unless it is a huge anemone left to decompose in a tank. They don't release toxins like some during invertebrates like sea cucumbers do.
A small anemone dying in an established tank, and removed, even by siphoning out the pieces will not be an issue.

 

[kase1084]

"Die and poison everything" isn't really a thing unless it is a huge anemone left to decompose in a tank. They don't release toxins like some during invertebrates like sea cucumbers do.
A small anemone dying in an established tank, and removed, even by siphoning out the pieces will not be an issue.

Oh thank goodness, lol. That wasn’t my understanding and I’m so glad to know that isn’t the case!