Some kind of mushroom coral or aiptasia?

TanksJB · Jun 1, 2022

This is on a rock from KP Aquatics in FL. About a year after the rock was in my tank I noticed what looked like a small feather duster. This is now about six months later. As you can see it has really grown. I don't think this is bad like aiptasia anemone or something but I need to be reassured. I notice there are two more very small ones on different rocks now but I am not sure they are the same color but they do have similar type feelers that go out (I think). They also don't seem as similar as this one did when it was small. Anyway, I would really appreciate an ID on this from some of you experts. KP people say they don't have aiptasia on their rocks and it took a year for me to even notice it so it is hard to believe this is what it is. Also it doesn't look like the aiptasia pictures I have seen but it might be a relative I guess. There is an orange acan coral in front of it. By the way I was happy with their rocks. Thanks in advance for comments.

bradleym · Jun 1, 2022

It looks like a curlicue anemone to me.

Anemone_Fanatic · Jun 1, 2022

+1. Curlique anemones are generally OK, but they can be prone to sting fish. As long as your fish have brains, they should be fine with it. They won't spread like aiptasia, and are easy to care for.

Soren · Jun 1, 2022

From that picture, I agree that it looks like a curlicue anemone.
My rocks from Gulf Live Rock came in with 3 types of anemones, none of which do I think are actually aiptasia.
I suspect mine are banded anemones and light bulb anemones as identified in a Gulf invertebrates book.

Lavey29 · Jun 1, 2022

I learn something new here everyday from you guys.

TanksJB · Jun 1, 2022

TanksJB said:
This is on a rock from KP Aquatics in FL. About a year after the rock was in my tank I noticed what looked like a small feather duster. This is now about six months later. As you can see it has really grown. I don't think this is bad like aiptasia anemone or something but I need to be reassured. I notice there are two more very small ones on different rocks now but I am not sure they are the same color but they do have similar type feelers that go out (I think). They also don't seem as similar as this one did when it was small. Anyway, I would really appreciate an ID on this from some of you experts. KP people say they don't have aiptasia on their rocks and it took a year for me to even notice it so it is hard to believe this is what it is. Also it doesn't look like the aiptasia pictures I have seen but it might be a relative I guess. There is an orange acan coral in front of it. By the way I was happy with their rocks. Thanks in advance for comments.

Thanks to all who have replied so far. I feel much better now.

TanksJB · Jun 1, 2022

TanksJB said:
This is on a rock from KP Aquatics in FL. About a year after the rock was in my tank I noticed what looked like a small feather duster. This is now about six months later. As you can see it has really grown. I don't think this is bad like aiptasia anemone or something but I need to be reassured. I notice there are two more very small ones on different rocks now but I am not sure they are the same color but they do have similar type feelers that go out (I think). They also don't seem as similar as this one did when it was small. Anyway, I would really appreciate an ID on this from some of you experts. KP people say they don't have aiptasia on their rocks and it took a year for me to even notice it so it is hard to believe this is what it is. Also it doesn't look like the aiptasia pictures I have seen but it might be a relative I guess. There is an orange acan coral in front of it. By the way I was happy with their rocks. Thanks in advance for comments.

I notice that KP Aquatics actually sells them: https://www.kpaquatics.com/product/curlique-anemone/
Thanks for the ID