White aiptasia?

[smokin'reefer]

We inherited a tank from friend that was moving. Small tank with two clowns. Fish are about 5 years old and we were told they spit out young'ins about once a year.
On the live rock were these guys.

At first I thought they might be some kind of condy, but their structure sure looks aiptasia like to me.

Any body have any ID?

Friend or foe?

Tia

 

[Tahoe61]

Foe, just another pest anemone. I have a few that are very similar in appearance.

 

[smokin'reefer]

Thanx for the response.

 

[Oldsalt01]

Aptasia I think. Peppermint shrimp will clean them OUT! The nice thing is that they eat them down to the rock. These things can regrow from just a speck of tissue, but the shrimp take em down.

 

[smokin'reefer]

Thanx. I finally broke down and got a couple from lfs. Put them in tankblast week and haven't seen since. Idk. Read a few threads on vanishing peps and I'm leaning toward alien abduction.
I'm going to try a few more before I pull the trigger on another round of berghias.

 

[TheLadyCrash]

You can also use Aiptasia X on them or mix up a thick Kalkwasser paste. Peppermint shrimp never worked for me (bought from 2 different suppliers) and neither did a filefish.

 

[Oldsalt01]

LFS's sometimes mis-ID "peppermint shrimp". Either because either they or their suppliers don't know the differences ( inexcusable) or don't care (MORE inexcusable). There are at least seven species of shrimp that closely resemble each other and are frequently confused ( the ID's, not the shrimp). Goggle "how to identify Peppermint Shrimp". Several good articles will come up that will help. True Peppermint's ARE reef safe, but the others are not. They will take care of your Aptasia but won't hurt your corals. Bergia nudi's will work too, but the problem with them is once the Aptasia are gone they'll starve unless you can remove them (which may require pulling the rock to find them. MAJOR PIA).

 

[TheLadyCrash]

LFS's sometimes mis-ID "peppermint shrimp". Either because either they or their suppliers don't know the differences ( inexcusable) or don't care (MORE inexcusable).

This is exactly why I purchased from multiple vendors - my LFS (who I DON'T fully trust on the correct identification) and from LiveAquaria. None seemed interested in the Aiptasia. Stealing food from the corals' mouth they were cool with which leads me to believe i may have had other factors involved.

 

[Oldsalt01]

Hmm. Picky Peppermint's. Maybe they need a strength talking to, LOL.

 

[Oldsalt01]

I just had a further thought. Those might not be Aptasia, though they sure look like them. If they're Mojanos the shrimp probably wouldn't touch them. Either way they need to be dealt with. They can absolutely take over.