Need ID, i think i know what it is.. but need confirmation

Stephane Cote

Active Member
Hey guys,

been a while but life got busy. It's been almost 3 years my tank is up and have now noticed something and need ur help to confirm (or tell me what it is). the picture below shows a small thing (currently pea size) that has tentacles. with small white balls at the end. i have about 4 right now more or less on the substrate or under a rock ledge. I only spotted it when i did my usual rounds right a red flash light a week ago. i have not added anything since the last fish which was over 2 years ago (did not add any sand either). the only thing i am thinking is that they have always been there but because my tank was new and still iffy on water quality it kept them small / hidden. only recently have i seen the brown sand less brown, thinking it's finally settling it....

going to google, i found 2 possibilities;

jeweled anemone - possible, but they are not clustering
white ball anemone - seems like a better match...

now i read all over that it's split 50/50 on 'is it safe' some people say they are nasty and they sting corals and should take it out as it will eat small fish (once matured). i do have small fish so this maybe a problem

while others say but are harmless.... and that they would keep it and even then it's a rare find and they are reef safe etc. right now, i have 4, and one is growing next to corals. the corals (zoas) done seem concerned at all by it. the corals open up during the day, and at night the suspect is open for business.

the one in the picture is under a massive GSP colony that i only spotted last night after i marinescaped the gsp.

any advice would help!

thanks

steph

b4de44ee-9781-45f9-9554-adb47c3d8bb3_zpsudw1rlwh.jpg
 

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
@Stephane Cote

Since you hadn't added anything to your tank in years, these likely have been in there all this time. If you haven't had any problems with your fish or anything else, then they are likely not causing any issues.

It looks to be a type of Corallimorph. I'd guess either white ball corallimorph (pseudocorynactis) if it is completely soft bodied or cup coral (Caryophyllia) if it has a hard calcium base. I can't see the base of it in your pic, so this is my best guess.

I would leave them alone and not worry about it. I have several ball anemones in my tank, and have had them for years. They don't spread like aiptasia or cause harm to fish since they are 1) stay small so won't eat fish, 2) it is a nocturnal filter feeder, so won't likely sting fish, 3) fish are used to these types of critters in the wild and usually keep their distance anyway.

Check these threads out:
Corynactis
ID Corynactis, Pseudocorynactis, Paracorynactis
 

Stephane Cote

Active Member
thx everyone.. it's hard to find solid information but you have basically confirmed everything ive been seeing. they are really tiny right now, i would say the size of a pea. and i don't think they are hard base because they move around.(a few inches here and there over the space of a week)
 
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