help identifying a Malu anenome

Brighteyes_13 · #1 07-12-2003, 10:27 PM

I have been checking on the internet for some info about anenomes and i noticed some sites called the malu a sebae anenome and some called it a long tentacle, and the sebae a h. crispa....

i was wondering if someone out there could help me straigten out my anenomes.

thank you

Delphinus · #2 07-12-2003, 11:41 PM

Those three anemones in particular seem to involve some creative science as far as ID'ing them because there are lots of mis-ID's for them in the hobby.

Some people say H. malu is rarely if ever collected for the hobby, some people say the same for H. crispa so you need to pick who to believe.

If the tentacles are corkscrewed then it might be M. doreensis.

If the tentacles are so numerous you can't see the oral disk through the tentacles then it might be H. crispa.

I think H.malu tentacles don't get very large, but I don't remember for sure.

If you want to follow this up some more, you want to see if you can pick up a copy of "A Field Guide to Anemonefish..." (by Dr.s Fautin and Allen). There's some good tips for ID'ing in there.

EmilyB · #3 07-13-2003, 01:28 AM

I have H.crispa I believe. They are mentioned by Joyce Wilkerson as sometimes having pink tipped tentacles, which mine does. The H. malu doesn't look like anything I have ever seen.

Brighteyes_13 · #4 07-13-2003, 06:07 AM

the one we bought as a malu has lots of thin pinkish tentacles (about 1 inch long) with very white tips(looks like it was dipped in whiteout) its oral disc is lighter with odd lines that run toward the tentacles its body is the same color as the tentacles.
It opened up beautifully when the lights came on and our ocellaris pair took to it within the hour.

the last 2 statements puzzle me due to malu's apparent dislike of intense light and the hosting choice.

anyone care to make a blind guess?

Brighteyes_13 · #5 07-13-2003, 06:18 AM

oh yeah, if i didnt know it was an anenome, i would say on first sight it looked like a torch coral

Delphinus · #6 07-13-2003, 08:03 AM

Can you post a picture?

Brighteyes_13 · #7 07-13-2003, 04:46 PM

im sorry i dont have a camera, its the next item on my tank equipment list.... (thus the blind guess thingy)