Anemone ID? Another update. Anemone Relocated.

[Delphinus]

Just as a further note. I can tell you right now with a near 100% certainty it is not Heteractis crispa based entirely on your first and second photos. The verrucae on a H. crispa are so prominent that the column looks like raw, unskinned, chicken. Plus, the shape of the pedal disk is wrong, plus the way it's sitting just isn't quite right.

I think I shall pass on involving myself in the RC thread. Sorry.

[Johnny Reefer]

Did you buy it from an LFS?
If so...surely they must know what type it is.

Cheers,

[OCDP]

No, I am aware.. I am just going by everything I have been told and everything I have read. I guess it's all coming down to a shot under the disk.. ( I don't know the proper name sorry ) .. Only reason I ruled out BTA was because the previous owner had the anemone with a maroon clown. A BTA is a natural host to a Maroon , correct? I guess still not good enough to narrow it down, you're right Tony.

Here is the thread for anyone interested...

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=766817

[OCDP]

No one is forcing anyone to check out the RC thread, or help with the ID for that matter. I am just passing along my information. As of right now the anemone is still unidentified until I can provide a picture of the disk, and I will post it back here.

I just asked the person I got the anemone from to let me know where he picked this guy up so I can hopefully phone somewhere to get the ID. Hopefully.

[Beverly]

Originally Posted by Johnny Reefer

Did you buy it from an LFS?
If so...surely they must know what type it is.

LFSs are notoriously wrong when IDing animals. For instance, the dwarf angel I recently purchased for our 120g was IDed there as a Fisher's Angel. Not until I posted a video in the Reef Fishes forum did someone ID it as a Rusty Angel. To double check both species, I went to fishbase.org and the fish was indeed a Rusty Angel.

[Delphinus]

Didn't say you were forcing anyone Scott. I just said I choose to pass. I have my reasons but I would prefer not to get into that publicly over here.

In short:
- Entacmaea quadricolor -- possibly, although possibly not. Not enough info.
- Heteractis magnifica -- although unlikely, still possible. Not enough info.
- Heteractis crispa -- very unlikely. I think there's enough info to accept this claim.

The difficulty here is that there are traits that are common to all 3 (and even other species we haven't even mentioned yet). Some traits can be shared between species. I.e., just because it resembles one thing, doesn't automatically make it so. If that were really true, then this species is all 3. Well, we know that can't be the case. So which is it? The bottom line is that there is not enough info at this time to pass a qualified judgment.

Whatever it is, enjoy it, and please be more careful with this one.

[OCDP]

Fair enough. I should have re-phrased my other post, my apologies. Like I have mentioned.. I'll take some better photos of the anemone and its underside this evening and hopefully that will narrow it down. Thanks for your help Tony.

Heh, you make me seem careless with my anemones I try to be as careful as possible. I have only lost one anemone out of the many I have kept. And it's a little hard to make powerhead guards for Seio's, and also creating one that won't reduce efficiency of the powerhead. I am working on it..

[TheReefGeek]

What would differentiate the quadricolor from the magnifica?

[OCDP]

Tony, you'd be perfectly suited to answer this one heh..

I know of only a couple differences.. I'll let another anemone pro out there have at it.

[Delphinus]

Well, Entacmaea quadricolor has 4 hoofs and a long tail with a bushy end. Long shaggy fur and two black beady eyes placed under some pointy horns. Heteractis magnifica on the other hand tends to have strong muscular back legs, sharp claws, a slightly tapered tail and very strong disposition to seek out heat registers to have a nap.


... Seriously, usually, there's no confusing the two, they're quite different. Yet sometimes you'll see these ones where they defy easy categorization. If it comes down to it, H. magnifica has verrucae arranged in rows along the column. E. quadricolor doesn't show verrucae along the column at all, although I think they might show some right at the top of the column.

http://www.nhm.ku.edu/inverts/ebooks/intro.html