Tiny anemone

[earman88]

This nem hitchhiked on some love rock. It seems to be moving in on a frag.. should i throw the nem away? What is it anyways?

 

[Cathic]

KILL IT WITH FIRE! Looks like an aiptasia or whats the other one.., either way its a pest and needs to be removed. Careful of how you do it, i would get some aiptasia x.

 

[Bifferwine]

I think it's a curly cue anemone. They are not normally considered pests, unless they start to multiply.

https://www.google.com/search?q=cur...pw.r_qf.&fp=26b681d056562f31&biw=1366&bih=626

 

[Cathic]

I dont see the normal pattern for a curly cue. But I would take Biff's advice over mine. (I thought curly cues normally had a twisty pattern going up the tentacles, hence the name). She normally hits this stuff right on the head.

It looked more like this http://www.reefcorner.com/SpecimenSheets/aipatasia.htm to me.

 

[little_fish]

No matter what it is, i would kill it because its so close to those zoas and I bet the zoas will be losers in the battle for space against it

 

[earman88]

Ok i got rid of it. I think it was an aiptasia. When i went to remove it.. it hopped off the frag and tried to swim away.. moving just like a jelly fish! Pretty fast i might add.

 

[ErinCahir]

That sounds an awful lot like a curly Q anemone. I had a big-ish one in my big tank. I actually loved that thing.

 

[earman88]

Any ideas on this guy? He hasnt moved ever.. about .5 in big

 

[ErinCahir]

THAT is an aiptasia.

 

[little_fish]

+1 erin!

 

[Bifferwine]

I dont see the normal pattern for a curly cue. But I would take Biff's advice over mine. (I thought curly cues normally had a twisty pattern going up the tentacles, hence the name). She normally hits this stuff right on the head.

Really? I can clearly see the striped pattern! That's pretty much why I guessed curly cue. Either way, I guess it doesn't matter! Like Hannah said, if it's close to corals, it can be dangerous to them.

 

[yote]

The first pic was a Curly Cue.Their actually safe with softies and LPS corals.

The 2nd pic is an Aiptasia. It does need to go.

 

[Cathic]

Thanks for the corrections, guess I'll spend a little more time staring at photos and comparing before responding next time....

 

[earman88]

Thanks all. I went ahead and tossed the first one since it was causing some of the corals to close up. I want to post a video of it swimming.

Can I just put some gloves on and pull the aiptasia out? I don't want to buy chemicals/peppermint shrimp if there's just 1 case.

 

[Bifferwine]

No, you won't be able to pull it. Try injecting it with lemon juice, vinegar or boiling water. Some have had success with those tactics (you can get a needle and syringe from the pharmacy if you don't have one at home already).