Can anyone ID this anemone?

[mikester311]

This anemone came as a hitchhiker on the bottom of a large hermit crab. I have looked around and have not been able to find any info on it at all. Has anyone know what kind of anemone this is? Or have any info on it?

 

[jake22]

I think it is one of those undesirable ones. It will sting fish and corals. They also spread. I have seen lots of hermits with these on them. If you like it on your crab keep it just make sure it does not spread through the rest of your tank.

 

[mikester311]

Thanks for the info Jake.. I hope it's not a bad one. So far it hasn't spread although it has gotten a little bigger. Right now it's only about 1/2 inch big. I did have a new Condy that came in contact with it and a few days later it died. the condy was pretty big in comparison, so I don't know if this anenome was the cause?
Anyone else seen one of these things? I'm trying to decide whether to take it out of the tank or leave it in

 

[jake22]

I personally would remove it now while there is still only one. You could remove it by getting a peppermint shrimp wich will probably eat it and anyothers that may be hidding in your tank. There are other method you can use just do a search and i am sure they all will come up.

 

[blutang]

It actually looks like a small tube anemone to me. Can anyone else confirm or deny that?

 

[karlas]

i cant tell you what kind it is but before getting rid of it or killing it maby do a search on anemones and see what you can come up with

 

[mikester311]

Karlas, I have done a search on the net and can't seem to come up with anything. That's the main reason I posted it on this site. I like it and it's super hardy and doesn't seem to require a lot of light, so hopefully I can keep it.
Mike

 

[blutang]

Does anyone else think that this is a tube anemone?

 

[mikester311]

When i think of an anonome, I think of a Condy, BTA, Etc.. that are pretty much just there unless they shrink or move. This one is pretty much static. It has been attached to this piece of plastic that's burried in the sand since it's been in the tank for the last 6 months. It also opens and closes pretty fast. Like it constricts when I feed it and then opens back up. But, it also shrinks down like my condy sometimes. Also, it did get ahold of a dead damsel that was in my tank when it was first set up and and it somehow ripped off the big claw of a fidler crab and munched on it for a while. I woke up one morning and the big claw was stick straight of of the middle of this thing. Maybe it is some sort of tube anenome??

 

[shadow678]

The anemone that came on your hermit crab is a simple anemone, and it is harmless. It will not propogate and will likely die on it's own if the hermit is no longer carrying it around. They only live on hermit crab shells, as this particular species has developed a sort of symbiotic relationship with the hermits. They provide some camoflage, and in return they are carried around with the hermit, even when he changes shells. This provides the anemone with some protection and a varying food source which is beneficial. It will not harm anything in your tank, and as long as it stays alive, will simply be an interesting conversation piece.