Aiptasia????

[LJsInSC]

Maybe someone can answer this question. For everyone that has purchased live rock from TBS do you have any Aiptasia on your rock or is this something that resembles them? I have quite a few and was wondering if I should do something to remove them or if they are just a close look alike to them.

LJ

 

[hdtran]

Richard says that there are no Aiptasias in the gulf. The lookalikes are likely to be either a curlicue or light bulb (no scientific name) anemone.

 

[LJsInSC]

Richard says that there are no Aiptasias in the gulf. The lookalikes are likely to be either a curlicue or light bulb (no scientific name) anemone.

So you also had some of these with your TBS and they have not caused any problems?

Thanks Hy!

 

[hdtran]

Yes, had the small anemone with brown tentacles, have no proliferation, wandering, or stinging.

 

[SeaMunkie]

I have noticed a couple of anenomes that I thought were aptasia, but considering what Tran mentioned, perhaps they are the another type of anenome. I have been able to identify at least four of the bubble tip anenomes though. Actually been feeding them pieces of raw shrimp. I want them to get big and healthy, hehe.

SeaMunkie
:fish2:

 

[Mammoth]

Richard says that there are no Aiptasias in the gulf. The lookalikes are likely to be either a curlicue or light bulb (no scientific name) anemone.

Well since "Richard says", then it must be true. Or maybe Richard didn't say and maybe he can contribute and address this topic.

Aiptasia Tagetes, according to multiple sources, is not at all uncommon in Florida waters...field guides (with photos) very accurately describe a species found on TBS rock. I have a FOWLR tank, so I enjoy 'them', whatever they are.

But don't take Richard's word or mine. Do your own homework and see what you come up with.

 

[hdtran]

Well since "Richard says", then it must be true. Or maybe Richard didn't say and maybe he can contribute and address this topic.

Aiptasia Tagetes, according to multiple sources, is not at all uncommon in Florida waters...field guides (with photos) very accurately describe a species found on TBS rock. I have a FOWLR tank, so I enjoy 'them', whatever they are.

But don't take Richard's word or mine. Do your own homework and see what you come up with.

Mammoth,

You're absolutely correct that short of scuba diving and surveying the Tampa area, biology journals or field guides are the best source. But to those of us unable to locate either of the above, we have to go to secondary sources, e.g. Richard Londeree (liverock). I tend to believe him, as he's out there scuba diving in the gulf waters.

So, on thread 340597 (unless I've mangled the numbers),

Re: Newbie Needs Help!

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by joelsaxton
I am new to the hobby. I got some TBS keys rock and I put it into a 40 gallon tank. I am at the tail end of the nitrogen cycle, but I have several problems and I do not know how to solve them:

1) MANTIS - I found a small (1 inch or smaller) mantis shrimp. There may be more. I tried to catch it with a net but it was so fast it seemed to just disappear before my eyes. I hear it clicking at night. I set an X-terminator trap with a frozen krill, but nobody went for it. All I really accomplished was polluting the water with the krill. TBS does not recommend dunking the rock in sodawater or freshwater, and I really don't want to kill all the good stuff on the rock by removing it from saltwater.

2) AIPTASIA - I am having an outbreak of aiptasia. I hear that peppermint shrimps are good for keeping them under control, but I feel that there are too many nasties in the tank that might try to kill them. The mantis is tiny, but the rock also came with 2 or 3 hairy rock crabs. I have set a glass jar trap but nothing has fallen in yet.

3) ROCK CRABS - I believe there are 2 of them.

The rock has a lot of life on it and I really don't want to kill most of it. Any suggestions would be welcomed.

I might sell the rock on ebay to a more experienced hobbyist (someone who knows how to get rid of all these pests) and get some rock that is a little less "live".
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




There are no aptasia on the rock as they do not survive in the Gulf....

Try Stevens trick for the mantis

NEVER dip the rock in anything other than normal saltwater, or you will kill the rock...

Thanks
Richard TBS

Regards,

Hy

 

[Mammoth]

Mammoth,

You're absolutely correct that short of scuba diving and surveying the Tampa area, biology journals or field guides are the best source. But to those of us unable to locate either of the above, we have to go to secondary sources, e.g. Richard Londeree (liverock). I tend to believe him, as he's out there scuba diving in the gulf waters.

No doubt he is an experienced commercial diver, selling alot of great product.

Peterson Field Guides. Coral Reefs: Caribbean and Florida
Pale Anemone - Aptasia Tagetes

Small - about 2.5 cm (1 in) tall - brownish or whiteish, and a few long easily visible tentacles and many small visible on close examination. Disk usually 1cm (1/2 in.) wide, with almost 100 tentacles in narrow rings around edges. Usually in crowded colonies of unconnected individuals on rocks or mangrove roots.

Next to that description is a photo that appears to be indentical to what is on my small piece of TBS rock. It started with 1 tiny anemone, barely visible...6 months later I have at least 15 of them within a few inches of the same spot.

Another...

http://www.nsm.buffalo.edu/Bio/burr/world.htm

Since you seem to like Fenners work, there are a few hints in here. Nothing conclusive, but at least enough to suggest that it's not as easy as 'couldn't be'.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/twaanemones.htm


I'm not claiming to know exactly what it is, but it's fairly clear that it's possibly an Aiptasia Tagetes. I think the common name listed (Pale Anemone) creates some of the confusion...you'll find references using that common name for different anemones. Stick with Aiptasia Tagetes and dig around and it should at least enter the realm of possibility.

It's one thing if we have a positive identification of what these are. That's not the same thing as suggesting a few other possibilities and denying they could even be in the waters. Tell that to the student who recently spotted Right Whales, which haven't been seen in the gulf in roughly 30 years.

 

[Mammoth]

Mammoth,

You're absolutely correct that short of scuba diving and surveying the Tampa area, biology journals or field guides are the best source. But to those of us unable to locate either of the above, we have to go to secondary sources, e.g. Richard Londeree (liverock). I tend to believe him, as he's out there scuba diving in the gulf waters.

No doubt he is an experienced commercial diver, selling alot of great product.

Peterson Field Guides. Coral Reefs: Caribbean and Florida
Pale Anemone - Aptasia Tagetes

Small - about 2.5 cm (1 in) tall - brownish or whiteish, and a few long easily visible tentacles and many small visible on close examination. Disk usually 1cm (1/2 in.) wide, with almost 100 tentacles in narrow rings around edges. Usually in crowded colonies of unconnected individuals on rocks or mangrove roots.

Next to that description is a photo that appears to be indentical to what is on my small piece of TBS rock. It started with 1 tiny anemone, barely visible...6 months later I have at least 15 of them within a few inches of the same spot.

Another...

http://www.nsm.buffalo.edu/Bio/burr/world.htm

Since you seem to like Fenners work, there are a few hints in here. Nothing conclusive, but at least enough to suggest that it's not as easy as 'couldn't be'.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/twaanemones.htm


I'm not claiming to know exactly what it is, but it's fairly clear that it's possibly an Aiptasia Tagetes. I think the common name listed (Pale Anemone) creates some of the confusion...you'll find references using that common name for different anemones. Stick with Aiptasia Tagetes and dig around and it should at least enter the realm of possibility.

It's one thing if we have a positive identification of what these are. That's not the same thing as suggesting a few other possibilities and denying they could even be in the waters. Tell that to the student who recently spotted Right Whales, which haven't been seen in the gulf in roughly 30 years.

 

[frink]

If you want live rock without hitchikers don`t buy aquacultured rock. Along with the good stuff you want-corals, sponges algae- you will get some unwanted creatures. Hairy crabs,mantis shrimp and aptasia come in every box.

 

[Mammoth]

If you want live rock without hitchikers don`t buy aquacultured rock. Along with the good stuff you want-corals, sponges algae- you will get some unwanted creatures. Hairy crabs,mantis shrimp and aptasia come in every box.

That should be directed at the others. Like I said, I have a FOWLER tank so even IF they are Aiptasia's they aren't a problem for me. They look cool, and do well in my tank that isn't otherwise setup for Anemone's.

My doubts as to the ID of this specimen shouldn't be taken as criticism for TBS's product. I really like the Rock they send out. My pieces of TBS are hand-me-downs from a friend who had a few pieces that didn't quite fit in. It's been great in his reef too.

 

[hdtran]

Mammoth,

Thanks for the field guide info. Being pretty far inland (we were not oceanfront since the Cretaceous), I don't tend to find those in the libraries...

I have a reef setup, and my "small brown anemones with light stripes on the tentacles that look a bit like Aiptasia" have not proliferated.