Anemone ID - Gig or Haddoni?

[Preyou]

Any assistance with Id would be greatly appreciated.

 

[D-Nak]

Looks like S. helianthus aka Caribbean carpet anemone. Not a hosting species.

 

[addictedreefer]

Agree^

 

[OrionN]

^Yup. Sorry.^

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Looks like S. helianthus aka Caribbean carpet anemone. Not a hosting species.

Help me out here if you would please and tell me how you came to this ID as well as the others. I'm trying to learn all of the different anemones and having a lot of trouble when it comes mostly to any of the "carpets" Many of them look so similar with minute differences.

 

[OrionN]

Obviously these are not Haddoni just from the column, verracue eliminate Haddoni from our consideration.
Gigantea have pastel color foot faded 1/2 way up the column. This one does not. Color of the verracue of the Helianthus anemone is brown while the color of the Gigantea verrauce is of various color but not dark yellow or brown.
The oral plate of both Haddoni and Gigantea are larger and folded (even more in Gigantea). Helianthus oral plate in never folded like those of Gigantea.

I am out of time and have to type this in a hurry so sorry or any typo.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Thank you very much Minh for your ID process on these. It makes a bit more sense to me now.

 

[D-Nak]

In addition to what OrionN pointed out, for me the evenly spaced tentacles are also an indicator. When the tentacle length points more towards gigantea instead of haddoni (though I have seen haddoni with long tentacles), I then look to see if the tentacles are in rows when the oral disc is exposed. Gigantea tentacles are arranged in rows, usually rows of two or three tentacles that radiate from the mouth outward. Helianthus tentacles are evening spaced throughout the oral disc.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Thanks D-Nak! I was convinced this was a Gig.

 

[Preyou]

Thanks for the input everyone. I was convinced this was a gig as well... especially since there was a clown hosting it at the store. I did not think that helianthus would allow anything to host them at all.... My loss I guess....

 

[jmadison]

Thanks for the input everyone. I was convinced this was a gig as well... especially since there was a clown hosting it at the store. I did not think that helianthus would allow anything to host them at all.... My loss I guess....

Preyou,
about 5 years ago (in my [more] niave days) I thought I had scored a gig to add with my purple. I got this sun anemone/helianthus from Petco for dirt cheap. I placed next to my gig and the clowns took to it quickly! After a bit more research I found out what it actually was since the spots were a bit different etc. and it got the boot. Long story short my helianthus hosted a pair of Doni's Snowcassos for about 2 weeks without incident. I have heard of them eating clowns though.