Anemone ID please

[JJohn]

This spring, the people on this board helped me bring this guy back to great health. I thank you all. It is doing very well now. Although I have had him for about ten years, I am still not sure what species it is. The LFS told me it was a Magnifica but I know that is not right. I think it might be M. doreensis. Can anyone help here? Thanks in advance.

John

 

[SVXH6]

definately M. Doreensis.. nice clowns too..

 

[OrionN]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8417883#post8417883 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SVXH6
definately M. Doreensis.. nice clowns too..

Agree. He looks small for being aroung for 10 years. Do you feed him at all?

 

[JJohn]

When I first got him he was 5" diameter. In one year he grew to 10". When my kids were born, I neglected my tank for almost 5 years (skimmer stopped, no water changes, topoff with tap water, no vacuuming the sand, and no feeding the anemone). He very slowly shrunk down to about 5" again. It was so slow I really didn't notice until I pulled out an old picture of my tank and was shocked at how big the anemone used to be.

I asked advise here and have turned my tank around completely. The anemone is now greater than 9" diameter after about 6 months of much better care. It is hard to see but it wraps around the corner of the rock it is latched on to. Only about 2/3 of it is visible in the included image. I (actually the clowns themselves) feed him once per week. Any pieces of food too big for them, they shove into the anemone.

Thanks for the ID,
John

 

[SVXH6]

i'd feed more often than once a week.. but it looks good.. color could be a little darker, you can actually see through and see the verrucae if you look good enough..nice job bringing it back..

 

[JJohn]

Thanks for the positive ID. So, for optimal health not necessarily maximum growth, how often should I feed it? Even when I first got him I only fed once per week. When I tried to get him back up to size, I fed twice per week. I did that for two months and then dropped back to once a week. Is this a mistake? What do you all recommend?

Below is an image that better shows the size of this anemone. You can sort-of see how it is a "C" shape and wraps around the edge of the rock.

Thanks,
John

 

[OrionN]

You don't need to feed him at all. I was just surprise that the was still small after 10 years in the tank. In no way, I am imply that he is not healthy or you are not taking good care of him. He is healthy and beautiful in your pictures.
The more you feed the faster he grow. I have a Haddoni carpet in a 24 g tank. I don't plan to feed him much so he won't grow to more than 6-8 inches or so. My carpet is tiny only 4 inches in diameter, so I am feeding him now. Once he reach the size I want, no food for him other than the fish food that he catches, or if he decide to eat his clowns.

I also have a tiny H. mangifica in the same tank at this time. He is only 2.5 inches in diameter. I don't feed him much either because I don't want him to grow until I set up a tank for him.
The reason I bought him is that he is a very beautiful find from LFS here. His column is 1 inches purple, Oral plate is only 2.5 inches fully inflated and is green. His tentacles are green lower third, fade to tan, then white top third with a blue/purple "eye spot" at the very tip. I normally don't buy animals, then set up a tank for them. This is a special case because he is so small, and is exceptionally colored. I think I can safely keep him in my 24 g tank until setting up another one for him.