Anemone ID

[Navyblue]

It kept reaching its foot under the rock and ended up toppling it, so I put it in a PVC end cap and place the end cap in the sand. I guess the current is too strong on the spot that I placed it, it moved, up a rock and attaching itself vertically on a low flow area. I think it is the first time that it moved up. I removed it and attach it to a rock that has a hole in it.

The white tips are rather faint now. Still not eating, and still deflating in the day and inflating at night.

There are some white patch underneath, I think it was a result of it getting stuck on the Tunze. Somehow the part that are regrown are not magenta. But there is no sign of fading (yet) on the other parts of the bottom.

 

[bradleym]

Tagging along. At the first post I would've put anything on it being H. Malu. Then, at the next post, I was sold on H. Magnifica. Now, in this last pic, I am back to H. Malu. You can even see the tentacles are showing 2 different lengths, which is normal for a Malu but atypical for a Magnifica. Everything about the top is typical of a Malu, but that base came straight off my last Magnifica!

 

[Navyblue]

During light off, the tentacles are better extended, straighter and more even in length. Or more like a magnifica. Does malu do this at night? I am leaning towards malu though.

What I don't get is why is it deflating during light on. It should have adjusted to the lighting by now. And also not eating. If this goes on I don't think it would end well.

 

[D-Nak]

Tagging along. At the first post I would've put anything on it being H. Malu. Then, at the next post, I was sold on H. Magnifica. Now, in this last pic, I am back to H. Malu. You can even see the tentacles are showing 2 different lengths, which is normal for a Malu but atypical for a Magnifica. Everything about the top is typical of a Malu, but that base came straight off my last Magnifica!

I feel exactly the same way -- it's almost as if someone took a malu oral disk and attached is to a mag column.

During light off, the tentacles are better extended, straighter and more even in length. Or more like a magnifica. Does malu do this at night? I am leaning towards malu though.

What I don't get is why is it deflating during light on. It should have adjusted to the lighting by now. And also not eating. If this goes on I don't think it would end well.

I've seen this happen with many anemones. My hypothesis is that it's the anemone's way of adjusting the light it gets -- especially for bleached anemones. Bleached anemones are trying to build up their zooxanthellae population, but if there isn't a big population, then too much light can damage the nem, especially without the protection of the zoox. Somehow the nem knows that it received enough light and to avoid burning (think sunburn) it deflates (less surface area to collect the light). The reason I tihnk this is because IME the nems are fully expanded in the morning at lights on, then deflate at roughly the same time each day, then slightly inflate at lights out.

A bleached nem that's not eating is not a good sign -- if it's not receiving nutrients via zoox nor direct feeding -- then it will eventually starve. I don't have much experience with malu, but if gigantea or magnifica were to do this, it means almost certain death.

 

[garygb]

I think it looks pretty good in that last pic. Navy, you said you're leaning toward malu, I'm still on the fence between malu and crispa myself. I've seen crispa look very similar to yours. As far as the deflating, I agree with D Naks explanation, it could be that it's adjusting to your lights. As far as feeding, I would suggest you get a fresh piece of shrimp, preferably never frozen, from a seafood dept. at the grocery store. Anemones can be picky, and I've observed a stronger feeding response to fresh food. I would only try a pea size piece of shrimp, put it near the mouth and keep an eye on it. If it lets go, I would try again a few hours later, if it lets go, then try the following day.

 

[D-Nak]

I think it looks pretty good in that last pic. Navy, you said you're leaning toward malu, I'm still on the fence between malu and crispa myself. I've seen crispa look very similar to yours. As far as the deflating, I agree with D Naks explanation, it could be that it's adjusting to your lights. As far as feeding, I would suggest you get a fresh piece of shrimp, preferably never frozen, from a seafood dept. at the grocery store. Anemones can be picky, and I've observed a stronger feeding response to fresh food. I would only try a pea size piece of shrimp, put it near the mouth and keep an eye on it. If it lets go, I would try again a few hours later, if it lets go, then try the following day.

To add to this, keep in mind that most shrimp available for purchase was frozen at one time, even the ones that appear to be fresh in the seafood case. They typically add a salt solution prior to freezing, which should be fine, but does have a risk of contamination. I try to avoid shrimp if I can, but your best choice is live shrimp (the kind you'd see in a Chinese restaurant in their live well, or Asian supermarket in tanks). I typically recommend people feed their anemones fresh, wild salmon (farmed salmon have additives such as color enhancers) soaked in Selcon or similar vitamin booster. A pencil size or pea size (as gary recommends) is the right size.

 

[Navyblue]

This is not long after light off, you can see that the tentacles are longer and straighter, and will become more so after it has rested.

As for why I think it is a malu, I think crispa tend to be fluffier, longer and more numerous tentacles. Where as malu and magnifica tend to be flatter.

Chopped salmon and chopped shrimp are among my fishes' menu, so they are also what I fed to the anemones and the LPS (rarely). However they are far from fresh though, it'll take some effort for me to find anything alive. I think I'll try to blow cyclopeze on it, the last feeding response I get might be due to it. And I hope it is eating clown poop when I am not looking.

 

[Navyblue]

Double post.

 

[Navyblue]

Update:

The anemone is eating now. 2 days ago I accidentally shoved a piece of meat too hard with my fingers, it grabbed onto my fingers quite swiftly and I was spooked. It seems that this anemone requires some physical pressure to activate the feeding response, unlike other anemone where one can simply place food on them and they can "taste" the food. I was able to replicate the feeding response again today with the same method.

Now there is a chance of long term survival. The outer tentacles appears to be browner than the inner ones now, but still quite purple as a whole. From a distance, the white tips seems to be almost absent, I wonder why?

Edit: I don't know how significant is this, but I notice there are lines radiating from the mouth to the edge of the oral disc. I hope you can see it on the picture.

 

[OrionN]

If you can take picture of the column where it is lighter, that would be great. Keep on posting various angel of the anemone. From the top, I would agree that it is a Malu.

 

[Navyblue]

Here is one from about a week ago, on the left you can see some lighter patches on the underside.

 

[Reefvette]

Malu

Malu

Its def a Malu, your is stressed but recovering.

I have seen them with red orange white tan bases and purple tentacles and brown.

 

[OrionN]

I think you have a H. malu with an exceptional dye job. It would have fool me. It is doing better and hope will make it with your care. Good luck with him. I would love to see a side by side picture of this anemone once it recover and an aicture when you first got it.

 

[Reefvette]

Orion

Orion

Im not sure on the dye job either.

I have seen them with this type of colors before.

I gotta see i might have some pics of the ones i saw same colors and same look with faded tips.

 

[OrionN]

Reefvette,
Look at the column, the part where it got injured and grew back. Completely different color.

 

[TDesaulniers]

Based off the OP's posts, it sounds as if it has the behavioral traits as a H. Malu anemone. Typically, Malu's have the dots in the center of their tentacles where as most Mags do not. The fact it's moved down and tried to protect it's foot says it all to me. And, I would agree with the subtle/prominent dye job as well. Nonetheless, beautiful anemone and glad it came back for you!

 

[Navyblue]

A newer picture of the underside. It may be hard to see from the picture, but whitish patch has turned browner

This is before light on, notice the tentacles are better extended.

 

[Reefvette]

Orion thanks for the tip. Didnt even notice

The last pic is very very pinkish purple, the malus that i have seen bases were more of red/purple.

Funny thing is i have a pic of a purple base bubbletip sold to me by divers den that looks almost exactly the same as this nem. I gotta find a card reader but i have a pic.

 

[garygb]

It will be interesting to see if it keeps its color. I'm thinking it may. After my purple based mag divided I noticed the healing line up the column was lighter than the rest, so it may just take a while for the pigmentation to return to a scarred area.

 

[Navyblue]

Actually what I meant to show in the last picture was, the much lighter injured patch was now a darker color, somewhat tan, quite like the color on top.

From the online pictures of colored malu, it seems that all if them has colored foot that fades as it reach the oral disc, and not solid like this.