Carpet rescue attempt.

The carpet is doing fine. MarinaP was correct it is not a Gig but an Atlantic. Its eating mysis and table shrimp and the Maroons are happy with their summer home. It will be going back to the original owner after the holidays. He has upgraded his lights with 2x250 mh and 4 t5s. I think its an outer orbit fixture. Guygettnby, he got it from House of Tropicals in Glen Bernie.

Quickcord
 
Ok, I do not know if I am stupid or kind for doing this. I have been helping a buddy of mine get his first saltwater tank setup for the past 3 mos.. I told him not to buy anything for the tank until the cycle gets finished and then maybe a fish and clean up crew. He has what I think is a 70 gallon, but its 30 in. high. and a PC light setup. He called me yesterday to come and check out his new additions and I find 2 Occs. and a Gigantea(?) in his tank! Well after I rip him a new one for listening to the LFS, he lets me take the carpet home. So now I have it in my 40 breeder. Its maybe 8in. and I have not witnessed any deflation yet. Mouth was a little loose during acclimation but I expected that. I am just watching it settle in at the momment.

gig.jpg
I think your buddy is smarter than you. Haha. He was smart enough to listen to reason and give it up to someone who knew better how to care for it. You're nuts for taking the challenge. Not to say I wouldn't do the same if I were in your place but if it dies it's kinda on you. Kudos to you for looking out for your friend... and his anemone.
I wouldn't rule out that that little anemone might be a bud. I think you ought to leave that little bugger alone and let it attach where it may. If it grows, it may be a valuable asset. For one you get a free nem for your generosity and two, if it regularly buds you have just started a captive breeding program. I'm not in agreement about it being a majano. most majanos I've seen mimic BTAs haveing either bubbled ends or tapered ends. That nem has blunt ends like a mag or gig.
BTW, where in MD are you?
 
You are right Walt:D I guess I am a sucker for trying to do the right thing. It will be going back after the holidays. If it was a Gigantea I would have my reservations. I live in Pasadena. The bad thing is that I found a green/purple H. Mag. that looked nice but did not pick it up due to the carpet being in the tank.


Quickcord
 
If you're not on CMAS already, you should join. There's some good reefers in your area that you might like to hook up with to trade frags etc.

What would your reservations be about a Gig??? I'd love to have a bud like that.
 
No reservations at all except for giving it back. I am already a member of CMAS, just haven't been able to get to the meetings yet.

Quickcord
 
What convinces you that this is an Atlantic carpet? The fact it didn't eat your maroon clown makes me question that it is the Atlantic carpet Stichodactyla helianthus. Those are generally pretty small too, from what I've seen, maybe growing 6 inches across.
 
What convinces you that this is an Atlantic carpet? The fact it didn't eat your maroon clown makes me question that it is the Atlantic carpet Stichodactyla helianthus. Those are generally pretty small too, from what I've seen, maybe growing 6 inches across.

I question that ID as well. It doesn't look like a S. helianthus to me. I'd go with haddoni based on the pic's so far. I'd like to see a full shot of the open oral disk though.
 
I thought it was an Atlantic because of a few pictures that I found that looked exactly like the one I had. I did not think that the tentacles were bulbous enough for a Haddoni. Here are a couple more before lights out.

nem1.jpg


nem2.jpg




Quickcord
 
That look like a Gigantea to me, not Haddoni or Atlantic carpet. Gigantea do keep eggs internally and release fully formed babies. It you find that baby, keep it in a basket on top of the tank. Hope you find it.
 
Definitely doesn't look like S. helianthus to me. I had one years ago and that yours doesn't look like a match. Like several others, I think you have an S. gigantea myself. S. helianthus are extremely sticky, as I recall. And as I mentioned earlier, they don't get very large, maybe 6 inches across or so.
 
Kayo, to answer your question, two species of host anemones are known to divide assexually on occasion (H. magnifica and E. quadricolor). Also, sometimes carpet anemones bud, as you see here, another form of assexual reproduction. However, the majority of both host and non-host species of anemones reproduce sexually.
 
man i wish my carpet budded in my system... that would be awesome. are carpets asexual?

S. gigantea's primary means of reproduction is sexual. The only current way to tell female from male individuals is to wait until they spawn. The males release sperm that is very easy to see.
 
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