Gigantea Anemones In the Wild

[Deepsea2005]

Can someone post pictures of Gigantea anemones in the wild?
I'm wondering how bit they can be, and what color......

Thanks,

 

[Deepsea2005]

Sorry, I meant how big they can be

 

[phender]

They are the same color and size in the wild as they are in captivity. They can grow to over 18" across. Colors are brown, teal, different shades of blue, purple, green, a mix of pastel colors and the legendary red .

That being said. I am always up for gig pics in the wild.
There are a couple on this page http://www.aquaworldaquarium.com/Articles/TonyGriffitts/ClownfishAnemones/giant_carpet.htm
This one isn't wild, but it is worthy of a link because of the color.
http://www.reefland.com/forum/reef-hot-spot/27522-buy-gigantea-carpet-anemones-purple-blue-multicolor.html
Couple more in the wild
http://wondercreation.blogspot.com/2010/04/special-nems-of-beting-bemban-besar.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/1170021137/

If you do a Google Images search using "gigantea anemone" or "gigantea carpet" you can find a few pics, but you will have to wade through some miss-IDed carpets as well.

 

[D-Nak]

They are the same color and size in the wild as they are in captivity. They can grow to over 18" across. Colors are brown, teal, different shades of blue, purple, green, a mix of pastel colors and the legendary red .

Legendary red? Do you think they actually exist? An old time LFS owner who closed down his shop and became an exporter has a blog, and he claimed that these are gigantea (this was back in 2008, scroll down a bit...):

http://eddie-coral-adventures.blogspot.com/2008/06/awesome-anemones.html

If you do a Google Images search using "gigantea anemone" or "gigantea carpet" you can find a few pics, but you will have to wade through some miss-IDed carpets as well.

+1. Many look like they are haddoni.

 

[kduen]

Legendary red? Do you think they actually exist? An old time LFS owner who closed down his shop and became an exporter has a blog, and he claimed that these are gigantea (this was back in 2008, scroll down a bit...):

http://eddie-coral-adventures.blogspot.com/2008/06/awesome-anemones.html



+1. Many look like they are haddoni.

From the link above: "A couple of gorgeous red giganteas. Unfortunately the red morph of this species seems more sensitive than the blue or the purple. If you have a red giantea alive for more than 6 months, you are extremely lucky!"

Both of those are S. Haddoni. I think it was Bonsai that said " S Haddoni commonly have the red lipstick around the mouth but S. Gigantea never do.".

 

[D-Nak]

Both of those are S. Haddoni. I think it was Bonsai that said " S Haddoni commonly have the red lipstick around the mouth but S. Gigantea never do.".

I think they are haddoni too. I also remember that comment, and it came from someone with "street cred" so I believe the statement to be true.

 

[kduen]

And there is always this link that has multiple pages as well.

http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/cnidaria/actiniaria/gigantea.htm

 

[2Addicted]

From the link above: "A couple of gorgeous red giganteas. Unfortunately the red morph of this species seems more sensitive than the blue or the purple. If you have a red giantea alive for more than 6 months, you are extremely lucky!"

Both of those are S. Haddoni. I think it was Bonsai that said " S Haddoni commonly have the red lipstick around the mouth but S. Gigantea never do.".

+1, undoubtably S. haddoni.

 

[GrindingNemo]

The "How Rare Is This?" sticky at the top of the Anemones & Clownfish forum has some good pics of wild gigs http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1529412

 

[illcssd]

Unfortunately, the red lipstick comment is not true. Up until recently I believed that but have acquired a Gigantea with the "red lipstick."

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk

 

[2Addicted]

Unfortunately, the red lipstick comment is not true. Up until recently I believed that but have acquired a Gigantea with the "red lipstick."

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk

Are you talking about this one illcssd? Im fairly confident that's a haddoni. Does it have purple verracue?

 

[illcssd]

Are you talking about this one illcssd? Im fairly confident that's a haddoni. Does it have purple verracue?

Yes, that one. I know the difference. It has clearly visible blue verracue on the rim. I rechecked myself twice due to being confused about it.

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk

 

[2Addicted]

Got any pics of the verracue? Thats interesting, the folds, tentacle length/ shape, red lipstick, and the tentacle pattern all point at haddoni. It even looks like it's foot may be buried? Could you possibly be mistaking the verrucae for haddoni verruca like what is visible in post 10 of this thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1943754 ?

 

[illcssd]

I'm not new it this. I'm not making a mistake. I will show pictures tomorrow but I've been id'ing and taking care of anemones for 10 years. It's a Gigantea or a hybrid.

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[phender]

The Fautin/Allen book says that haddoni can have rose to purple verrucae. (I haven't seen it, but that doesn't mean its not true). Based on the picture alone, I would say the above anemone is a haddoni as well.

I would take the Eddie Coral Adventures blog with a grain of salt. I read on a different page that he was saying that almost all the colored haddoni (green, blue, red) offered online were actually gigantea. He could tell from the pictures. That tells me he doesn't really know anemones as well as he thinks.

 

[D-Nak]

The Fautin/Allen book says that haddoni can have rose to purple verrucae. (I haven't seen it, but that doesn't mean its not true). Based on the picture alone, I would say the above anemone is a haddoni as well.

Speaking of which, the book is a must have. I picked up a copy on Amazon for less than 20 bucks. The photo of the green mertensii is sweet. And there are plenty of nice photos of gigs in the wild.

I would take the Eddie Coral Adventures blog with a grain of salt. I read on a different page that he was saying that almost all the colored haddoni (green, blue, red) offered online were actually gigantea. He could tell from the pictures. That tells me he doesn't really know anemones as well as he thinks.

Agreed. He was on point when it came to SPS back when he had his shop, but what he said about the gigs and haddonis don't make sense to me. It's almost as if he had it backwards.

So, has anyone seen a red gigantea -- that's been positively IDed as a gig? And honestly, I'm going to need to photographic proof. :rolleye1:

 

[2Addicted]

I'm not new it this. I'm not making a mistake. I will show pictures tomorrow but I've been id'ing and taking care of anemones for 10 years. It's a Gigantea or a hybrid.

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk

Sorry, I didn't realize that I was talking to Mr. Omniscient when I posted trying to help you out. :facepalm: Claiming that a very knowledgeable person is wrong and then getting defensive when your asked for evidence is odd in my book.

 

[Deepsea2005]

Thank you all for your pictures and info.
I'm planning to have a purple gig and a Blue gig on each corner of my 300g tank.
Hope they will live peaceful together.

 

[taylor t]

Unfortunately, the red lipstick comment is not true. Up until recently I believed that but have acquired a Gigantea with the "red lipstick."

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I too have seen a blue gig with red "lipstick". I also have a gig that has burried itself in 4" of sand and attached to the glass, which according to the pro's, it's a haddoni if it does that. It amuses me that some on these forums have seen it all. Proving people wrong is a waste of time in my book.

 

[phender]

So, has anyone seen a red gigantea -- that's been positively IDed as a gig? And honestly, I'm going to need to photographic proof. :rolleye1:

This isn't going to mean anything to you since I don't have any pictures, but I saw two at Quality Marine in the late 1990's. The floor manager called me over the second I walked in because he knew I was an anemone geek. Unfortunately, both had damage to the foot. This was pretty much before there were any red haddoni available as well.
As far as a picture, this is the best I can do. http://www.amazon.com/The-Marine-Aquarium-Handbook-Beginner/dp/0939960079

I think most people would agree that bleached pink = red with zooxanthellae. However, some people have looked at this pic and said they think it is a bleached purple. I have seen bleached purple gigs and they still look purple, but that usually doesn't satisfy people either.