ID for bright yellow anemone

[cbitsiaras]

Hello everyone,

I am all brand new member of the forum and very excited reading all the threads and replies. We have a 250L Red Sea Max reef tank with various corals and fishes. Recently we bought 3 anemones which are bright yellow in colour and seem to like being on the sand and close to a rock. It also has blue tips and is around 6cm (2.3in) diameter . Does anyone knows the scientific name of it or any further information? Is the first anemone type I put so any species related information would be more than welcome.

Wishing you all a wonderful Sunday evening from rainy and cold Copenhagen.

Best regards,
Dino

 

[blackwagon]

Looks like some bleached bubble tips to me.

What kind of lights were they under when you bought them?

 

[cbitsiaras]

They had just gotten shipped over from Asia. It is low light, not even HQI or LED, just these simple tubes (not sure whats their name). The photo is taken under T5 tubes.

 

[AliciaP]

I agree with the bleached bubble tip idea.

 

[sjwitt]

Agree, looks to be bubble tip ... scientific name Entacmaea Quadricolor. Very bleached... you will need to feed them. Very small portions, every other day at least.

 

[bradleym]

I'm gonna go against the grain here, but I say either Heteractis Malu or Heteractis Crispa. BTAs don't like being that close to the sand usually. Also, there appear to be way too many tentacles, and the blue tips are more typical of Heteractis species. The position by the sand, the overall shape it is holding itself in, the number of tentacles, the blue tips... Yea I am betting H. Crispa or Malu.

Whatever the case, the tentacles are too short and too clear. The yellow does not appear to be natural either. So it is most likely a LONG way from being healthy.

 

[AliciaP]

When I was nursing my nem back to health, I fed it a 1/3 of a silverside every couple of days.

 

[cbitsiaras]

Thank you so much all for your time in replying to my post. When I was looking at an Anemone guide the closest resemblance i could too find with was with Heteractis Malu. I will follow your advice and feed them frequently and hope they will recover. Will keep you posted

 

[phender]

I agree that they are Heteractic malu. Pale yellow is a natural color for H. malu, but the transparentness of the tentacles says that it has bleached (lost its zooxanthellae). With good care, they can regain their health.
Several small bits of food are better for the anemone than large chunks. They are easier to digest. I would suggest mysis sized pieces of shrimp or scallop. I always try to use human grade food rather than "pet grade" food.

 

[Arringar]

+1 H. Malu

 

[Dapg8gt]

Def not a BTA. Good luck on getting it to color up.

 

[cbitsiaras]

I agree that they are Heteractic malu. Pale yellow is a natural color for H. malu, but the transparentness of the tentacles says that it has bleached (lost its zooxanthellae). With good care, they can regain their health.
Several small bits of food are better for the anemone than large chunks. They are easier to digest. I would suggest mysis sized pieces of shrimp or scallop. I always try to use human grade food rather than "pet grade" food.

Being new, this is an excellent help - went to my neighbourhoods pet shop and bought frozen mysis shrimp which as you suggest i will feed it in small portions to the anemone. I am thinking of defrozing them in a small quantity of salt water and then using an injection placing the mysis closeby the mouth. Unless you have a better idea. Once again thanks a million

 

[OrionN]

Purple tipped yellowish bleached H. malu is one of the common Malu color as mention above by phender. It is attached in the sand bed, which is never the case BTA. We will know 100% sure once it regain some of it's health, but I am also pretty sure that it is a H. malu.
Good one bradleym

 

[elegance coral]

It is horribly bleached, and the anemone has a long road to recovery. Like the others, if I was forced to guess, I'd say malu, but that's just a shot in the dark given its condition. Once it recovers, it will be much easier to properly ID the anemone.

Good luck with it
EC

 

[cbitsiaras]

Thanks a lot to all - I will post after recovery pictures (hope there will be some) :headwally: