New Baby Stichodactyla Gigantea

[ryannterror]

Been watching a very small Stichodactyla Gigantea at LFS fully expanded its only 2" maybe 2.5". I picked him up saturday. Seems healthy but hungry! Anemone was only in the tank an hour before he ate a chunk of shrimp that fell on him from my clown. The clown ripped off a piece from the larger chunk I feed my Mag.

Ive never seen a S Gig this small before. Unless I Id'ed him wrong but he's got a long thin foot and long tentacles for as starved as he seems to be.

 

[OrionN]

He looks like he may be a Gigantea. What is his column look like?
I am very interested in seeing how fast he grow with feeding.

 

[reefs4lifee]

Not looking like a Gigantea to me but a better ID will come out of knowing what the foot looks like.

 

[ryannterror]

He looks like he may be a Gigantea. What is his column look like?
I am very interested in seeing how fast he grow with feeding.

It's column was light color 3/4-1" in diameter. When it was in the bag acclimating column was about 2.5 -3" long maybe. I didn't really pay super close attention just looked for any rips.

 

[OrionN]

Feed him something and take a picture of the top of the column as he eat his food. Often Gigantea have pastel color foot, color up about 1/2 way and fade out, and colorful vercucae on top down about 1/2 way.

 

[ryannterror]

The column is buried in the sand and attached to the rock.

 

[ryannterror]

Feed him something and take a picture of the top of the column as he eat his food. Often Gigantea have pastel color foot, color up about 1/2 way and fade out, and colorful vercucae on top down about 1/2 way.

Ok I'll try to get a picture tonight!

 

[OrionN]

You can still see the top part of it. It will help confirm the species so there is no question. It may not be esstial for you but for the rest of us, it will be very helpfull since we do not get to see it in person.

 

[ryannterror]

Heres the 2 best pictures I could get sorry they are from a cellphone camera is dead.

His foot is on the rock only now right above the sand.

 

[ryannterror]

This one is little more clear.

 

[OrionN]

I cannot tell for sure. If the oral plate have more folds, or if the foot is blue or green then there is no question that this is a Gigantea. As it is IMO, this is a Gigantea but I am not sure 100%
I could be S. helianthus. I guess we just have to wait and see. Feed him well and see how he grow.
Do a search on H. helianthus and you see some picture that is similar to your anemone

 

[fragginawsome]

he is so cute! i once had a1 1/2'' green gigantea(blue purple brown base)

 

[shred5]

I cannot tell for sure. If the oral plate have more folds, or if the foot is blue or green then there is no question that this is a Gigantea. As it is IMO, this is a Gigantea but I am not sure 100%
I could be S. helianthus. I guess we just have to wait and see. Feed him well and see how he grow.
Do a search on H. helianthus and you see some picture that is similar to your anemone

I agree though that is a odd gigantea if it is one.. I am thinking something else.
I have to say it is very nice looking and healthy.

 

[ryannterror]

I cannot tell for sure. If the oral plate have more folds, or if the foot is blue or green then there is no question that this is a Gigantea. As it is IMO, this is a Gigantea but I am not sure 100%
I could be S. helianthus. I guess we just have to wait and see. Feed him well and see how he grow.
Do a search on H. helianthus and you see some picture that is similar to your anemone

The foot is shade of pale green with green spots. Looking at pictures of the S. Helianthus the tentacles look different from this anemone but that could just be cause its so young or hungry. It's hard to find pictures of a small carpet. Time will tell I guess.

 

[stickleback]

IMO I'm 100% sure that's a S. helianthus

 

[D-Nak]

The verrucae and shape of the tentacles (thicker and more round than a gig, which are thinner and end in a point) are that of S. helianthus IMO. If the color is correct in the photos, the orangeish brown verrucae are also an indicator. Finally, the overall shape is more indicative of S. helianthus -- flatter with less ridges/folding than a gig. However, since it's small, and is still acclimating, it could very well be a gig.

 

[Breadman03]

I cannot tell for sure. If the oral plate have more folds, or if the foot is blue or green then there is no question that this is a Gigantea. As it is IMO, this is a Gigantea but I am not sure 100%
I could be S. helianthus. I guess we just have to wait and see. Feed him well and see how he grow.
Do a search on H. helianthus and you see some picture that is similar to your anemone

Those verracue look identical to the ones on my S. helianthus, though mine is bleached. Take a peak at my thread. Note that I have two sets of pictures on there; one upon arrival and one after a few weeks.

 

[kduen]

I would agree with S. Helianthus

 

[kduen]

Here is a Pic of a baby(2") S. Gigantea I received from LA back in march.

This was about 5 min after being placed in the tank.


Here it is the first night when it started to ball up like a mag.


The next Day:


Unfortunately the little guy didn't make it as the Cipro I ordered hadn't arrived yet. But as you can see it looks a lot different then the nem in the above pics.

 

[ryannterror]

Heres 2 pictures with flash after lights off.

Its kinda of a greenish blue definitely not tan in color.