Polyp ID?

[TacticalDumb***]

Earlier this week my gulf rock came in from Tampa Bay Saltwater so what ever it is, it's from the Gulf of Mexico off the shore of Florida. I've been able to ID most of the hitchhikers but this one has me especially confused. It has a rather extreme aversion to light so getting good pictures and observing it in general has been a challenge.

There's the large one in the center and two to the left.

Getting any info on it has been challenging so I'm asking anywhere I can at This point. Some more info I've been able to gather through observation:

Like I mentioned earlier it has a rather extreme aversion to light. It is nocturnal and if you so much as shine a week light on it it will retract into the rock. I timed it and it takes about 1 minute for it to go from about 3/4in tall to being even with the rock, and another minute for it to be completely within the rock to the point you would never know its there unless you've seen it before (my current light is a Nicrew Marine LED so it's verry weak as reef lights go). I'm unsure as to how it is attached to the rock as its base is in a hole in the rock so I'm not sure if it has a soft base or a stony base. It doesn't get any energy from the photosynthesis and as to what it eats I don't know as I have yet to be able to see it eat due to its extreme light aversion. In the morning I dose phytoplankton for my filter feeders and crushed fish flakes (meat based) for my detritivores, and in the evening I just feed the crushed fish flakes again right before lights out. So it could be eating one or both of those.

I've asked about this on other platforms and people have suggested aptasia but I don't think this is aptasia as I've never heard of aptasia that actively avoids light.

 

[kharmaguru]

Earlier this week my gulf rock came in from Tampa Bay Saltwater so what ever it is, it's from the Gulf of Mexico off the shore of Florida. I've been able to ID most of the hitchhikers but this one has me especially confused. It has a rather extreme aversion to light so getting good pictures and observing it in general has been a challenge.

View attachment 32384738
There's the large one in the center and two to the left.

Getting any info on it has been challenging so I'm asking anywhere I can at This point. Some more info I've been able to gather through observation:

Like I mentioned earlier it has a rather extreme aversion to light. It is nocturnal and if you so much as shine a week light on it it will retract into the rock. I timed it and it takes about 1 minute for it to go from about 3/4in tall to being even with the rock, and another minute for it to be completely within the rock to the point you would never know its there unless you've seen it before (my current light is a Nicrew Marine LED so it's verry weak as reef lights go). I'm unsure as to how it is attached to the rock as its base is in a hole in the rock so I'm not sure if it has a soft base or a stony base. It doesn't get any energy from the photosynthesis and as to what it eats I don't know as I have yet to be able to see it eat due to its extreme light aversion. In the morning I dose phytoplankton for my filter feeders and crushed fish flakes (meat based) for my detritivores, and in the evening I just feed the crushed fish flakes again right before lights out. So it could be eating one or both of those.

I've asked about this on other platforms and people have suggested aptasia but I don't think this is aptasia as I've never heard of aptasia that actively avoids light.

Probably a type of majano but I can see why people might suggest aiptasia. Does it never come out in light, or are you observing it's behaviour during a change in light, or is it reacting to you shining a light directly on it?

 

[griss]

I would say not Majano since it’s gulf rock. The light aversion makes me agree it’s not aiptasia. No idea at this point. Wish you could get some better lit pics.

 

[Reefing102]

Hmm the light aversion is throwing me as well. Does it appear to be all squishy or does there look to be a skeletal base in the rock?

 

[TacticalDumb***]

Probably a type of majano but I can see why people might suggest aiptasia. Does it never come out in light, or are you observing it's behaviour during a change in light, or is it reacting to you shining a light directly on it?

It doesn’t come out at all if there’s light.the only way I can observe it’s behavior is by turning on the light so yes I only observe it’s behavior during a change in light. It will not extend unless it’s so dark in the tank that you can only make out shapes. Right now I have it on a rock under an arch and it considers this too much light.

 

[TacticalDumb***]

Hmm the light aversion is throwing me as well. Does it appear to be all squishy or does there look to be a skeletal base in the rock?

As I said in my post the base price of the polyp is in a hole in the rock. Sorry for the blurry picture the only camera I have access to right now is my phone.

 

[TacticalDumb***]

I would say not Majano since it’s gulf rock. The light aversion makes me agree it’s not aiptasia. No idea at this point. Wish you could get some better lit pics.

I can try again tonight but once the light comes on I have less than a minute to get a good picture (really about 30seconds tops to get a good representation of it fully extended). If I run out of time I have to wait 10 minutes to try again. At the moment the only camera I have access to is my phone camera. I will try and see if I can borrow a better camera.

 

[kharmaguru]

The two smaller look like ball anemones which explains the nocturnal behaviour.

The big one doesn't look like a ball to me.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

There is a hitchhiker page on the TBS webpage.
Perhaps you can find it there?

 

[TacticalDumb***]

another vote for aiptasia

Does it look like these
View attachment 32384788View attachment 32384789
I started my 240 with 150 pounds of TBS rock from the gulf and these were in it.
They are a glass anemone of some sort.
They act like typical aiptasia, just prettier.

Here’s a picture with light from my phone flash. It doesn’t really look like that. It’s much more skinnier.

 

[TacticalDumb***]

Ball anemone
View attachment 32384792

It’s way skinnier than a ball anemone and ball anemones like light, this HATES light.

 

[TacticalDumb***]

There is a hitchhiker page on the TBS webpage.
Perhaps you can find it there?

That was the first place I checked. They didn’t have anything on this as well as a few other hitchhikers. I had to spend a few hours googling.