Potential unicorn on DD today?

[kduen]

Sorry if someone is trying to snipe this but "True carpet anemone red" is on the list. Divers den usually doesnt misrepresent so this ought to be interesting.

 

[reppo13]

For anyone that didn't see it.

 

[D-Nak]

I saw it. Looks like a haddoni, though it's labeled gigantea.

Here's the page:

I don't see visible verrucae, nor have I seen a gigantea with red lipstick.

 

[saltwaterguy718]

What a beauty!

 

[D-Nak]

I just Googled "gigantea" to see if any red ones with red lipstick came up. Here's one:

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/Pix%20Of%20The%20Day%20Marine/POTD%20SW%20Arch%20280-299/swpotdarch292.htm

(NOT!)

 

[ryannterror]

Maybe I'm wrong but both pictures look like haddoni carpets to me?

 

[ponokareefer]

Maybe I'm wrong but both pictures look like haddoni carpets to me?

Agreed.

I guess LFS's charging $800 for red haddoni's around here isn't as bad as I thought.

 

[Winwood]

That's a haddoni.

 

[marc price]

Divers den usually doesnt misrepresent so this ought to be interesting.

They do if you believe the many of colors! Nevertheless every now and again i see i.d. mistakes made on divers den, i don't think it's anything more then human error.

 

[D-Nak]

Yes, I agree that it's a haddoni. Anyone who is willing to pay $$$s for an anemone should know the physical differences between a gigantea and a haddoni, and also the rareness of a red gigantea. In terms of misrepresentation, I do agree that this was not intentional by LA, though they do tend to over-saturate their photos.

 

[marc price]

Yes, I agree that it's a haddoni. Anyone who is willing to pay $$$s for an anemone should know the physical differences between a gigantea and a haddoni, and also the rareness of a red gigantea. In terms of misrepresentation, I do agree that this was not intentional by LA, though they do tend to over-saturate their photos.

I never saw a red gig, not even a credible photo of one, pink^ but not red. 10 to 1 unless they don't know the difference or care about the difference, when whoever ordered it realizes it's not a Gig, they'll end up getting a great deal on it from LA compensating them for the mistake.


^Sprung Julian, Inverts A Quick Reference Guide, p 56

 

[ct_vol]

I better start paying closer attention to my DD emails... If it had been a Red Gig I would have at least liked to have considered buying it before deciding it was too expensive to convince the wife.

 

[D-Nak]

I never saw a red gig, not even a credible photo of one, pink^ but not red. 10 to 1 unless they don't know the difference or care about the difference, when whoever ordered it realizes it's not a Gig, they'll end up getting a great deal on it from LA compensating them for the mistake.


^Sprung Julian, Inverts A Quick Reference Guide, p 56

What about this anemone?

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2275962&page=6

 

[marc price]

What about this anemone?

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2275962&page=6

you tell me...

It's an interesting anemone- it came in four years ago from the Philippines, listed as a ricordia (!). It was about 3 inches across. It has maxed out now at 8 inches across and hasn't really grown in the past year. I'm pretty sure it's not a true haddoni (obviously seen plenty of those), but am also not convinced it is a gigantea. It's tentacles do vibrate occasionaly but nothing like the other gig in the same tank.

I don't want to bum anyone out, but I think the jury should still be out on this one. Although I have never seen colored verrucae on a haddoni, and I don't think her book in the last word in clownfish host anemones, Daphne Fautin says in her description of S. haddoni as sometimes having light rose to purple verrucae.

In the same picture that shows the purple verrucae, the tentacles on the edge look very haddoni-ish. I also think I may be seeing exocoelic tentacle differences.

I would love it to be a gigantea, so I would have a little more credibility as seeing one myself (in my eyes as well), but I am not sure it is. Hopefully Reefvette can see it in person and give a definite ID.

i was there today and I took a closer look @ it and I don't see any purple veracue. I think he is running a kessil led and his DT wasn't that bright for me to confirm.

Even though those verracue are colored, there is something about them that doesn't look gigantea-ish to me. Maybe they are too small, maybe there are too many, I don't know, it just doesn't look quite right. Like I said before, Fautin reports that haddoni can have colored verracue. That is why I would like to see other pictures, because one or two pics is not enough to make a positive ID IMO.

Thanks Jason,

When you lifted the "skirt" to show the verracue the edge tentacles looks very haddoni-ish. Those new pictures don't look haddoni-ish at all.

Now I don't have to defend/doubt myself anymore when I said I saw a couple in the '90's.

Maybe you should sent it to me so I can be absolutely sure.

...credible pix, not incredible, as Jasons show tank clearly is!

 

[D-Nak]

you tell me...


...credible pix, not incredible, as Jasons show tank clearly is!

Actually, I made my decision on that particular anemone. What's your take? :mixed:

A couple things...

1. lgnd95 was talking about the nem at Reef Raft in Southern CA. If it was the same one I saw when I was there, it was a haddoni, and looked nothing like the one in the thread.

2. Phil is the only person I know who has actually seen red gigs. I trust him and it sounds like he thinks it's a gig.

3. BonsaiNut, who I believe to be one of the most knowledgeable when it comes to nem IDs said "Exactly. First photo I have ever seen of one [a red gig]. Saving this one for my files."

I agree that it's not "incredible" because there is no conclusive evidence to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that this particular nem is 100% a red gigantea, but it's the closest we have of one in captivity.

 

[marc price]

Actually, I made my decision on that particular anemone. What's your take? :mixed:

Yes, could be, after all we have a photo of a pink gig, but i'm still mixed on it.

Obviously we're looking at pix, but the contrasting verrucae which are best seen in the pix taken with flash, just seems off to me, close but not quite as colorful as i'd expect based on other gigs.
For me what says Gig more is the length of the inner tentacles and spoke like spacing. In relation to the tentacles further out, they seem more mertens like. As to spacing i have seen my own haddoni go thru periods when it would display exactly the same "gig" spoke like spacing, also seen it's tentacles get thin, longer (but not as stout and long as those), and vibrate!

Some thoughts, suggestions. If indeed it is gig, then being so rare in the trade and apparently in the wild, why doesn't Jason remove the other carpets from the system. Make a effort to spot feed and see if it then grows larger then the seemingly 8" max he reported. If nothing else nurture it more. I'd even go as far as to say remove the mags next if nothing changes, see what happens.

Btw, i had missed that entire thread topic, thanks for bringing it to my attention.

 

[OrionN]

Marc,<O</O
<O</O

We really got side track from this thread. Let me push it further.

<O</OWe are obsessed with anemones. Jason is not. He is busy guy with his store. That Gigantea is hardly the most important in his shop. I am in many ways, I feel the Gigantea should have end up with me, one of the most Gigantea obsessed reefer there is. But it is not the case and it is not mine.
Who are we to say what Jason should or should not do?<O</O

 

[Reef1589]

I feel the Gigantea should have end up with me, one of the most Gigantea obsessed reefer there is. But it is not the case and it is not mine.

:hammer::hammer:
Common now minh... we both know it should've ended up with me.. :dance:

 

[marc price]

Marc,<O</O
<O</O

We really got side track from this thread. Let me push it further.

<O</OWe are obsessed with anemones. Jason is not. He is busy guy with his store. That Gigantea is hardly the most important in his shop. I am in many ways, I feel the Gigantea should have end up with me, one of the most Gigantea obsessed reefer there is. But it is not the case and it is not mine.
Who are we to say what Jason should or should not do?<O</O

right, thats why i wrote thoughts and suggestions.

Google maps puts me 2h 20min away from greenwich aquaria, very tempted to check it out.

Has Reefvette been there to see it?

 

[ca1ore]

I have been to Greenwich Aquaria many times, and have ogled Jason's reef tank every time. I certainly am not a carpet anemone expert, but have seen plenty of them in my time and it does not look like a Had to me. Whether it is some kind of hybrid, who knows, but regardless of whether it can be definitively identified, it looks spectacular.