Questions about gigantea carpet

[clowns4me]

Hey all

Yesterday I bought a 'gigantea' carpet but now looking back I think I could of bein sold a mertens.
Reasons I think this
1-the tentacles are short
2-the veraculae (however you spell it) is orange
3-it doesnt open flat like most gigs it just folds up

I'll try and post a pic sometime but my photos won't upload, so if anyone is able to I could email some photos to put up here

Regards
Ben

 

[D-Nak]

It's hard to ID without a photo. Could it be Stichodactyla helianthus? I've seen those with orange verrucae. Do the verrucae stop abruptly, fade, or do they transition into the base and form more of a stripe, and remain brightly colored?

Here's a thread with some photos of Stichodactyla helianthus:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2094237

And one showing mertensii:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2176887&highlight=mertens

Keep in mind that gigs usually don't lie flat, but have folds, haddoni and mertensii tend to lie flat, but haddoni is in the sand and mertensii is a rock dweller. Also, mertensii seem to lie on an oblong share versus completely round.

 

[D-Nak]

Here's a thread that shows all three:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1943754

 

[clowns4me]

Ok well thanks to the last link I think I have a mertens.
What are the care requirements for the mertens
I'll try upload a pic in the next few hours

 

[clowns4me]

in the bag

in my sump for the time being

let me know what you think and if you want any more pics

 

[Reefvette]

Mertens and the easiest variant to keep.

Congrats

 

[clowns4me]

Ok. How long will it take to reach its full size?
Anyone got any tips for the care of it?
Are they fish eaters?

 

[Reefvette]

Mertens

Mertens

Good Lighting and good flow will help and there is no mature size, because they can grown up to the size of VW beetle!

 

[phender]

Good Lighting and good flow will help and there is no mature size, because they can grown up to the size of VW beetle!

I think most of the literature says max size is a little over 3 feet. Not quite the size of a VW, but still bigger than most tanks can accommodate.

They like enough water flow to have the edges of their skirts lifted just a little every once in a while. They don't need to be blasted. Lighting is not as critical as it would be for a gigantea. I kept one for several years in a 18" deep tank under compact fluorescents before switching to HO T5s. Lighting for LPS type corals is enough for your mertens. Of course more is always better. The more you feed it, the faster it will grow. I would suggest no target feeding at all. If it is healthy it should be able to catch all it needs when you feed your fish.

They are much less likely to eat your non-clownfish than a haddoni. In the 6 years I had mine it ate only one fish, a rabbitfish that was weak and stupid. The rabbit fish was actually stung once and got away. Two weeks later, it wasn't so lucky.

You are very lucky. You got an anemone that is much hardier than a gigantea. You likely got it for the price of a brown gigantea (sometimes mertens prices can be grossly inflated) and you got an anemone that will be accepted by almost every clown in the book.

Good luck and post more pics when it gets acclimated into your tank.

And if don't want it because its just a stinky old mertens, send it to me!

 

[Reefvette]

3 feet is an estimate.

Give me three months when i get mine in a 48 x 24 x 16 tank ill let ya know if the 3 foot room is max but im pretty sure they can get loads bigger then that.

 

[clowns4me]

It's going into a 20" cube for now but will end up being in my 5x2x2

Phil- I think it would be interesting sending it half way across the world.
Thanks everyone for your support and input I'll post some pics every week o how it's settling in.

 

[D-Nak]

You likely got it for the price of a brown gigantea (sometimes mertens prices can be grossly inflated) and you got an anemone that will be accepted by almost every clown in the book.

+1. The last one I saw had a price tag of $250. Brightly colored, but still very expensive.

 

[phender]

Phil- I think it would be interesting sending it half way across the world.

Thats OK, almost all the stuff we get in the USA comes from half way around the world.

 

[taylor t]

I've had mine for a couple years. It grew pretty fast, but hasn't gotten much bigger than 24". I'm not sure if it just doesn't grow because it feels "pinned" in by all the other stuff in my tank. My tank is 2'x6'. I haven't fed it much lately, too busy. Maybe lack of food keeps it in check. Looks happy as ever with out food though.

 

[clowns4me]

I paid $120 for it.
Phil- If your lucky ill send you some photos

 

[clowns4me]

Hey guys
Thought I update you on my mertens. I'll post a pic later but so far so good. He's being in his cube for about 2 days now and spent 5 days in my sump

As of now he's under 2 t5 and seems to be ok, and he also appears to be rather yellow on the tips

I think i got a good specimen as he's mouths being tightly closed since I got him last week

 

[clowns4me]

 

[OrionN]

Very nice. These guys were very expensive a few years ago. It was due to some freaks like us who was hellbent on getting them to our tank and they are only rarely collected. It is nice that your Mertens is small enough to fit in a small tank like your. Good luck