Strange Creature Living in Sand

[BeakerBob]

I have this strange creature living in the sand of my tank. Don't know what it is, but appears to be some sort of anenomae...maybe? The body is buried in the sand like a root. This "root" looks like a peanut and is large compared to the actual top part. Anyone have any ideas what it is??

Here is the root/tube that is buried in the sand:

 

[graveyardworm]

It does look like some sort of really cool anemone. Have you tried feeding it?

 

[BeakerBob]

I have tried to feed it various foods, but it does not grab any of it. Periodically, it pulls top in the sand and disappears, then sticks the flowery part back out of the sand.

 

[sherm71tank]

I want one I want one! You have to name it the "BeakerBob LE Anemone"! Looks cool!

 

[Nerun]

never seen one. maybe its an undiscovered species!

 

[Grunt]

Nice detail in the first picture. Where is your sand/liverock from? Cheers

 

[Sk8r]

Neat, neat creature. I'd feed phyto just in case, [so many strange things are filter feeders] though that thing looks like it might take detritus or small particles---hope nothing larger! I've seen medusa worms, but they were nothing like this cool...though I wonder if it might be a relative.

 

[Opcn]

it has to be a cnidarian of some sort, very cool, take lots more pics!

 

[MIREEFER]

could be some sort of sea apple

 

[reefgrief]

Wow, I cant tell you what it is, but I can tell you its cool..

Sure like to have one.. Need to know what it might feed on.

 

[Grunt]

I would assume its some sort of tube anemone, however all the references I have are Carribean species, and I have no such pictures or descriptions of the pictured specimen. You could always try feeding those 1mm sinking pellets as well, all of my zoa's and other coral eat em too. I would assume it would eat pods and other small things it could catch in the currents.

Cheers

 

[techreef]

Bob, any update on this? What a great looking critter. Have you succeeded in getting it to eat anything?

 

[mamagoose45]

I was digging through our one Invert book and noticed a picture of a Curleycue Anemone (Bartholomea annulata) that looked kind of similar, but much less colorful. Here's the description in the book...

"Grows to about 8 inches across the tentacles. This anemone lives in rocks or gravel with the body protected in a hole, crevice, or cave, and only the tentacles extending into view. The body is often buried quite deeply into the substrate and when the tentacles are visible, the animal is significantly extended. If disturbed, it can withdraw very rapidly."

I don't know if this is exactly what you have, but it seems very similar...

 

[fry_school101]

I want one! That thing is sweet! Maybe I missed it, but how big is he now?

 

[BeakerBob]

I have tried to feed this thing directly, but it doesn't seem to want to close up on any food. It is thriving though, so it must be feeding on other things. The top "flowery" portion is about 1/2" in diameter.

 

[dc]

Have you put this in the anemone forum also? Might be another avenue for you. Neat looking critter, hopefully it's a good one.

 

[Drix]

I was just reading an article today about coral species that are only a single large polyp that can reach up to 6" across. Wish I remember what magazine it was in, you might wanna visit barnes and noble and check a few.

Other than that your curleycue anenomea might be a good idea as well, if it's one of those supposedly their related to aptasia but are filter feeders. Might wanna check that out as well. Either way I'd wait till it splits and start selling them because it friggin rocks >

 

[rammajamma16]

get some un cooked raw shrimp and put a small piece by it. Everything in my tank goes crazy for it, it's in my anemone feeding schedule. I have a decreped looking anemone that i purchased as a green metalic anemone with my other 2, but this one is far from a metalic anemone. It looks kinda like this one minus the cool colouration and mine has a foot. In the 5 plus months i've had it, it's never moved from the spot it anchored it's foot. I had a hard time finding out what my metalic anemones were i never bothered with this othe ugly thing. Maybe when you find out what this thing is i'll be able to identify mine LOL. Mne looks nothing as cool as this one

 

[Ryanqk]

looks like a tube or sebae anenome. Maybe an undescribed one