What kind of Nem do you guys think this is??

[Meggie2409]

Ooook so after me waiting and waiting I finally have a nice pic of my supposed to be LTA.. However, I have a feeling it is not after looking at a lot of LTA's... So everyones awesome input would be great! Oh and the foot is burried in the sand but it is the same color as u see the top of it.. It is not orange or red.

Megan-


<img src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs659.snc4/59942_1352494622372_1531590066_30785776_4719122_n.jpg">

<img src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs729.snc4/64936_169152303098556_100000113620970_586991_2736015_n.jpg">

 

[garygb]

Those verrucae look very LTA (M. doreensis) to me. Corkscrewing of tentacles in the first pic also look like an LTA (sometimes called corkscrew anemone). In the first pic it almost has an H. crispa look, but all considered, I'm pretty confident you have an LTA.

 

[Meggie2409]

Gary thanx... The only problem I have is that the verrucae are not going in lines they start and then scatter... Also the foot has no color... Lta I know have orange or red foot... I am leaning towards crispa... but wanted some advise... Im kinda half assured its a LTA and half its a crispa lol so I will put a check in the LTA box lol...

 

[B Mack]

You can't tell, but in the 2nd pic its closing up on a 4-5" long silver side.. This thing is a good 12" in diameter when "full".. lol

 

[garygb]

Hmm, that is unusual for the foot not to be orange or reddish. I had an LTA for years until a heater malfunction ;-(, and it did have a distinctly reddish colored foot for the duration. You have a mystery on your hands. But I'd still say LTA, though the foot not being orange does raise some doubts for me. Whatever it is, it's pretty.

 

[2Addicted]

I had an lta with a foot that wasnt red and it wasnt bleached, it was the same color as yours. The tentacles look like lta tentacles but the verracue dont really resemble lta so im not sure.

 

[davocean]

I'm pretty certain that is a sebae(H.crispa)
Would like to see foot though, but if you say no red, it's gotta be a sebae.

 

[Meggie2409]

Dav glad u took a look and im very familiar with its foot and no red or orange at all just that greyish color.... I love it so it doesnt matter and so does my clown i hear these can get big tho??? Bigger than lta?

 

[davocean]

Yeah, my crispa max'd at 2 feet, which is what should be max size for a crispa.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Macrodactyla doreensis

 

[Meggie2409]

Ok so I have mixed opinions on this so I am going with a crazy hybrid and call it a Long crispa tentacle anemone hahahaha jk well hmmm anyone know a way I can find out for sure?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

read the anemone FAQ at the top of this forum

fwiw: crispa and doreensis are both commonly called "LTA anemones"

 

[Meggie2409]

Ok so I read that... and still not really helping classifying this nem... it has characteristics of both types? I understand that the predominate verrucae scream doreensis but lack of color in the foot and that the verrucae being scattered are more of the crispa trait.... I am happy either way but the size is an issue... One maxing out at 18in compared to 24in is major in my tank lol

 

[davocean]

I would normally trust Gary's ID over mine, but still doesn't look typical to me.

 

[marc price]

Macrodactyla doreensis

+1, Without a doubt M. doreensis!
Just look at those corkscrew tentacles/white tips, large white oval verrucae, and i'll bet there's a good deal of space with sparse tentacle density closer to the mouth not to mention that the column doesn't always have to be a bright contrasting color.

 

[elegance coral]

There is no question that the anemone is M. doreensis. Some ID's are questionable. This one is not. Some LTA's have an orange foot, some don't. This is a very poor tool for identification. Even condy's and malu can have an orange foot.

 

[JamesJR]

It is a M. Doreensis and one heck of a nice looking one I might add.

 

[Meggie2409]

Thank you all for ur input.. I actually went up to my AWESOME LFS and told him everyones thoughts (where I bought the anemone) and he actually thinks as well it is a crispa (he has been able to see it up close) but I really dont care I LOVE LOVE LOVE it and have had it for 6 mths now and has grown abt 5 in since I bought it! Soon it will have the 55 gal all to itself and of course will remain the show piece it is!

*** Also thank you all for the great comments abt this beast lol like I said it is now 12-13in across and just throwing some of the prettiest colors like it is tie dyed lol wish all of u cld see it in person. Its fav food is Silversides which I limit due to the fact people have had many problems with them, so its main diet is krill. How do I keep it from growing so fast??? I feed it abt 2x weekly. Input wld be well appreciated

 

[elegance coral]

I hate to say it, but your LFS is wrong. You took some great pic's that make identification a sure thing. The anemone is M. doreensis. It is not H. crispa. There is simply no doubt at all.

You can control the growth, to some extent, with the amount of food it receives. The anemone will probably grow quite large being fed twice a week. It will probably be a very healthy animal as well.

 

[Meggie2409]

Awesome thanx EC yeah I really dont mind either way lol I will go with the majority vote on this one woohooo M. Doreensis!!!:celeb3::celeb3: I wanna keep it nice and healthy so I will continue with its normal feeding schedule A silverside once a mth shldnt hurt shld it??