'nother 'nem Question

[Donya]

How do you tell the difference between an Aiptasia and a small Curly-Cue (Bartholomea) anemone? Does tentacle count/arrangement work?

 

[SlowSwim]

There is a very slight in visual difference..
But both are pest nems, I would get rid of them before they take over your tank.

search on this

 

[Donya]

Do the characteristic fluorescent "curly cue" rings not occur on any Aiptasia species? I have a 1" nem that has those markings, and seems to exhibit other traits that I've read is more characteristic of Bartholomea (not able to contract into nothingness, can't extend into that plate-on-a-stick shape, etc.). At the time I first posted, the tentacle arrangement looked like Aiptasia, but since then it's changed and looks pretty different. I saw Bartholomea annulata on some "beginner" anemone lists, but I take it then that everything in that family has pest potential, not just the Aiptasia genus?

 

[SlowSwim]

Well you could argue that the pest nems are animals and deserve to live. BUT, both will over run the tank and stop anything else growing in the tank.
Use Tropic Marin ELIMI-AIPTAS. Its a solution that when injected into them they literally disintergrate into nothing.. But that doesnt tackle the smaller ones, buy a couple of peppermint shrimp to take care of those.
But these can be abit hit and miss sometimes.
There is a particular speacies of nudibranch that only eats these nems but they are like gold dust to find.

Good luck you'll need it

 

[SkiFletch]

Berghia nudi's eat them too?

 

[Donya]

My CBS seems to be picking off some of the smaller nems that are a different species (looks more like Aiptasia genus) so I guess I don't have to worry too much for now. The big nem stings enough that the shrimp leaves it alone. I'm kind of fond of the big one so I think I'll leave it be as long as the CBS keeps nipping the smaller ones. If it gets out of hand...maybe I'll just keep hammer corals

Now I'm wondering...if Aiptasia (and related genera) are such unstoppable pests in the aquarium, what is different/lacking/present in the aquarium vs. the wild reef that enables Aiptasia to overpopulate to such a high degree?

 

[Lynden]

Now I'm wondering...if Aiptasia (and related genera) are such unstoppable pests in the aquarium, what is different/lacking/present in the aquarium vs. the wild reef that enables Aiptasia to overpopulate to such a high degree?

Predators. In the wild there are a nearly unlimited amounts of anemone-eaters, ranging from Copperbanded Butterflyfish, to Peppermint shrimps, to copepods and bristleworms.

 

[Donya]

I just can't bring myself to do the evil deed...I love my little nem lol. To be honest the nem behavior actually fascinates me more than most corals (save for Fungiidae; those guys rock but I can't keep most species due to tank limitations maybe later on in a bigger tank...). As long as my other animals won't get stung to death or eaten...

Will larger Bartholomea, say 2"+ pose a poblem as far as shrimp/crabs/snails/small fish are concerned? The little Aiptaisa are not in danger of overpopulating but my one big Bartholomea will probably keep growing. Current animals are:

- goby, about 3" or a little more I think
- hermits
- CBS
- conches
- misc. rock-cleaner snails (turbo, astrea...)

Any of those at risk?

 

[Donya]

I'm starting to doubt my ID as Bartholomea annulata...definitely in Aptaisiidae, but unless Bartholomea annulata is known for puffing itself up to look like a flower, then it's another species.
The flower shape is just bizzare...the stalk becomes sphere-shaped and the tentacles shorten and inflate in sort of bubble anemone style. It's also starting to get pink tentacle tips in addition to the fluorescent green markings. Bartholomea annulata doesn't have pink tips near as I can tell...naaaaggggghhhhhh