GBTA being attacked.... *pics

[Mr Cob]

So...came home the other day and noticed I have two GBTA's... I missed the entire process and both look healthy as can be. They have stayed put for the last couple of days and then last night I found the clone attached to one of my acan colonies:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4408231799_eb755b6876.jpg



....and upon closer inspection I noticed it was fighting for it's life:


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2793/4408239223_d9cd16d08a.jpg


Before I managed to snap the pic that little thing had an entire tentacle in it's mouth and stretched through the base of it....pretty cool sight....BUT what the heck are those things? I have them all over the tank but just always assumed they were filter feeders. I did a quick google search but didn't find much.

Any natural reef safe predators for them?

[Kristy]

Hey Rob,
I had an outbreak for a while of a nuisance anemone that looked a lot like the one in your pic. Mine had an orange foot on it, hard to tell with that one stretched like it is. Do yours resemble this at all (the orange on mine was not as prominent as the one in the pic - found this pic on the net, you could only see orange at the base, and clear at the mouth).

Here is my thread:
http://www.maast.org/forums/showthread.php?t=44503&highlight=orange

If you think this might be it, you have to treat them like aiptasias. I eventually got on top of it, but it took a while. I still find one every now and then and fear they will take over again.

[txav8r]

Yikes! That's crazy!
Curious to see what they turn out to be.

[Mr Cob]

Not that it isn't some form of that, but mine are completely clear with white tips but not so perfectly shaped like that of an anemone or majano. More like a cross between that and a spaghetti worm but more related to an anemone.

I don't know....maybe I'm over thinking it and it's exactly what you posted only clear with zero color.

I started with a few like a year ago and now I notice I have a bunch of them....only in caves and crevices though. They extend their tentacles at night.

[Mr Cob]

Yikes! That's crazy!
Curious to see what they turn out to be.


Pretty cool looking though...right? I thought the pic was priceless.

[Kristy]

Yeah, mine only had color on the foot, not on the tentacles / mouth area; that area was all clear. The color was not really noticeable until you start killing them. Stab one of those puppies full of lime juice or kalk slurry and when it retracts to nothing, check what color the fleshy base is.

[Mr Cob]

Kristy....thanks for the lead....give me the dirty now....I may close me ears though...I'm kind of tired of "remedies"....definitely not trying to learn anything new for a few more months..>LOL!

I prefer to just pretend everything is perfect from now on! LOL!

[Kristy]

I never did get a positive id on mine, and never saw it behave as aggressively as yours (great photo!) but knew that anything multiplying at that speed was NOT my friend, so I went after them.

[Mr Cob]

Yeah, mine only had color on the foot, not on the tentacles / mouth area; that area was all clear. The color was not really noticeable until you start killing them. Stab one of those puppies full of lime juice or kalk slurry and when it retracts to nothing, check what color the fleshy base is.


I bet mine are the same.

What negative effect did they have on your system? ALL (most) of my rock is mounted and I have foam too...so that could submit some obvious challenges....do you know if Peps will eat them?

[Kristy]

I prefer to just pretend everything is perfect from now on! LOL!

Denial only gives them a better head start... definitely speaking from experience on that one (come see some problems in our tank that ran away from me...) :bigsmile:

[Mr Cob]

LOL! Hey stop it.

You answer my questions before I even post them. :p

[Kristy]

do you know if Peps will eat them?

I bet that they do.

These nuisance guys took off like crazy in our small tank and really got out of control. We saw one or two in our big tank, but they never spread in the 210g like they had in the small tank. My theory was that all the peps we had in the big tank at that time were keeping them in check. But it's just a theory - and not based on the scientific method, nor do I have any published scientific journals to support these findings!:ph34r:

[justahobby]

Google images kept showing aipatsia..... but I believe they are called glass anemones. They prefer dark crevices or undersides of rocks. I'm shocked that they are winning against a much bigger BTA.

[Kristy]

Yep, mine preferred underside of rocks and dark caves too.

[justahobby]

Wow, I was reeaaaally slow on this one.

Sorry Kirsty, you got this one!

[Mr Cob]

Google images kept showing aipatsia..... but I believe they are called glass anemones. They prefer dark crevices or undersides of rocks. I'm shocked that they are winning against a much bigger BTA.


Good info...the BTA got away...but my GBTA's have a very weak sting. Now....let's see them mess with my RBTA....LOL! He packs a punch.

Justin...I knew you'd be all over an ID. Did you find anything on natural predators? Perhaps confirming Krity's theory on the peps?

[Kristy]

Yeah, Justin, hurry up! We need some better researched data here!

[justahobby]

Have you considered clipping/ cutting the menace so your bta isn't having to fight this one on his own?

[justahobby]

Wow I'm just going to give up and say its my Internet's fault.

[justahobby]

apparently larger ones can crown-o-thorns starfish, Yikes!

[Gilbert]

Funny how i just asked you about your bta yesterday...
Maybe its a sign that you should give one to me.:hypnotyized:

[justahobby]

Peppermints are worth a shot. Most people seem to be more interested in feeding them, rather than eradication. I have some aiptasia x laying around if want to borrow it

[Mr Cob]

Funny how i just asked you about your bta yesterday...
Maybe its a sign that you should give one to me.:hypnotyized:

Well, if I was ever going to get rid of the clone, now is the time especially since it's attached to that acan rock and I can just cut the rock. I'll let you know. And...yes that's funny....but this is the GBTA and not the RBTA. If it's still there when I get home I'll consider doing some trading with you.


Peppermints are worth a shot. Most people seem to be more interested in feeding them, rather than eradication. I have some aiptasia x laying around if want to borrow it

Interesting...why is that? Are they not a threat to the tank? Are they not considered pests? I'm assuming they are filter feeders and could be benefitial???

[Jarob]

Inject that badboy with some lemon juice! I used to have some of those in my tank aswell, I added a pep a few months ago and I havent noticed a single one anymore, so yes Im guessing they do eat them too.

[Mr Cob]

Thx for chiming in Jarob.

[tzhanks]

I just read that when orange ball anemones are small they are clear hope that helps.

[Gilbert]

If it's still there when I get home I'll consider doing some trading with you.

LMK cause i'd be interested in a trade

[Mr Cob]

I just read that when orange ball anemones are small they are clear hope that helps.

Good info. I'll check and see if I have any large ones developing color.


LMK cause i'd be interested in a trade

Will do.

[Still Learning]

peppermints ate a lot of my acans...be careful...they can be hard to get out in a fully stocked tank.

[Mr Cob]

peppermints ate a lot of my acans...be careful...they can be hard to get out in a fully stocked tank.

I have never had this problem. Were they from the coast or LFS? I have heard the ones from the coast are a little aggressive.

I have never had a problem with either....but I also don't want to gamble.

[ismvel]

Hey Rob,
I have a couple of aiptasia (ones that are noticible) on some of the recent corals I have purchased and am looking for a way to get rid of them. I ran across this discussion, where a couple of others said peppermint shrimp are fond of acans as well.

http://maast.org/forums/showthread.php?t=55960&highlight=aiptasia

But I too was unaware of that.

[Mr Cob]

THX for the link Ismael, man I have a lot of acans and have never had a problem with the peppermints...but, if I have peppermints already....just a couple, then it's obvious they aren't controlling this little white anemone thing anyways...so guess no point in adding more.

I'm going to sit on this one before deciding what to do. ATM it's not a problem.

[justahobby]

....
Interesting...why is that? Are they not a threat to the tank? Are they not considered pests? I'm assuming they are filter feeders and could be benefitial???

Mostly they are viewed as a less prolific version of the aiptasia.... a good "cuc" in their own right. I haven't found any outbreaks like Kristy described. But I'm sure they are there, I didn't research it for more than 10 minutes.

[greatwhite@AlamoAquatics]

hey rob look up caribbean corallimorph(pseudocorynactis caribbeorum) they are preyed upon by copperband butterflies,and numerous shrimp lysmata species... thats what it looks like to me..

[Milly]

Hey Rob,

I have them too! I tried looking them up about eight months ago, to no avail. I even tried on here to get an id because in structure they are very different from aptasia. I tried taking a picture, but due to the lack of color anywhere except the bubble tips (white), I've never had any luck.

I noticed one, very hard to see, and now a year later I can pretty much find them anywhere in the tank. Visually I don't think they can ever compete with the other inhabitants of the tank. I've not, to this day, had any of them doing what your specimen has done to the BTA.

I queried Ace when he was over here a month ago and he said they were a good thing as far as showing your tank is in good condition. I've also had peps and they've not touched them... but you know how that works.

I've never had any of them get over the size of a dime... well, a very small dime... maybe the size of a single Won from Korea.

[justahobby]

maybe the size of a single Won from Korea.

Did anyone else catch that ever so subtle bragging? :wink_smile: :bigsmile:


When you say you can see them anywhere, even in brightly lit areas? I read that they are able to adapt and move to brighter lighting (they are NP) if there is a food source. Maybe heavier tank feedings are bringing them out

[allan]

No never in the bright side of a rock, but yeah and every where if you pay close enough attention. They don't seem to be interfering with anything else.

No bragging, but we don't have any coins small enough to compare to the Won. :D

Sorry about that post above, I got on Milly's computer and didn't realize it until later.

[justahobby]

Milly, no Allan... :D Do you feed coral food? Do you leave powerheads on and feed the tank or spot feed each coral? What sized food do you feed the fish?
I'm curious about what the missing link is between these NP nems being issues in only a few tanks.