What am I?

[Tom C.]

OK, after all the articles I have looked at I need some help in identification. I have a little critter in my tank at the top of my reef. He is a little spud about half the size of a dime. He is dark red in color with white tentacles. He has a stalk that looks like a botton polyp. I have a picture but it isnt great. Please advise as to what it is. If it is bad, what do I do with it and how do I ensure that there are no more growing in my tank?

[Guest Rileyporter]

OK, after all the articles I have looked at I need some help in identification. I have a little critter in my tank at the top of my reef. He is a little spud about half the size of a dime. He is dark red in color with white tentacles. He has a stalk that looks like a botton polyp. I have a picture but it isnt great. Please advise as to what it is. If it is bad, what do I do with it and how do I ensure that there are no more growing in my tank?

 

 

Wheres the pic?

[dzekunoi]

Aptasia? Rock anemone? Does it look like a small anemone?

[Tom C.]

I know it is really blurry but I have a really bad camera.

[dzekunoi]

Oh well. It is a very bad image.

[Tom C.]

I know, I know. But if you stand back from your screen about 20 feet and pretend that you are staring at my tank you should be able to pretend that you are seeing the "thing"

[dbartco]

foram?

 

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-07/rs/index.php

[davelin315]

Is it hard to the touch (skeleton building) or does it have a soft body? Also, is it wispy or does it have tentacles? Do the white tentacles taper off or do they end in tiny little white balls?

 

Very difficult to tell from the picture, but the red body is suggestive of aiptasia, the button polyp description is suggestive of majano despite the presence of white tentacles, and it could also be a foraminiferen like Doug said or something else altogether.

 

Try this site for some pictures and maybe you can match it up. I'm thinking maybe along the lines of picture 14 if it's got a skeleton. Aiptasia are some of the earlier anemones.

 

Tampa Bay Saltwater

[Tom C.]

I have seen this guy once before about a month ago on a different rock but had lost him till today. I have no had a chance to touch him because I dont like to touch unless I know what they are. (I learned that when I first started in the saltwater hobby and I bought a foxface from Centreville Aquarium and no one told me they were toxic and I put the guy in the tank by hand) But anywho, he looks soft, and the white tentacles look more like sharp claws with pointy ends. I didnt see anything that looked similar. I do have three peppermint shrimp and it says that the shrimp eat aiptasia so I think we can rule them out. I dont think it is foraminiferen.