# help identify this!



## noisetherapy (Jul 25, 2011)

so, this piece of base rock was given to me from my brother who had it sitting dry in his basement for a year. within 5 weeks something grew on it. it is right near the substrate.









it opens and closes.


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## spit.fire (Jan 3, 2011)

aptaisia 

inject it with lemond juice with a syringe


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## Ebonbolt (Aug 12, 2011)

Aiptasia; it's a pest anemone. There are also fish that will eat it, namely butterfly fishes.


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## Keri (Aug 2, 2010)

Can you get a clearer pic? It almost looks like a paly more than aiptasia to me from this pic? (tentacles too short) If you poke it how fast does it retract?
I am more inclined to think aip just because the little buggers are survivors but .... so are palys...


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## spit.fire (Jan 3, 2011)

if you poke it and its aiptasia it will spread, if you get fish that eat it, it will spread, the only way to actually get rid of them is injecting them


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## pinkreef (Aug 18, 2011)

Looks like a button polyp to me, is it green under actinics?


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## STANKYfish (Apr 21, 2011)

+1 on the paly. Wow i did not know they would last even after being out of water so long.


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## spit.fire (Jan 3, 2011)

If it is transparent its most likely aiptasia


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## noisetherapy (Jul 25, 2011)

I'll check colour under different lighting when it gets darker.... for now......


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## noisetherapy (Jul 25, 2011)

k, just checked now anyways.

there is a slight green tinge to its center under pure actinics.


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## noisetherapy (Jul 25, 2011)

http://joshday.com/blog/zoas2.JPG its pretty close to this, no?


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## Ebonbolt (Aug 12, 2011)

In either case, injecting or getting a fish would take care of it, I think... could be wrong, but since aiptasia are technically polyps, the methods mentioned should work regardless.


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## fkshiu (Apr 22, 2010)

Not aiptasia: the central disc is a solid mass which fluoresces under actinic light and the tentacles are too short. It's a button polyp.

OK to leave it alone.


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## Ebonbolt (Aug 12, 2011)

keep in mind that button polyps are still semi-aggressive, and may sting fish/other corals, so giving them a few inches of perimeter would be ideal. Also, they will multiply fairly quickly, so you may want to put that piece of rock away from the rest so the polyps don't go where you don't want them to.


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## noisetherapy (Jul 25, 2011)

Thanks for the help all. To stop them spreading; inject the wanderers with lemon juice


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## whatigot (Apr 30, 2010)

Doesnt look like any Aiptasia Ive seen b4...
Looks alot like a paly with the 2 different sized tentacles and enlarged disk...

What have you added to your tank besides the rock?
any old sand or ??


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