What is this?

[Alex2P]

I just brought home this live rock with an anemone on it. Since bringing it home the anemone has moved to a new rock but I just noticed this tiny little thing that I’m assuming just started growing. It’s about 1/2 inch in diameter.

 

[threebuoys]

The blue color makes it difficult to assess. Could be hitchhiking zoa or paly. If the organism is transparent, could be aptasia.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Do you have photos under white lights?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I just brought home this live rock with an anemone on it. Since bringing it home the anemone has moved to a new rock but I just noticed this tiny little thing that I’m assuming just started growing. It’s about 1/2 inch in diameter.

This is a pest anemone known as aptasia. Keep it simple with removal- Using a syringe or pipette, inject either lemon juice or better yet. . kalkwasser powder mixed with tank water into a paste the consistency of toothpaste and inject into the very center core and it will melt away

 

[shakacuz]

This is a pest anemone known as aptasia. Keep it simple with removal- Using a syringe or pipette, inject either lemon juice or better yet. . kalkwasser powder mixed with tank water into a paste the consistency of toothpaste and inject into the very center core and it will melt away

i second this.

 

[JoJosReef]

Do you know the origins of those rocks? I also tend to be more cautious, so would probably treat this one like an Aiptasia, BUT, the thickness of the tentacles makes me wonder if it could be a baby lightbulb anemone:

 

[vetteguy53081]

Do you know the origins of those rocks? I also tend to be more cautious, so would probably treat this one like an Aiptasia, BUT, the thickness of the tentacles makes me wonder if it could be a baby lightbulb anemone:

Can also be Exaiptasia diaphana which is an aptasia species

 

[Soren]

Is this Caribbean live rock? Though I think technically it is still from the genus Aiptasia, there is a type of anemone, commonly called "lightbulb" anemones, that are common to the Caribbean region while the invasive Aiptasia pallida is not in the same region, from what I have read. My live rock came with several similar anemones. Most were lost in a tank leak crash, but I still have one that is 2+ inches across the disk when open. It has never reproduced and is quite an interesting tank addition.

Check for whitish banding around the tentacles rather than a more completely transparent appearance of invasive aiptasia.

 

[Alex2P]

This is a pest anemone known as aptasia. Keep it simple with removal- Using a syringe or pipette, inject either lemon juice or better yet. . kalkwasser powder mixed with tank water into a paste the consistency of toothpaste and inject into the very center core and it will melt away

So I removed the rock it was on completely. I saw videos of it spreading if you try to remove it physically.

Can I just dump lemon juice on that spot of the rock and scrape it off after some time?

I’m leaving the rock isolated in a bucket to see if more emerge from the rock before thinking about putting it back in the tank.

 

[vetteguy53081]

So I removed the rock it was on completely. I saw videos of it spreading if you try to remove it physically.

Can I just dump lemon juice on that spot of the rock and scrape it off after some time?

I’m leaving the rock isolated in a bucket to see if more emerge from the rock before thinking about putting it back in the tank.

Yes you can. Kalkwasser more effective. Scrape off with ice pick or point of a paring knife