What is this?

Stinky Pete · 10/20/2013, 06:17 PM

I recently bought some live rock to start my aquarium. This mushroom? Was attached. I can't identify it my looking at pictures online. Can anyone help me out?

MWalton91 · 10/20/2013, 06:52 PM

That almost looks like a maxi mini anemone. Mine looks like that after it caught some food

Stinky Pete · 10/20/2013, 07:05 PM

Hmm do you think it will live just getting thrown in a new tank? Wasn't acclimated or anything because I didn't even notice it at 1st

MWalton91 · 10/20/2013, 10:52 PM

From what i witnessed and experienced they are pretty hardy, but i dont know how the cycling will affect it

cdouble · 10/21/2013, 12:11 AM

Tough to tell from that photo but here's what mine looks like after going through 4 weeks of a new tank cycle. http://i.imgur.com/2MEY5lP.jpg

From what I've read and seen, these are really hardy. I had a raccoonface butterflyfish in there to take care of a big stalk of aiptasia; it ended up running out of things to eat and so it started taking pecks at the maxi mini so he went back to the LFS.

That was a week ago; Since then the maxi mini has been really starting to grow and swell up. It's been cool to watch its progress considering everything it's gone through. Yours should be fine. How big is it? Looks almost full size (I think they grow to 4-5 inches in diameter). Link to a really awesome write up about maxi mini's: http://coralmagazine-us.com/content/...l-sea-anemones

Stinky Pete · 10/21/2013, 03:55 AM

It's about the size of a half dollar. It's moved now for the 2nd time to the back side of the rock. Hopefully it will move again back into view. I started this 55 gallon tank with 50 lbs of live rock 40 lbs of live sand and real ocean water. I'm i correct to assume that it will "mini cycle"?
Thanks for the help.

cdouble · 10/21/2013, 11:37 PM

You should have a full cycle, though timeframe I'm not sure of.

You should be testing for your water parameters once a week to keep an eye out for your nitrates and phosphates. once those two parameters are at 0 and you see no amonia in the tank, you should be good.

If you have live rock, you should be "ghost feeding" it, if you don't have any fish in there.

Else, you can throw a dead raw shrimp in there and its decomposition will feed the bacteria and rockwork and take the tank through the cycle.

Check the stickies at the top of the forum for more detailed info on testing and tank cycles.

How to setup a tank: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2075632

Basic saltwater tank chemistry: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2153097

10/20/2013, 06:52 PM	#2
MWalton91 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 50	That almost looks like a maxi mini anemone. Mine looks like that after it caught some food

10/20/2013, 07:05 PM	#3
Stinky Pete Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 4	Hmm do you think it will live just getting thrown in a new tank? Wasn't acclimated or anything because I didn't even notice it at 1st

10/20/2013, 10:52 PM	#4
MWalton91 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 50	From what i witnessed and experienced they are pretty hardy, but i dont know how the cycling will affect it

10/21/2013, 12:11 AM	#5
cdouble Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Miami Posts: 119	Tough to tell from that photo but here's what mine looks like after going through 4 weeks of a new tank cycle. http://i.imgur.com/2MEY5lP.jpg From what I've read and seen, these are really hardy. I had a raccoonface butterflyfish in there to take care of a big stalk of aiptasia; it ended up running out of things to eat and so it started taking pecks at the maxi mini so he went back to the LFS. That was a week ago; Since then the maxi mini has been really starting to grow and swell up. It's been cool to watch its progress considering everything it's gone through. Yours should be fine. How big is it? Looks almost full size (I think they grow to 4-5 inches in diameter). Link to a really awesome write up about maxi mini's: http://coralmagazine-us.com/content/...l-sea-anemones

10/21/2013, 03:55 AM	#6
Stinky Pete Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 4	It's about the size of a half dollar. It's moved now for the 2nd time to the back side of the rock. Hopefully it will move again back into view. I started this 55 gallon tank with 50 lbs of live rock 40 lbs of live sand and real ocean water. I'm i correct to assume that it will "mini cycle"? Thanks for the help.

10/21/2013, 11:37 PM	#7
cdouble Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Miami Posts: 119	You should have a full cycle, though timeframe I'm not sure of. You should be testing for your water parameters once a week to keep an eye out for your nitrates and phosphates. once those two parameters are at 0 and you see no amonia in the tank, you should be good. If you have live rock, you should be "ghost feeding" it, if you don't have any fish in there. Else, you can throw a dead raw shrimp in there and its decomposition will feed the bacteria and rockwork and take the tank through the cycle. Check the stickies at the top of the forum for more detailed info on testing and tank cycles. How to setup a tank: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2075632 Basic saltwater tank chemistry: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2153097