Pseudocorynactis / Ball anemone spreading?

neededahobby · 11/17/2015, 11:25 PM

So one of my original 'cool' hitchhikers setting up the tank was a ball anemone
ballanemOriginal.jpg

Everything I read indicated that unless they got big or I had tiny fish they would be no problem so I let it be. (Actually watched new clown fish during initial adjust to tank brush right up against it - seemed to get a little 'shock' from the sticky balls but went back for another brush by and later took up hosting in rock above so I think the fish liked it/isn't bothered by it?)

6 months later I was looking at the tank at night and found it has suddenly seemed to spread - popping up in at least 3-4 more places.

ballanem1.jpg
ballanem2.jpg

Now I need to decide - do I start trying to treat or Continue to watch and wait?

So far they are isolated away from any corals
Also I had a recent unrelated fish death/nutrient spike so I am curious if that initiated the spread and they will die back in time?

For those who have noticed these spreading - what did you do?
How bad did it get?

oscarinw · 11/21/2015, 08:32 AM

I never treated but their population exploded in my tank. I restarted for other reasons and they didn't come back. Initially I noticed one (just like you) and then about 8 months later there were probably about 100 all over the tank...

joshbrookkate · 11/21/2015, 09:06 AM

Is this the same as a hydroid?

Bent · 11/21/2015, 09:35 AM

That doesn't look like any ball nem I've ever seen...

Looks more like a hydroid.

sculpin2 · 11/21/2015, 01:23 PM

That's a Pseudocorynactis. They do spread, but I've never seen them hurt anything. I think they mop up residual floating fish food. I wish I had one in my current set up.

neededahobby · 11/23/2015, 01:34 PM

Definitely a Pseudocorynactis - bigger than it appears in the pic. Maybe dime sized tip to tip, Very light sensitive hard to get a good pic.

I have a few colonial hydroids on another rock - they are brown, much smaller (fuzzy pompoms) and don't seem to be spreading much.

Thanks everyone for replying -
sound like they really don't hurt anything so I am going live and let live.

However will be using the Aiptasia X I just got to take action on some other hitchhikers.

11/17/2015, 11:25 PM	#1
neededahobby Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: southeast, mi Posts: 66	Pseudocorynactis / Ball anemone spreading? So one of my original 'cool' hitchhikers setting up the tank was a ball anemone ballanemOriginal.jpg Everything I read indicated that unless they got big or I had tiny fish they would be no problem so I let it be. (Actually watched new clown fish during initial adjust to tank brush right up against it - seemed to get a little 'shock' from the sticky balls but went back for another brush by and later took up hosting in rock above so I think the fish liked it/isn't bothered by it?) 6 months later I was looking at the tank at night and found it has suddenly seemed to spread - popping up in at least 3-4 more places. ballanem1.jpg ballanem2.jpg Now I need to decide - do I start trying to treat or Continue to watch and wait? So far they are isolated away from any corals Also I had a recent unrelated fish death/nutrient spike so I am curious if that initiated the spread and they will die back in time? For those who have noticed these spreading - what did you do? How bad did it get? __________________ Slow and steady - building my slice of ocean Current Tank Info: 125G DT + 55G sump/fuge. Fish: 2 Breeding clowns, 4 chromis, 5 pajama cardinals, 1 starry blenny. Inverts: tuxedo urchin, 3 red legged hermits, cleaner shrimp, cerith snails. Corals: hammer, toadstool, mushrooms, GSP, zoas and brain

11/21/2015, 09:35 AM	#4
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	That doesn't look like any ball nem I've ever seen... Looks more like a hydroid. __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

11/23/2015, 01:34 PM	#6
neededahobby Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: southeast, mi Posts: 66	Definitely a Pseudocorynactis - bigger than it appears in the pic. Maybe dime sized tip to tip, Very light sensitive hard to get a good pic. I have a few colonial hydroids on another rock - they are brown, much smaller (fuzzy pompoms) and don't seem to be spreading much. Thanks everyone for replying - sound like they really don't hurt anything so I am going live and let live. However will be using the Aiptasia X I just got to take action on some other hitchhikers. __________________ Slow and steady - building my slice of ocean Current Tank Info: 125G DT + 55G sump/fuge. Fish: 2 Breeding clowns, 4 chromis, 5 pajama cardinals, 1 starry blenny. Inverts: tuxedo urchin, 3 red legged hermits, cleaner shrimp, cerith snails. Corals: hammer, toadstool, mushrooms, GSP, zoas and brain

11/21/2015, 08:32 AM	#2
oscarinw Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Western Massachusetts Posts: 1,091	I never treated but their population exploded in my tank. I restarted for other reasons and they didn't come back. Initially I noticed one (just like you) and then about 8 months later there were probably about 100 all over the tank...

11/21/2015, 09:06 AM	#3
joshbrookkate Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Windsor, ON Posts: 618	Is this the same as a hydroid?

11/21/2015, 01:23 PM	#5
sculpin2 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 107	That's a Pseudocorynactis. They do spread, but I've never seen them hurt anything. I think they mop up residual floating fish food. I wish I had one in my current set up.