Orange ball anemone?

[Godsmack00]

Is this an orange ball anemone? If, so.. is it safe with my two fire shrimp and strawberry crab? its about 1/2 wide and clear. It can retract the tentacles in, but it appears fixed to my sponge. Thanks....

[willyboy]

It's a baby plate coral. You can clearly see the coral skeleton.

[gulfsurfer101]

I don't know wha that orangw stuff around it is, maybe a sponge but you can see where it doesn't grow around that nem. I have something similar that I found locally in my tank though and It filter feeds when I feed the tank and just closes up on it's self after catching food that floats by. You can see it on the rock work behind this monti coral

 

I have seen it sting fish to the point of them not being able to move though and I wouln't cinsider it reefsafe. I have since removed this thing from my tank and now have it in the fuge.

[willyboy]

It can retract the tentacles in, but it appears fixed to my sponge. Thanks....

 

and it's definitely not a nem., nems don't have skeletons

[gulfsurfer101]

and it's definitely not a nem., nems don't have skeletons

+1 to that.

[willyboy]

I'm confused

[Godsmack00]

Plate coral ehh... I did a search for them and didn't find any that looked similar, but you are right.. there is a skeleton. The orange "stuff" is a sponge I purchased.

[arwndsh]

These are baby plates:

 

 

What you have is an atlantic cup coral. It will stay looking like what it does now except it might turn more brown. They aren't the most exciting coral, but I think they are kinda cool. A lot of people have gotten them in on Florida rock. They don't require any special care or feeding. It should be fine where ever you decide to place it in your tank.

[Godsmack00]

Thanks arwndsh!

 

I have read that some plate corals "drop off" and seperate from their rock. Is this one that will seperate from the sponge and find a place on the sand to call home?

[arwndsh]

Thanks arwndsh!

 

I have read that some plate corals "drop off" and seperate from their rock. Is this one that will seperate from the sponge and find a place on the sand to call home?

 

 

Welcome!!

 

Cup corals do not detach, but they may spread. If you really wanted to you could probably break that piece of rock its on to seperate it from the sponge, but it should be ok where it is.

[TeamZissou]

He is saying it is NOT a plate coral, I shouldn't drop off, so you should move it, or leave it where is it.

[dshnarw]

SHE is saying it is NOT a plate coral, I shouldn't drop off, so you should move it, or leave it where is it.

 

ftfy

[Lmecher]

I have a couple of those, tried to get a picture but a huge leather is in the way, I believe it is some sort of hard coral, it dose not look like a plate to me. : )

[dshnarw]

I have a couple of those, tried to get a picture but a huge leather is in the way, I believe it is some sort of hard coral, it dose not look like a plate to me. : )

 

 

yes, we've established that the OP has a cup coral. keep up

[willyboy]

My bad, I don't know why but I always get the two mixed up. Calling one the other and all. I'm sorry I mislead you.

[Godsmack00]

The tentacles have nearly doubled in size since I purchased the sponge its attached to, two weeks ago.

[gulfsurfer101]

I'd invest in a dremel and buy a diamond wheel for it all for around 40 bucks and just cut that thing out of there and move it away from the sponge.

[Godsmack00]

Already got one with about 100 attachments. Its a great tool but I imagine it would be difficult cut because sponges have to remain underwater at all times or air gets trapped and blocks their food. I also don't want bits and pieces flying all over the place near my tank. I might try to pull it off gently, see if it gives way.

[dshnarw]

Already got one with about 100 attachments. Its a great tool but I imagine it would be difficult cut because sponges have to remain underwater at all times or air gets trapped and blocks their food. I also don't want bits and pieces flying all over the place near my tank. I might try to pull it off gently, see if it gives way.

 

 

small container, fill with tank water, move the sponge over, then cut. best if you can hold the sponge underwater while holding the cup coral out of the water for the cut, of course.

 

and the sponge can be pulled out of the water with no harm if you handle it gently. If something goes wrong, and air does happen to get trapped, it can be removed with a syringe.

[The Propagator]

Star / cup coral.

[Godsmack00]

I was able to remove it without cutting. A bit of pressure and it popped off. I placed near the top of my stock 29 biocube lighting on the live rock. Thanks.

[fish_chips]

I have a same hitch hiker. The thing grows slowly but surely. Mine was also ID'ed as cup coral and/or baby plate... Waiting to see if it detaches from the rock. I hear if it is infact a baby plate the base of the "skeleton" will turn white before it detaches.

 

 

pic was taken about 3 months ago... it has almost doubled in size.

 

edit: Just my observation but, I don't think it is a plate... I say this because most baby plate this size has coloration already... mine has doubled in size and the color is still transparent.

[arwndsh]

I have a same hitch hiker. The thing grows slowly but surely. Mine was also ID'ed as cup coral and/or baby plate... Waiting to see if it detaches from the rock. I hear if it is infact a baby plate the base of the "skeleton" will turn white before it detaches.

 

 

pic was taken about 3 months ago... it has almost doubled in size.

 

edit: Just my observation but, I don't think it is a plate... I say this because most baby plate this size has coloration already... mine has doubled in size and the color is still transparent.

 

 

Correct yours is a cup coral.

[fish_chips]

Correct yours is a cup coral.

 

So how big do the cups get?

[arwndsh]

So how big do the cups get?

 

One of the the guys in the local club up here has had some for a long time and they've only gotten to about a half an inch across at most. Other than that I can't really help you.