ID please!!

[Dolphins18]

Hello! 

 

It has been a very long time since I last cycled a tank with live rock from an online vendor (Gulfliverock). I have been able to identify most things but have not come across this little guy in my life. 

 

At first I believed it was aiptasia but had doubts due to its unique skeleton. I now am positive it is not aiptasia and am just curious what this little translucent feller is. 

(I know the bloom is bad, I am trying to time things right with ordering one CUC for 3 tanks)
🙂

[Tired]

Are you sure it has a skeleton? If so, I'd think maybe a cup coral of some sort. 

 

It looks a lot like a transparent aiptasia to me, though, or some similar anemone. It might be one of the unusual species of aiptasia, since there are species other than the most common one that likes to run rampant when it gets into your tank. Most of the rest only run slightly rampant.

[Dolphins18]

Just now, Tired said:

Are you sure it has a skeleton? If so, I'd think maybe a cup coral of some sort. 

 

It looks a lot like a transparent aiptasia to me, though, or some similar anemone. It might be one of the unusual species of aiptasia, since there are species other than the most common one that likes to run rampant when it gets into your tank. Most of the rest only run slightly rampant.

I thought so too at first. But there is two in the tank and both have almost an identical skeleton. If you look really closely you can see about 4 of the 8 carbonate pieces of skeleton. If it is aptasia they are fairly easily controlled with a properly running system, IMO. 

[sublunary]

My first thought was aiptasia 100%, but I think Tired is right.  Google "hidden cup coral", they look pretty similar. 

[Dolphins18]

10 minutes ago, sublunary said:

My first thought was aiptasia 100%, but I think Tired is right.  Google "hidden cup coral", they look pretty similar. 

Looks spot on to me.

 

Thank you both for the help. Lets see what happens to these guys, they have grown pretty quick in the last 2 months. 🙂

[Tired]

It sure looks like it has a skeleton, but I wasn't 100% sure if that was just markings. 

 

This tank has a hitchhiker of another cup coral, that looks to be something at least fairly similar. They aren't very colorful, but the shape is nice, and they seem really hardy. The live rock bin at my LFS has those in it now and then, having survived the rock being cycled. I didn't get one of those on my rock, but I did get a little bitty starlet coral. 

 

[Dolphins18]

54 minutes ago, Tired said:

It sure looks like it has a skeleton, but I wasn't 100% sure if that was just markings. 

 

This tank has a hitchhiker of another cup coral, that looks to be something at least fairly similar. They aren't very colorful, but the shape is nice, and they seem really hardy. The live rock bin at my LFS has those in it now and then, having survived the rock being cycled. I didn't get one of those on my rock, but I did get a little bitty starlet coral. 

 

Its always risky buying live, however after not doing it for a long time I am very impressed. Things have changed a lot over the past few years, however the beautiful thing about going live is you never really know, and to be honest, isn't that what draws us to this hobby?