hitch hiker anemone

[pkirby]

I was cleaning out my sump this weekend and noticed two anemone's growing in the return section... was is growing right on the sponge that's the intake for my return pump! Most interesting thing about that is I took the sponge out of the tank, rinsed it thoroughly under the faucet using tap water for several minutes, and then put it back in the tank before I realized that the anemone was there! that means I was squeezing the thing in my hand the whole time!?!

Anyways, what is it? Should I kill it or let it live? I've only seen this one and one other that's in the same chamber in the sump. I've never noticed this in my display tank... but I guess it could be hiding in there too!

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BDZuidO5qmvi7NlXHyH0K_Z8ownjHz1iUPBEr6KIChI?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1TrtTWUcrlE/TsGP97ZY5dI/AAAAAAAACVY/hpPb-dfw9ls/s144/IMG_5534.JPG" height="96" width="144" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/102786811550573904182/Picassa02?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCL_MoP_f28q94gE&feat=embedwebsite">picassa</a></td></tr></table>

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_c34rbFHJ2xrChNjGySMBPZ8ownjHz1iUPBEr6KIChI?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-MW7kE27nQug/TsGP-Tdv5QI/AAAAAAAACVc/62GvsQ-Ayk8/s144/IMG_5535.JPG" height="96" width="144" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/102786811550573904182/Picassa02?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCL_MoP_f28q94gE&feat=embedwebsite">picassa</a></td></tr></table>

[b0bab0ey]

Looks kinda like a "Curly Q Anemone" to me. I don't think it's Aiptasia but it could be a variety I'm not familiar with. Whatever the case, I wouldn't let it loose in my reef DT but it will probably die w/o light in your sump. If you can verify that it's not Aiptasia, then maybe give it away or give it to a LFS.

[pkirby]

I don't think it's Aiptasia cause it's clear... I've not seen Aiptasia that was clear before, but it could exist!

The sump was not previously lit... it was just a place for my skimmer to go. I've only recently added the light to the tank (this weekend) in preparation for some Chaeto I'll be picking up this week. As such, it can't be photosynthetic or I'd be dead by now.

Thank you for the response though!

[sra127]

looks like an aptasia to me. just throw the sponge out and get a new one imo

[returnofsid]

It's a bleached Aiptasia, I'm 100% sure.

[jenjen]

It's a bleached Aiptasia, I'm 100% sure.

Agreed. Take a look at my avitar. Get rid of it.