Are these 3 pictures Aiptisia Anemone?

[stu]

I've got these in my tank....i'm thinking they might be aiptisia anemone. I hope not I've looked at alot of pics through google of aiptisia but they just don't seem to look aiptisia to me...

Picture 1. These guys open up when the lights turn on and pretty much close when the lights go out. They have a green/yellowy spot in the centre.



Picture 2. This is something that has just started to grow in 4 spots on the same rock as picture 1. They are still very small but they appear to be exactly the same as the thing in pic 1, just a bright yellow colour.



Picture 3. These guys are a bit different to the other two, however they open up just the same. But so far i've only ever seen 1 of them open up. I have a fair few of these on different rocks. They look similar to the other pics when they open but they are somewhat different styled.... if that makes sense.

 

[roka64]

They look like button polyps to me.

 

[Tank2379]

I agree with roka Button Polyps.....

 

[ccCapt]

1- zoanthids
2- to blurry to tell...probably zoanthid or palythoa
3- unhappy zoanthids

 

[stu]

Thanks for the help guys, you are right Now that i know what they are i can google for similar items and that confirms that you guys were right

I think i need some stronger lighting for my tank to get the zoanthids to come out. Will know in a few days as i'm getting some good lights

 

[roka64]

Larry, do zoas have long stalks like that? The last one looks like my buttons when they are very unhappy....?

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Larry, do zoas have long stalks like that? The last one looks like my buttons when they are very unhappy....?

Granted, I'm not Larry... but some zoanthids have long stalks, some don't. Think it depends a lot on the lighting and/or flow they're under. And ones that start out with short stalks can grow long stalks and still be healthy.

But yeah... those don't look the happiest in the world.

 

[Ziggy953]

As Kurt said they can and some do have very long stalks. They will also shrink down and have short stalks depending on the lighting. It all has to do with the lighting. If they are happy they will usually have shorter stalks and have a more "mat" look to them meaning tightly spaced polyps. I have some that are in shaded areas of my tank and they stretch to nearly 1" in length and I have others that look like they are flat against the rock.

Most of your palys are going to have longer stalks no matter what.

 

[roka64]

Ok, cool, thanks for the info guys. I wasn't trying to call Larry out or anything like that. I have just seen my 4 buttons look that way (I think it is mostly when they are eating).

 

[ccCapt]

Kurt and Ziggy got it.
It does depend on the lighting. With weaker light or lower in the tank, the stocks will stretch for the light. In brighter tanks, they won't be so stretched out.

 

[roka64]

Great info! See, I'll get the reefing thing one of these days.