Hitchhiker ID

[Nevin]

Hi,

I hope someone can help me ID the hitchhiker growing from the base of the digitata in the pics below. Initially I thought it was some kind of zoa. Since it grew bigger it looks more anenome-like, especially the way it eats. The "tentacles" are shorter and thicker than the aiptasia I had previously and the central "disk" is wider. Could be related though?

I don't know whether it killed the digitata or not--there appears to be some damaged tissue around it, so probably it was a contributor. Change in light, flow, water parameters from the transfer to my tank probably helped too.

Pics are very blurry, but I couldn't get anything better out of my camera. 1st pic:

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj151/nmassing/DSC07015.jpg

2nd pic:

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj151/nmassing/DSC07016.jpg

This one is after eating:

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj151/nmassing/DSC07013.jpg

Thanks!

Regards,
Nevin

[christyf5]

I vote for majano, a pest anemone that can sting nearby corals. There is a chance it killed the digitata but the digitata may have died on its own. They reproduce very quickly (especially with feeding :wink:). If I were you I'd get rid of it before you have later regrets with a tank full of them :neutral:

[Keri]

Yeah, looks like majano - don't feed your pests! lol I actually had one and I liked it quite a bit but I was worried it would reproduce so we injected it....except when I moved all the rock out of that tank it was there again!
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii254/Keri1980/KeriCamerajan2007002.jpg
This was ours

[Puff]

i have two small ones in my tank. killed one earlier. i dont mind them, as long as they dont start getting bigger or spreading. so far these two have stayed in place and not grown any noticeable amount, so ive left them be.

[justinl]

Majano nems are kinda like aiptasia in that they are generally considered pests. However these guys have a somewhat more mild sting and dont tend to reproduce quite as prolifically as aiptasia. Given the rare right conditions, they might explode their population but in most cases they should really be considered as nothing more than a mild annoyance and even possibly simply tolerable. I think they are kinda pretty myself.

[Keri]

^^ yeah, the one in the middle of my zoos never hurt anyone.

[Whatigot]

hahaha...
Keri, That is one sneaky mojano in your zoas.....lol
One of these things is not like the other...

[Nevin]

Thanks for the help! This one has had its last meal--I'll just break off the rock and throw it away. I suspect there might be one or two more hiding in the zoas, but I'll have to take a closer look. Any experience on the best ways to get rid of them?

Regards,
Nevin

[Whatigot]

try a concentrated Kalkwasser injection.
Same as aptasia.