Bubble / bulb tip anemones

[Joel]

How many anemones are being called bulb tip or bubble anemone? I realise that color variants are normal but I get them in that are not only colored differently but don't even have the same tentacle shape. In this picture you see a light green with bulbs at the tips of the tentacles, a red one with elongated tentacles with no bulbs at all and in the right front lower are the atypical green with bulbs or bubbles for tentacles. All of there were sold as quadricolor but none are alike each other. Anyone run across any information about this?

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[scott wilson]

Do you think the colectors bother to ID the coral?  They just grab it and ship it.  I have seen the same thing when dealing with transhipped orders.  the red one looks like heteractis magnifica

[Joel]

Most of the collectors I deal with do pretty good with proper identification of what they send but I agree that many don't.

The red one for sure is not a ritteri (H magnifica),  it looks a lot more like a long tentacle ( Macrodactyla doreensis).

Micki had a supposed bulb tip that looks more like a long tentacle. I think they are all cool, just seems weird how different that are.

[Simpte]

Micki is not the only one with a bta that is more likely a lta.    I like them both so it doesn't bother me as long as they stay away from each other.

[ohioreef]

Micki's had bubble tips when she first got it. Travis has one he got from her that has bubble tips. I'll have to see if I can find where I read it, but I read that scientists are not sure what the factors are that determine whether the anemone will have bubble tips. The article said that some "bubble tips" have them and others don't.

[Charlie]

I read an article on this a while back but unfortunitely my "all timers" is kicking in and I can't remember where I saw it. If I have a brain fart and remember I will post the link.

[Charlie]

Here is a link but not the one I was thinking of http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/bubbletipanemones.htm

[ohioreef]

Quote from the article linked by Charlie:

The Eponymous Bubbles

The bubbles on the bubble tip anemones are quite attractive. Don’t get too attached to that look. They seem to come and go with time. In my experience, most BTAs do not regularly display bubbles except perhaps when disturbed. Bubbles do not seem to be an indicator of health, reproduction or anything other then maybe rough handle (as during collection, shipping, etc.)

[Joel]

Good read but still makes me wonder.

With the little research I have done, most say  "we don't know for sure".

I'm not too sure I agree with the stress or rough handling opinion as per the cause of the bubbles. I get them in that never show the bubbles and have owned them where months after getting them in they still have the bubble appearance.

oh well...just curious

[Secondgen]

How much are your bubble tip anemones Joel?

[micki]

It's always been interesting to me.  Travis has one of my babies and has TONS of bubbles and the color is completely different than the Mamma.  NONE of the babies or grandbabies have looked like that.  Strange... 

[Joel]

How much are your bubble tip anemones Joel?

The little green ones are $30.00, the med. / lg.  green one is $45.00, the red one is $100.00

[Secondgen]

Thats cool, I really would like to have a red one, but it will be awhile. Thanks again Joel.

[Simpte]

From my experience (and I believe I have one of each), my bta keeps its bubbles and Joel has had it for sometime.  My lta has never really had bubbles.  May have had shortened tentacles but not like my bta.  I've had my lta for over 7 months and my bta for only 1 week so only time will tell.  I still dont see the comparison once I've seen a true "bta".

[reeffiend]

This is a great article about the causes of BTA's differences.


http://advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/feature.htm



Edit: I edited your link, it wasn't working. ohioreef

[ohioreef]

Excellent article!!!

[micki]

I've read that before. I think I also saw somethingon television a while back about the same thing.