Coral ID

[reiters]

I bought some acans and it came with a hitchhiker. It's a green leathery coral that is encrusting rapidly. I have never seen it anywhere so I have no idea what it is. Please help me figure out what it is and if it's a problem child.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Looks like an encrusting sponge

 

[thelawnwrangler]

I think I have a star polyp that looks like that when it is closed up

 

[reiters]

Someone else said sponge also. What would be the best way to get rid of it. It's gonna kill my acan.

 

[C.Eymann]

+1 on encrusting sponge, take a razor and manually get as much off as possible.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I would just take that rock to a band saw and cut that sponge off of the rock. From the looks of it there is enough space to frag it off. Then you can still keep it if you wish. I like sponges in my tank. I've got a beautiful pink one front and center in my tank on a large piece of LR. It's been there for over 6 months, so I must be doing something right LOL

AND... if you don't want it I'd be happy to take it off your hands.

 

[reiters]

Not so much that I don't like it. I like my acans more and the sponge is taking over. It's growing fast enough to concern me. I'm afraid it's going to spread like GSP.

 

[jayball]

Most sponges can not handle being out of water. I would cut off the largest portions of it and put it somewhere else then take it out of the tank and brush as much off as possible. (eye protection and a surgical style mask is a good idea any time you brush something outside of the tank.)

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Jay you're correct that most sponges can't be out of the water, but the encrusting type it's no problem. I've taken all of mine out of my tank on the rock at one time or another and it's never been an issue.

 

[jayball]

That is interesting, maybe using a syringe to inject air directly? If it is that hardy it may not matter.

I wouldn't mind a frag of it though. Very pretty.

 

[reiters]

I had one person tell me to coat it with super glue. Seems reasonable I guess.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I would love to have that yellow sponge, please don't kill it. You can easily cut it off with a band saw.

 

[reiters]

PM me if you want me to mail it to you. I'd ask that you pay for the shipping. I was able to pull the 3 frag plugs apart. One is acans and no sponge. Second has several acans but sponge around it. Last has one remaining acan and covered in sponge. I'd send the single acan one. I'll try to clean off the other one. It looks like there was 6 acan heads at one time and the sponge grew over them and killed them.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

PM Sent