Dipping Sponges
- Thread starter Lacy
- Start date
Found the info I needed. It is called a Purple Chalice Sponge. Collospongia auris.
Below is a description I found on the web which describes it.
This very unusual sponge resembles Chalice and plate corals. It has a semi-rigid, rubbery body and bright purple color. The pores are very tiny and this sponge can even be exposed to air during fragging and placement unlike other sponges. It is slightly photosynthetic as well as a filter feeder and should be in moderate lighting.
Below is a description I found on the web which describes it.
This very unusual sponge resembles Chalice and plate corals. It has a semi-rigid, rubbery body and bright purple color. The pores are very tiny and this sponge can even be exposed to air during fragging and placement unlike other sponges. It is slightly photosynthetic as well as a filter feeder and should be in moderate lighting.
stunreefer
Reef Hugger
I've never tried to specifically dip a sponge, but I've had countless hitchhiker species (on coral bases) make it through my standard Revive + Prazi dip.
Reef Frog
New member
I am currently experimenting with my first sponge in an isolation tank. I'm no expert but decided not to dip. My thinking was that since sponges can "inhale" water deep into their tissue, the contact time may be too long inside their internal channels, possibly causing problems even with gentle dip formulas like Revive. I figured an iodine based dip could be even more problematic. But I just don't know for sure.
If and when I put it in the display tank, I'm theorizing that any coral parasites that happen go be on the sponge will have perished since they have no hosts to feed on over several months of isolation.
If and when I put it in the display tank, I'm theorizing that any coral parasites that happen go be on the sponge will have perished since they have no hosts to feed on over several months of isolation.
I not an expert on sponges (the thought they could wipe out a tank has always scared me away). But, I think you are not supposed to expose them to air (see below). Even if you dip you would have to set up an isolation tank and put the whole sponge with the bag/water into the isolation tank.
If you are doing an isolation tank you can probably simply keep it isolated until you've starved out the peskier hitchhikers (e.g. AEFW).
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/6/inverts2
If you are doing an isolation tank you can probably simply keep it isolated until you've starved out the peskier hitchhikers (e.g. AEFW).
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/6/inverts2
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Hi
Sponges are very sensitive to chemicals. So dipping would very likely kill the sponge. The other thing is that you should, like mentioned by noy, avoid any contact to air. The question is, what kind of parasites or other harmful organisms are you envisioning? Sponges and corals are so different to corals like probably humans to corals. It is very unlikely, that a parasite of a sponge is in the same time a parasite of corals.
Btw. Colospongia auris can get a real pest in a heavily lit tank. Since it doe's not only rely of filtering food but to a very large extend to it's photosytetic symbionts, it can overgrow SPS and LPS very fast. And furthermore, once in an aquarium, it will be very hard to get rid of it, since smallest piece will settle and start to grow again
Sponges are very sensitive to chemicals. So dipping would very likely kill the sponge. The other thing is that you should, like mentioned by noy, avoid any contact to air. The question is, what kind of parasites or other harmful organisms are you envisioning? Sponges and corals are so different to corals like probably humans to corals. It is very unlikely, that a parasite of a sponge is in the same time a parasite of corals.
Btw. Colospongia auris can get a real pest in a heavily lit tank. Since it doe's not only rely of filtering food but to a very large extend to it's photosytetic symbionts, it can overgrow SPS and LPS very fast. And furthermore, once in an aquarium, it will be very hard to get rid of it, since smallest piece will settle and start to grow again
Reef Frog
New member
Marco, I believe it would be possible to introduce SPS & LPS parasites that could be suspended in the water column or just happened to be on the surface of the sponge.
In my case the sponge was housed in a store tank with fish & many corals. Since it can't be exposed to air, and I chose not to dip, introduction of some LFS water would have been inevitable. Quarantine was the only safe way to go in my view. Why take a chance.
In my case the sponge was housed in a store tank with fish & many corals. Since it can't be exposed to air, and I chose not to dip, introduction of some LFS water would have been inevitable. Quarantine was the only safe way to go in my view. Why take a chance.
Agreed, quarantaine might be a god idea. Interestingly, here in Europe, at least in the german speaking forums, dipping of corals is not really a topic. Quarantaine yes but I know just from a few that they are doing it. I see the reason behind dipping and I wished I did it too with certain corals, since I have introduced Waminoa into my system.
Cheers Marco
