Feeding Sponges ?

W

wnppmy

New member
Recently added an Orange Flower Sponge. Nearing a week and so far looks healthy.

Not finding a lot of info, this one is suppose to be easy care compared to others. My tank tho smaller is aged 1 1/2 years now. Am adding some Kent's plankton but read micron size is usually too big for most sponges to digest.

Anyone else have this type of sponge, and care?

Like the rather bright color of these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su4DYkpEIus&feature=youtube_gdata_player
 
New experience here for me. Aged aquarium required from bits of reading todate. Some have more luck with the small sponges living on rock in existing tank. Sponges are filter feeders but the available marketed foods products are mostly too large even a few microns, as many sponges feed on .5 microns or smaller. So these may be useless for sponge feeding. Sponges may vary, some feeding also on light and many do not.

Is danger not keeping them in water on transfer at all times, else air pockets block pathways possibly killing sponges. No air space in transfer bag please! However are blogs contrary, as some sponges survive short periods out of the water.

5000 to 8000 species of sponges, more info on your specific sponge hopefully adds to success.

My current speculation, I'm zero authority on these with only a week at best...

Before buying a large sponge, best to start small, if this smaller size isn't thriving, larger one certainly won't have a chance!
 
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Tnx for that info! Looks promising. My tanks a nano 14G so only need the 10 ML and still might require diluting as measure for 25G per drop, no biggie. Already noted careful on dosagess, too much or frequent can produce brown algae, likely cyno.

My orange sponge looks better than the other one left at local pet shop. Believe theirs is getting abit heavy on light notice edges of algae build. Sponges can repel algae, but again most are for lower light level.

One of my fish picks up sand on occasion and dropped some on the sponge, try to whisk it away.

Color of my orange sponge looks great todate, fingers crossed!

Other than lower light levels, sponges require a constant salinity, so nano tank will top off when needed, tho do weekly small water change. Mines 1.025.
 
My setup is simplistic, no skimmer, infact prestine water may lack or be low on nutrients required for sponges.

Current 1 1/2 year aged aquarium.

My lighting is medium low, 14G Bio as received stock. Has moonlight LED.

Only 7 Hours of light daily, moonlight on thru evening.

Pipeorgan soft coral has done well, varieties of Mushrooms, includes longhair.
 
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As mines a nano, found reasonably priced zeovit sponge power for just 10.49, will give it a try. Only $1.66 ship first class to my Midwest location.

http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/korallen-zucht-zeovit-sponge-power

The drops are for 25 gallon so my 14G will simply dilute in test tube and dispense half.

My tank abit overstocked, 3 small variety of fish, not encouraging this by any means, just info for those following the progress on my setup.

Did have a dwarf octopus also, lasted near a year, not sure of his age at start, they live only a year, nocturnal so only viewed at night, still was increadible, miss him already.
 
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Believe I know what may have happened. Sand deposited by one of my fish left on the sponge, did pick the sponge up by hand corner and also base of sponge, then shook it while in water, perhaps rough handling.

Next time will fan it or turkey baster blast, no rough handling..

Did catch a hermit crab making work on the sponge during the night, nearly pulled him off, is off now and no sponge damage, likely found some detritus or micro feed.
 
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The other sponge at local shop improved, days back did change out of water and salinity checks, water adjustments going on, are mentions of sponges response to any salinity change, constant stable salinity is important for sponges as are effected.
 
Did add the sponge power by zeovit, is also for sponges. Fast first class ship was quick received in just a few days.

Drop is for 25 gallon abit much for my 14G Bio. Will wait till Wed and correctly add diluted amount. Response was immediate on the candy cane, heads reacted instantly, looked favorable, check in morning how area on my rough handling shows any better on the Orange Flower Sponge.

Careful on using this especially my smaller tank, mentions of algae and cyno outbreaks if you over do the sponge power dosage. See if just twice a week gives favorable results! Again my system is small.
 
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Research that I've seen seen shows that sponges largely consume free-floating bacteria, and many folks in the hobby have reported an increase of hitchhiker sponges on live rock when carbon dosing. I've been contemplating putting together a small "sponge only" tank and feed by carbon dosing alone to see if larger sponges can be grown.
 
Sounds like a cool project indeed.

Is mention of these smaller sponges already in the rock, doing better in the aquarium.

Reason a well seasoned tank already has beneficial bacteria and fares better.

Yours could be a very rewarding project, definitely.
 
Only 2 power sponge feeds will hold it twice weekly.

First was full drop overdose as for 25G not for my 14G size. Did see a slight algae bump.

On the next dose diluted and using test tube with the aquarium saltwater dispensed 1/2 for the correct dosage and not the algae bloom I was noticing on first overdose.

Definitely use the correct amount.

1 drop/100L
 
I've of a flower sponge and a red finger sponge. I keep a high nutrient tank and feed a variety of filter foods. Also I put a sponge in front of each of my outlets so they each get heavy flow. I do target feed them sometimes, with " milky stuff". Got the trick from Than of Tidal Gardens. When you thaw out frozen food, add some of your tank water to it, mix well. As the food melts the water turns into a milky substance. I use that to feed all my filter feeders.

For the frozen food, I sometimes get plankton, silversides or mysis, but also get some fresh fish at the fish mongers. They will sell you small pieces of fresh fish. I usually go for salmon, as it is very fatty and healthy. I also get oysters too.
 
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