Looking for sponge expertise.

[Palting]

I got a metallic green stylophora frag. It had a hitchhiker sponge on one end. Not really caring about the sponge and expecting it to die, it got abused. I exposed it to air, used it as a handle for transport, dip, and acclimation, as well as gluing the frag. Well, the sucker did not die, so I decided to read up on Porifera or sponges. Some are good, some are bad for stonies. Anyone know what sponge this is, and is it good or bad? Thanks!!

 

[mscarpena]

Iding a sponge is very difficult as there are so many. If you are worried about it just cut or rip it off and place it some where it will not bother anything.

 

[Palting]

Thanks for the reply! I actually think it looks cool where it is . Nice color contrast to the bright green polyps.

I guess my question then is, what can this sponge, if bad, do to this coral? Will it, like, grow over it? Will it kill it just by being on it at one end?

 

[BEASTIEPENDENT]

The worst thing that could happen is indeed that the sponge would overgrow the coral. But that doesn't happen from one day to the next of course so You should be able to observe if something like this happens and can still take it out then.

 

[mscarpena]

The worst thing that could happen is indeed that the sponge would overgrow the coral. But that doesn't happen from one day to the next of course so You should be able to observe if something like this happens and can still take it out then.

Agreed.

 

[Palting]

Cool! I'll keep a cutter handy, and just watch it. Thanks!!

 

[Bongo Shrimp]

If I were you I would frag a sponge like that just to see if it will grow. It is a neat color. Besides, why wait for it to possibly start taking over if you can just snip it off now?