Hi! We drove up to TBS last Sat. to get the 2nd half of 29gal package not knowing Richard had been sick. (He's better now. Yeah!) We didn't end up with the second half, but one good size rock with cool sponges on it. (Apparently also a couple of gorilla crabs and possibly a manits?!?) Everything has been great as far as chemistry and we have been enjoying watching all of the clams and things attached to the rock. This morning I woke up and there is white "stuff" all over one of the beautiful red sponges. What I'm wondering is if it is dying, and if i can cut out the part that is white already and possibly save the rest? What's funny is that Richard said I had to be careful of the black sponge, that the red ones were pretty hardy!! Any help would be greatly appreciated as I am so new at this. Thanks!
new sponge dying?
- Thread starter relish
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shanekennedy
Premium Member
i had a sponge partially covered in white decay
i cut off the bad part & stuck the remainder in a rock
the remainder survived
i cut off the bad part & stuck the remainder in a rock
the remainder survived
shanekennedy
Premium Member
the dieing ones smell god awefull nasty
there's no mistaking their stinch of death
there's no mistaking their stinch of death
docklink
New member
My best guess (probably pretty poor 
) is that the sponge was stressed in handling (bumped or bruised, came in contact with some irritant or air in its tissue... who knows) and it triggered local bleaching but not necessarily death. I wouldn't poke at it for fear of "irritating" it more and see what developes with time. If it bleaches further and starts to smell, then remove the dying tissue asap. Good luck.
) is that the sponge was stressed in handling (bumped or bruised, came in contact with some irritant or air in its tissue... who knows) and it triggered local bleaching but not necessarily death. I wouldn't poke at it for fear of "irritating" it more and see what developes with time. If it bleaches further and starts to smell, then remove the dying tissue asap. Good luck.
delta
Premium Member
DT's phyto is a good source for all filter feeder as well as cleaning the glass on the front of your tank.
as for how long they live that is a debatable issue some have no luck some can't control them.
Anyway a lot of sponges will loose there color then regain the color over time it is not unusual. much like anemones, corals,clams etc. any type of external stress can cause loss of color or different parameters can also cause color changes as well. but like it was stated before keep an eye on things as well a nose bust out a flashlight for the late night viewings and enjoy
as for how long they live that is a debatable issue some have no luck some can't control them.
Anyway a lot of sponges will loose there color then regain the color over time it is not unusual. much like anemones, corals,clams etc. any type of external stress can cause loss of color or different parameters can also cause color changes as well. but like it was stated before keep an eye on things as well a nose bust out a flashlight for the late night viewings and enjoy
Thanks for all of the info. The part of the sponge that we thought was dying has totally lost it's color and is sort of translucent. It doesn't smell and the rest of the sponge has not been affected.
I'm still not exactly sure what's happening, but we'll keep watching. When should we start feeding them and how often? We haven't gotten the rest of the second half of the package due to the TBS guys being sick.
I'm still not exactly sure what's happening, but we'll keep watching. When should we start feeding them and how often? We haven't gotten the rest of the second half of the package due to the TBS guys being sick.
I would feed every other day. They can change colors on you but keeping them fed with DT's would be all you can do. I had a nice piece of rock with all colors of the rainbow and my algae blenny completely wiped them out when he was grazing on it. The other's either starved or withered away.
Dexter1334
Premium Member
I think what is happening to your sponge is the same as what happened to some of mine. The sponge is slowly deteriorating and part of it is rotting away. This happened to some of my sponges. There was no noticable smell because the area of deterioration was so small and it happened so slowly. Some of them rotted completely away just leaving a bit of skeleton and some eventually grew back.
It seems to depend on what type of sponge it is. Some chicken liver sponges and one yellow sponge rotted completely and reeked.
I also have som blue fingerand red finger sponges and they gradually deteriorated just leaving a sort of skeleton. Most of them eventually grew back.
I feed DT Phyto every other day and all my filter feeders, clams, mussels, fan worms, christmas tree worms, corals, all kinds of sponges and porcelain crabs all seem to be doing well on it. I even have a bunch of barnacles surviving after almost five months which I understand is rare.
It seems to depend on what type of sponge it is. Some chicken liver sponges and one yellow sponge rotted completely and reeked.
I also have som blue fingerand red finger sponges and they gradually deteriorated just leaving a sort of skeleton. Most of them eventually grew back.
I feed DT Phyto every other day and all my filter feeders, clams, mussels, fan worms, christmas tree worms, corals, all kinds of sponges and porcelain crabs all seem to be doing well on it. I even have a bunch of barnacles surviving after almost five months which I understand is rare.
