Orange Fan Sponge??

[Mr Neon]

Got one a week ago from Reefs 2 Go and mounted it in my 60gal reef tank. I noticed the last few days that my damsel was picking at it as if he was eating it. I was wondering if maybe damsels do this or I just got a confused damsel that eats anything. The tank is well fed and trust me the damsel in question has grown in the last few months. Never seen him touch any other corals and nothing is missing anything.

Is this normal behavior because the other damsel of the same species I have in the tank does not go near it.

I also have a large cleaner shrimp that seems to favor the sponge a lot as well but figure he is just cleaning any parasites or nasty's off the sponge.

Also the damsel in question does eat seaweed that I put into the tank for other fish. In fact he is the first fish to go after it and rip it to shreds...

 

[Terryz_]

It might be nipping on the algae growing on it.. and orange fan sponge is quite impossible to keep, like most sponges...
Tried a few species, they would appear to do well but will slowly shrink and becomes small pieces of sponge on the rock.. So I gave up on them..

 

[Mr Neon]

Mine came in with great color, than after acclimating it started to get white blotches on it which I assumed it was doomed...I thought I may have done something or worse it got air into it, but a few days ago it colored right back up and the white patches all but disappeared. I hope it grows but then I know how hard sponges are to keep. Thought I would give it a try.

I thought algae of course for reasons why the the color is back as well as the damsel snacking but I really have no algae in my DT at all. The sponge is bright orange with a hint of red. As for the damsel,, it was odd but then he eats the seaweed too so maybe he's a vegan??

 

[MarineSniper]

Probably just being a typical damsel and being mean to the newcomer! I would guess she'll tire of it, if she's not actually eating it. I still have one from the first tank I got when I got back into the hobby. She now has a 100g stock tank all to herself. Biggest bully I've ever seen

 

[wlyon]

My sailfin nips at the algae on all my sponges, which works for me since they dont have a way of fighting it off themselves, and I dont like getting the ol'tooth brush out that often to clean them off.

I've had my orange fan sponge for about two years now, and I noticed much more growth when it fell deep back under a cave so I cut almost all light from it and it has been super happy ever since.

sponges > coral