Orange sponge

[Steve Canyon]

I have a variety of sponge growing in a number of places in my tank. Yellow, orange, pink, purple,.... I've seen some really nice looking orange stalk-like sponges at a few shops for what would seem to be affordable prices. Who has some? and how successful have you been at keeping these long term? What do you think my chances might be?

 

[Capt_Cully]

I've seen those aussie sponges that are orange with white markings on them that are supposed to be great in captivity, but I also know several talented reefers who've not been able to keep them alive longer than 6 months at best. From what I've read, this is the consensus.

 

[Jedistphn]

I have had them growing in several of my well established tanks and they are doing well. The longer "Stalk like" sponges are very difficult to keep. I have never seen them thrive in captivity.
Good Luck

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

sponges that arrive on liverock can (usually) be kept alive.

Orange (or red) "tree sponges" don't survive in a typical reef aquarium.

 

[superkat]

Bryan at CF informed me that the longer, thicker branches of orange sponge do not last long in captivity. They are beautiful, and rather inexpensive, which makes them quite appealing to the lesser educated....which was me...

Gotta love fellow reefers who look out for you!

 

[Steve Canyon]

That's part of the value of a BIG site like RC!

 

[GMaquarium]

I am not a fan of keeping these sponges in aquariums, they just don't live. Our aquariums are not suitable for them. Having said that, one of my service clients bought a large red tree sponge somewhere and its been around for over a year. Still far from being called long term but seems to have grown.

 

[Steve Canyon]

Good mornin' G,
Anything noteworthy about that tank that may have allowed it to support it for as long as it has?
S

I am not a fan of keeping these sponges in aquariums, they just don't live. Our aquariums are not suitable for them. Having said that, one of my service clients bought a large red tree sponge somewhere and its been around for over a year. Still far from being called long term but seems to have grown.

 

[GMaquarium]

the reefkeeper in charge of keeping things alive

 

[Steve Canyon]

:thumbsup: Thanks G. I should've known it that answer before I asked.
:lmao:

the reefkeeper in charge of keeping things alive

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

any chance of hearing what the reefkeeper's tips are for keeping tree sponge alive?

 

[GMaquarium]

high one directional flow, try not to move too much, phyto and bacteria plankton

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

some day I'll need to find out the exact details

In any case, I've never heard of anyone keeping Caribbean Tree sponges alive in captivity for very long but I'll bet if a dedicated system was set up for them it could be done.

The thing is- most people (newbie reefkeepers) want to place them in their mixed reef aquarium type environment for a splash of color and these sponges don't thrive in such a situation.

 

[GMaquarium]

Gary we'll discuss it next time we meet up.

I think its a shame the amount of these sponges being shipped in and end up for sale. I would guess that most never make it over a couple months. Maybe with a bit more awareness folks would stop buying them and shops would stop shipping them in and maybe the wholesales would pass that same word along to the collectors. Its not like there is a great deal of money in these, those sponges are normally dirt cheap, maybe to push while its still looking good.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

agreed

a dying disintegrating sponge creates a mess in an aquarium.