sickley sponge

[lovelylinda]

Musicbabe brought me back a gorgeous orange sponge from San Diego- it looks like a small tree. Now the tips of the "branches" are turning white. Does anyone know what I can do to help him?
Temp- 80. ammonia- 0. nitrite- 0. nitrates- 20. calcium- 390. sp grav- 1.025. All other fish and corals doing well.

 

[fishaholic911]

Sponges are filter feeders and need to be feed often. I might be possible that your water is to clean for the sponge. Also keep it under low light. Remember I am not an expert so it will be helpful to get other opinions.

 

[cerreta]

Sponges from cold water areas rarley survive in captivity. Try cramming it under a rock or in a cave with no light. Most of it will die, but a few strands may make it and attach to the rock.

 

[lovelylinda]

The sponge was purchased in San Diego, so I don't think it's a cold water sponge. I'll put it in a cave.

 

[lovelylinda]

I feed the sun coral and coco worm twice a week with phytoplankton & marine plankton. Same deal, or shouldI feed it more often?

 

[J-Ross]

Perhaps it was exposed to the air for too long?

 

[jeasley]

that is a good point. They do not like being out of water at all.

Anything in the tank that might be hungry?!? My angels were nipping at mine until I got them more food.

 

[kscrimshaw]

Was it purchased from a shop in San Diego coming from somewhere else, or did it come from San Diego waters? I may be mistaken, but I thought the water around San Diego would be considered cold compared to what we normally stock in our tanks.

 

[lovelylinda]

She bought it @ Aquatic warehouse in San Diego- I think it might have been expose to air on the long drive back, but it was carefully packaged, and I kept it under water.

 

[lovelylinda]

I've got a foxface, kole tang, chromis, midas blennie, royal gramma, 2 clowns, and 2 engineer gobies. No angels.

 

[SWSaltwater]

I kept an orange tree sponge for a few years then after I moved my tank it starting turning white and dissapeared (probably exposed to air or too many bubbles. If yours was exposed to air thats what would generally happen as well, and I have not found a way to stop it. My hermit crabs also seemed to eat it during this time(or maybe cleaning off the dead tissue), but it took a few months to completely die back. Good news is that there were no toxins left behind and all my other corals were happy.

Rob

 

[BonesCJ]

With sponges they should never be exposed to air, the bubble get trapped in their tissues and cannot escape and the tissues then die off, it can be a very slow death taking weeks.

 

[lovelylinda]

So if it dies, will it grow back?

 

[SWSaltwater]

usually not, I found that once mine started to go it did not recover. It is possible I would think that you can save some of it. It's really a waiting game and make sure all the water conditions are good and you feed it.

 

[fishaholic911]

How's the sponge doing?

 

[lovelylinda]

It's the same- white tips. He's in a cave, and I'm target feeding him liquid life and marine plankton.

 

[fishaholic911]

I hope it pulls through for you.