Sponge death

[OUBrook]

Dear Abby,

I think that it's been talked about some on how sponges die so easily, but nothing was really said on remedies. I've had several and now one is turning white and disintegrating.. Was there a way to stop them from fully dying? Theoretically, if my perams are all good, and I don't think any air has touched it, what could cause them to die? I like my ponies being able to grab on to them.. but not if they're dying! It's like a blemish in my tank. Plus, money down the potty..

Thanks!
Confused in COMAS

 

[pwhitby]

Dear confused,

Its likely a case of not having the correct food stuffs for the sponge, or an unsuitable lighting. Deaths of sponges may take weeks to become apparent and it was damged in transit prior to arriving at your home.

Im sorry its dying, but you could try and cut the sponge to save the living region. Make sure you use a sharp blade and cut all the dea rea, and some of the healthy looking tissue.

Increase water flow and see what happens.

Abby.

 

[Sk8r]

Take tweezers and grab out some good tissue, if too small for razor. Take a tiny, tiny dab of ic-gel and mount to rock. Then feed phyto nearly every day. Sponge is hardy except when exposed to air: air will quickly fill its vessicles and that area will die off, choked of respiration and deprived of food.

 

[OUBrook]

Thanks guys! I'll see what I can do!

-Confused

 

[captbunzo]

If it does go beyond the point of no return, yank it out. Sponges will release all sorts of unfriendly chemicals and stuff into the water when they break down. It may not crash your system or anything. But it will probably stunt the growth of other items, etc.

Chemical filtration media such as carbon, GFO phosphate remover media (phosban, rowaphos), etc, will help to remove these sorts of chemicals...

 

[BigScott]

hey for whats its worth, my yellow sponge started dying off cuz like paul said it was my lighting..i got new T5s an it came right bac..i hope you can save it..


big scott

 

[dugg]

It's not likely that the new T-5's had a direct effect on the sponge. Most if not all sponges are filter feeders, and the new T-5's more then likely just helped the phyto levels in your tank, creating the food source it was lacking.

 

[OUBrook]

Yeah, Chris had a dying sponge, and when he added T-5s, it's like there was no effect on it. I have a PC on it.. It's possible that when I added water once it got little bubbles on it. Hopefully that's just the case. I just want to make sure I'm caring for them properly.

 

[dugg]

It really is difficult at best to care for them properly. You really need to have a large very mature system to keep them for any length of time. Most dwindle within a few months time no matter what you do. Most sponges in the wild live in nutrient rich waters, just the oposite from what the sps type of corals need. The orange tree looking sponges that you see for sale a lot, are all over the beaches on the gulf coast of florida. Clearwater beach is littered with them at times. There isn't one drop of water in the gulf of mexico that is fit for your tank lol.

 

[captbunzo]

Btw, sponges are non-photosynthetic (I believe) and will likely do better with LESS light, or even better, in the shade.

Hey you guys, does this jive with what you understand about sponges???

 

[Paul B]

Most sponges are very hart to keep for over a year. You will not be able to feed them correctly or supply the correct food which may be bacteria and very fine plankton almost the size of bacteria. These items are not available commercially.
I am curious, has anyone here kept sponges more than a year or two? If so, do you have a picture or a name.
Paul

 

[Bungle]

I had one that survived for a couple of years. I noticed it did best in front of my powerhead, but I re-arranged my rocks once and it began to die off.. It was a green ball sponge.
This website gives a little insight about the high-flow idea. It is nothing more than a diagram, but this is something I also learned in college through my zoology class.
Notice in the diagram the ostia. That is where water flows in and organisms are filtered for food.
http://encarta.msn.com/media_461517762/Generalized_Anatomy_of_a_Sponge.html
Also
http://io.uwinnipeg.ca/~simmons/Chap3298/sld013.htm

I am not saying they are simple to keep, but this may explain mine surviving best in front of the powerhead.

 

[Russ Braaten]

I have not had any luck with the pretty sponges that I have bought but I have a white sponge thet is growing under my rocks that I have had for over a year and it is growing well. I find when it starts to appear from under the rock and into the light it will grow a little thicker and then it will die back to the place under the rock.