Sponge & Feather Duester Plaque

[bbehring]

I received a small critter package from an RC member and it came with some cheato, a couple small feather dusters. Tubes are about 2" long and the heads are about the size of the head of a thumb tack. It also came with this funky small sponge that was attached to a piece of rubble rock. The sponge was off white in color, fleshy looking with a small bulb/pod at the base with a long, 1 1/2" finger. I placed all into my refugium. The feather dusters multiplied super fast. Soon I had 5 then 10 now they are all over. The sponge began to grow quickly also and then slightly morphed and grew more bulbs and fingers. After about 2 months I pulled out most of the feather duster worms and scrapped the sponge off the rock and size wall of the refugium. Now I'm back to near plague proportions with both these specimines. Also, now the sponge has shown up in my display and is starting to take over a small star polyp colony very rapidly. Is there any way I can rid my tank of these pests? I'm really concerned about the sponges that just showed up in my display this week. I don't have photos, but am thinking that they must be common? Is there something that will eat them? I'm thinking that trying to remove them from my refugium a month ago might have spread spores into the main display tank?

 

[bbehring]

I guess my system parameters would help? System is 55 gal corner bow front with 4 tp 5" DSB in the main display. Running 20 gallon sump w/ 10 gallon refugium. Skim with freedom filter/skimmer (w/ rio 2400) in the display, and an urchin skimmer in the sump (maxi jet 1200). Run a closed look with om squirt 4 way, panworld pump pushing 1100 gph through the closed loop. Also run a mag 5 for the return from my sump. The tank is drilled for the CL and the overflow to the sump. I also run rowa phos in a phas ban reactor. I change water 1 x per week at 10 gal using RC salt. I have a RK@ controller and I maintin my PH at 8.42 to 8.56. Temp between 80.4 and 81.5. Tank is colled with evap fans that turn on and off with set temps controlled by the RK2 unit. I run a 24w PC fixture off photo period from the main display for 8 hours. Main display is lit with 2x24w T5s for 10 hours and 250w MH for 6 hours. Refugium has 5" DSB with some rubble rock and cheato. SG is 1.025

 

[racrumrine]

Sponges are filter feeders and do best in skimmerless tanks.

Most sponges don't like bright light; though some species do.

Here's what I would do/consider.

Are you feeding to much, especially phytoplankton?

Are your skimmers really skimming that well?

If the "pest" sponge favors low light, move the rock with the desirable species to brighter light (and visa versa).

Sponges are usually very desirable. Perhaps you can figure out a way for both creatures to survive.

Best of luck,

Roy