Sponge ?

[djc1026]

Anyone have info on sponges killing corals, specifically zoos. I've got a yellow sponge that just started growing in my tank under a zoo colony, it has now touched a couple of the tubes and the whole colony is acting wierd in that some are not opening, and others are opening partially but with the center inflated. Any thoughts?

Dave

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

Is there a chance that it's a Hydrocoral? Also, there are "Fire Sponges" that are known to have a potent sting. I hope you don't have one. Do you have a picture?

 

[djc1026]

I will try to get a pic tomorrow.

Dave

 

[luvabunny]

I've never heard of a sponge stinging anything, but all sponges (that I know of) need to stay submerged. If you can take the zoo colony out of water for a bit, you will probably kill the sponge, and it shoudn't hurt the zoos at all.

Also, there are some fish and nudibranchs that eat sponges. Might be something to look into.

 

[djc1026]

Here are a couple of pics:

 

[jgoelz]

I had this same sponge growing amongst some palythoa button polyps. The sponge got rather large and beautiful but never seemed to do any harm. It just spread around the base of the colony.

I have a colony of zoas doing the same yours are with the center inflating. A lot of the zoas that showed this symptom just disintegrated over a 2 day period but it did not wipe out the whole colony. Keep us posted.

 

[djc1026]

That's what they are doing, the center is inflating and the tubes are skinnier.

Dave

 

[captbunzo]

I have some yellow sponge in my 20g tank that looks just like that. Isn't doing any harm, though...

 

[Russ Braaten]

I wonder if the zoos can get constipated.

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

Sorry but I can't see the photos since they are on photobucket, work blocks them.

But I will tell you this, I have yellow, pink, orange and a few other sponges all over my tank. came in as hitch hickers. In the years that they have been in the tank, I have never seen them affect anything in my tank. And also as far as them dying when taken out of the water, I do 50% waterchanges on my tanks, exposing the sponges for about an hour, and it does not affect them. If you pull them out and disturbe them by pressing them etc, then it may affect them.

This is all just my experiences with them. Your milage may vary.

 

[nIx_tank]

Yeah, I have those same kind of sponge, with no ill affects.

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

Those definitely aren't "Fire Sponges". Have you done any nocturnal hunts for Sea Spiders, Sundial Snails, and Zoanthid Eating Nudibranchs? Is your pH, Calcium, Alkalinity, and Magnesium all alright? Have you been dosing anything beyond Calcium and Alkalinity additives?

 

[djc1026]

I dose B-Ionic, pH is 8.1, Ca is 460, Alk is 11dKh, don't have a magnesium test. I have about 30 other corals, including other zoos and no strange behavior. No sundials or nudibranches that I've found, never heard of sea spiders.

Dave

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7517575#post7517575 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by djc1026
I dose B-Ionic, pH is 8.1, Ca is 460, Alk is 11dKh, don't have a magnesium test. I have about 30 other corals, including other zoos and no strange behavior. No sundials or nudibranches that I've found, never heard of sea spiders.

Dave

Well, with those tests, I'm sure that your Magnesium is fine, so no worries. I would suspect more of an aggitator than an actual predator, but you never know. I would recommend doing a little research on Sea Spiders just for your own knowledge. Do you have a lot of Vermetid Snails on or near that colony of Zoanthids? Occassionally, the mucous web that they use to feed will brush against corals and aggitate them.

 

[djc1026]

No vermetid snails that I know of, but a ton of Collonista snails. I've never read anything on them effecting corals though.

Dave