The Best looking Australian Sponge EVER!!!

[Hypertek99]

Trying to get some info on this. Anyone have any idea??? It's so pretty but why does it have polyps??? It's the first one from Australia. The seller i'm buying from named it White Lightning Sponge. They said it's the first on in the states. They say it's a certain morph that's why it has the white polyps. It's so cool.

 

[sps_addict]

That is crazy!!!! Nice find!

 

[Hypertek99]

Yeah it's huge too. About 10 inches and tons of branches

 

[tcmfish]

Those are probably a certain type of polyp that lives on that certain type of sponge. They are probably two different species but I could be wrong. But still great find do all you can to keep it alive.

 

[LeslieH]

Those are zoanthids overrunning a sponge. Some members of the zoanthid genus Parazoanthus are well known sponge commensals. Why don't you post your pics over in the zoanthid forum & see what the folks over there can tell you about this.

Did the seller say that the polyps were actually part of the sponge or just attracted to that particular sponge?

 

[Hypertek99]

I'll get the seller to verify if it's part of the sponge or growing on it.

 

[Grins]

I saw one just like that on WWM...post is about 1/4 way down and Fenner identified it as an encursting Gorgonian

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/gorgidfaqs.htm

 

[Hypertek99]

Sorry it is not a gorgonian. We have id it and it is a hydrozoa sharing a symbolic relationship with the sponge. The scientific name is Clathria sp. It only grows in one part of Australia. The Zoa polyps come out during the day and night to feed. We are trying to get more info from the diver. Thanks to Jendub for this info.

 

[nick540]

wow very nice!

 

[LeslieH]

What part of it is supposed to be the hydrozoa? The red is a sponge - and Clathria is a sponge name - and the polyps are zoanthids.

 

[graveyardworm]

It makes me think of Santa Claus.

 

[Conceyted]

I like it, whatever it is!

 

[uR_a_frag]

here's the same sponge from a local site.

http://www.sdreefs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26707&highlight=sponge

 

[Hypertek99]

I was right it's zoas sharing a relationship with the sponge!!

 

[Helfrichs Chic]

Not parizoanthis swifti is it? Not sure on spelling lol. I worked at a LFS and we got these in often. They zoas wernt white but yellow so maybe a diffrent type.

 

[CapitalO]

I would definitly go along with a sp. of Parazoanthus. From what I gather, it is non-photosynthetic and requires frequent feeding or suspended food in the water column with strong current. Be cautious about nutrient levels in your water, if algae is allowed to grow on the sponge that would be very bad.

 

[bucky145]

i agree its a santa sponge

 

[Qckwzrd]

Amazing looking coral!