What's going on with this black thing?

[Shooter7]

I have what I felt to be a black sponge that had spread out on a rock in my refugium. Looked like this:

Since taking that pic I have revamped my sump, moved my fuge to a separate tank above my sump that gravity drains down to it, and moved all the rock and such, including the one in the pic above, into it. This was 2 - 3 weeks ago. Last night I look into the fuge and see that where this thing was is not a bunch of opaque black "globules". Anyone have any ideas what this is or what's going on? Is it just a dying sponge or something else? Should I cut the fuge off from flowing into the main system until I clean this up?
Here is a pic:

Thanks for any input.

 

[dphins]

It's the blob! RUN.

 

[saltyunderground]

Perhaps you've struck oil, black gold, Texas tea?

 

[Shooter7]

I wish...but seriously, I'm trying to figure out what's going on with this thing and if it could be doing anything detrimental to the rest of my tank?

 

[saltyunderground]

Try posting it on one of the specialty forums. Maybe they can help.

I believe this is a type of sponge that we have a little of also. But your second picture almost looks like algae. It just be the way that sponge grows.

This idea is a little out there, but the purple and yellow nudibranchs that Marine Solutions has are sponge eaters. In the vast majority of tanks they will starve in about 2-3 weeks assuming they have not been at the store that long. You can try one of those, and see if they will eat it your black stuff.

I would not put them in a very small tank. It's probably toxic when it dies. You would want to remove it immediately if it dies. A clue to near death is that it lays an egg strand. If you see an egg strand in the tank at the store, don't buy it. If you see one in your tank watch it closely.

Here's a link to the species I am talking about. It's on the website of one of RC's sponsors:
http://bluezooaquatics.com/livestock/product_info.php?id=2817

 

[Shooter7]

Thanks, I've posted it in the reef discussion forum and I've also posted it in Calfo's forum...got no answer at all in discussion and still waiting for something from Calfo's forum.

 

[frenchie]

i get alot of help from living reef forum there our a couple of guys over there who helped me from beginning with anything there members are from all over country. Got pages of helpful articles you can read about anything having to do about reef aquarium.

 

[violaceous]

I had something that looked very like what is growing in the first photo, but I ripped it off and washed it down the sink. I thought it was a form of dark brown algae. So far it hasn't reappeared. It was thick for algae, but not as dense as a sponge... Very weird stuff.

Never saw anything like photo 2 though. :?

 

[Shooter7]

Photo 2 is what photo one became.

First response from Mr. Calfo was that he wasn't sure because the photo wasn't clear enough. Time to go buy a non-cheapy camera too.

 

[Shooter7]

 

[Shooter7]

Looks like I'm getting no further with this. Anthony only wants to comment on my picture taking skills. Although, have explained that I have to lean out over my sump and fuge area, hold myself up by placing one hand on the wall next to the fuge, and try to hold and focus the camera in one hand stable enough to get a somewhat clear pic while shooting top down into a foot deep of water and trying not to drop the camera into it. Oh well, guess I'll be suctioning up a bunch of weird blobs.

 

[frenchie]

i'll send pics to someone i know in tennesse reef club know alot about weird stuff and see what he says.

 

[Shooter7]

Thanks...would be interesting to hear.

 

[frenchie]

its posted in living reef forum with pics so i should get an answer today but its bedtime now just got home from work

 

[Shooter7]

There is no "bedtime" when it comes to blob ID'ing!


:lol:

 

[frenchie]

sleep with one eye open so the blob don't get ya man

 

[saltyunderground]

I just looked this up in my Reef Invertebrates book (Calfo/Fenner). On page 157 is black sponge that looks identical to your encrusting blackness. It called Hymedesmia and it's from the Red Sea.

On page 134, sponge reproduction is discussed. The first paragraph talks about asexual reproduction. "Asexual reproduction in Porifera (sponge) is accomplished in at least two ways. Buds can be produced and liberated from parents and packets of 'essential cells' (gemmules) can be isolated or cut away (as by the aquarist) to form a new individual."

I think you have a black sponge that is reproducing by asexual means.

 

[Shooter7]

I need to get that book. About the only one I don't have. Thanks Lisa.

hmmmm....think, think, think

:idea:


EBAY, here I come!

"RARE" Black Sponge babies! Get your own "Texas Tea" black sponge to have in your tank! Only $20 per globule!

 

[saltyunderground]

It's an exellent book. Just like Calfo in real life, the book rambles on about non-invert topics too. Lots of good info on live rock, substrates, etc.

Don't expose your rare black gold to air. It will kill it.

 

[frenchie]

one of the pics looks like a black sponge i have found online in other forums but few other guys said other pics look like a cyano bacteria and asked if you had good skimmer and good water movement.