yellow ball sponge? no pix, unfortunately.

[Sk8r]

Just noted via the reflection in my wedge tank that something has turned up near the sand in my 52, about the color of a ball-shaped and yellowish Irish potato---in the way Irish potatoes can be brownish yellow. I'd estimate the size (given corner tanks and bowfronts magnify a bit) at 2 inches or a little more, maybe as much as 3.

The tank has run since January. It wasn't there when I set up.

However I started with someone's discarded live rock, and it was live. I have pink encrusting sponge, and inside a hole in the rock, a definite yellowish sponge about end-of-thumb-size.

What conditions favor it? What consequences if it suddenly bites the big one and crashes?

How big does it get?

And does anybody have an idea of what its species is?

:eek2:

 

[racrumrine]

There are several types of yellow sponge. If you do a search, you can find pictures of them. If you post a picture, maybe someone will recognize it.

Steve Tyree has lots of info on them http://www.dynamicecomorphology.com/ He filters his tanks with them.

The sponge is growing because it is happy. You're lucky, they are great filter feeders. It will only continue to grow if there is a sufficient food supply. They tend to do better in skimmerless tanks.

When I regularly feed phytoplankton, I notice that my sponges really take off.

Best of luck,

Roy

 

[Sk8r]

Aha! Thank you! I've been feeding phyto regularly in my reef because I have a clam, and a mandarin who relies on pods. And now we have sponges! Neat site, too---thanks twice!