question on sponges...in search of info

ahullsb · 05/29/2007, 12:25 PM

I couldn't resist buying a few sponges that were very brightly colored. Blue, Purple and fluorescent green to be exact. But I have heard that some sponges can kill of an entire tank if they die. Are these the types they are referring to? And does this happen very quickly, or is it because people neglect to pull them out right away? And do they prefer high or low light? I have them growing in both. Any info or links would be greatly appreciated!

Drix · 05/29/2007, 01:57 PM

Pretty much anything will kill off a tank if they die because of decomposition. However, some sponges are poisonous and are adept at tank killing. I'd do some searches to see if your specific sponges are poisonous or not.

Sponges prefer low light due to their lack of defence mechanisims, they have no way at all of preventing algea from growing on them which is detremental to their health.

All in all keep an eye on them for a few weeks and make sure they're doing ok, if one dies pull it immediatly. It will start leeching fairly quickly.

benjonesn · 05/29/2007, 03:01 PM

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/sponges.htm
Tyree also has a book on sponges.

demonsp · 05/29/2007, 03:04 PM

Try here.

http://melevsreef.com/id/

ahullsb · 05/29/2007, 03:27 PM

I didn't see any that resemble mine on there but thanks for the reading anyway. Here is a pic I have of the blue sponge. I will get some of the purple and green ones tonight.

Nano Chris · 05/29/2007, 04:14 PM

I have a sponge growing that came on my lr, it is towards the back of the left side of the tank, seems to like the lower light, looks like its growing pretty well IMO.

ahullsb · 05/29/2007, 08:25 PM

Anyone else have any suggestion?

Sk8r · 05/29/2007, 08:53 PM

That's a gorgeous sponge. I don't recognize it, but it's sure good-looking and healthy.

ahullsb · 05/30/2007, 12:48 AM

Thank you. I'll take pictures of the purple and green ones that are just as bright. I just hope they don't cause any problems. Thats about the actual size.

tetra-tag · 05/30/2007, 01:05 AM

The blue sponge you have pictured above could be an example of Haliclona . (The only way to be certain of an identity would be expert examination of the 'spicules,' silicate or calcium 'twigs' which give the animal stiffness.) The Fenner/Calfo Invertbrates book indicates that this genus of sponges is partly photosynthetic, in a symbiotic relationship with cyanobacteria (Blue Green Algae) which provides 'sugars and sustenance' to the colony. It does however get most of it's nutrition via filter feeding. They recommend "high light and high water flow to compliment deep sandbed or refugium methodologies." Live phytoplankton is better than bottled, due to the tendency of the latter to clump and form particle sizes too big for filter feeders to ingest effectively. Cultured rotifers are also recommended by the same authors.
That one's real spiff, take care of it.

05/29/2007, 12:25 PM	#1
ahullsb Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: sacramento, ca Posts: 2,729	question on sponges...in search of info I couldn't resist buying a few sponges that were very brightly colored. Blue, Purple and fluorescent green to be exact. But I have heard that some sponges can kill of an entire tank if they die. Are these the types they are referring to? And does this happen very quickly, or is it because people neglect to pull them out right away? And do they prefer high or low light? I have them growing in both. Any info or links would be greatly appreciated!

05/29/2007, 03:27 PM	#5
ahullsb Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: sacramento, ca Posts: 2,729	I didn't see any that resemble mine on there but thanks for the reading anyway. Here is a pic I have of the blue sponge. I will get some of the purple and green ones tonight. __________________ Andy Sacramento, CA Current Tank Info: 55 gallon reef w/20 gallon sump/ER135/ 75 pounds of live rock, 4 in sandbed, 2 b&w ocellaris clowns, yellow watchman/pistol, rosy scaled wrasse, Mystery wrasse, Copperbanded Butterfly, Lighting 48" outer orbit 2 150 mh/ 4 t5 actinics

05/29/2007, 04:14 PM	#6
Nano Chris Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 2,758	I have a sponge growing that came on my lr, it is towards the back of the left side of the tank, seems to like the lower light, looks like its growing pretty well IMO. __________________ Chris ------- 34 Gallon Red Sea Max 130! Setup (Just got back into the hobby) Current Tank Info: 34 Gallon RedSeaMax!

05/29/2007, 08:25 PM	#7
ahullsb Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: sacramento, ca Posts: 2,729	Anyone else have any suggestion? __________________ Andy Sacramento, CA Current Tank Info: 55 gallon reef w/20 gallon sump/ER135/ 75 pounds of live rock, 4 in sandbed, 2 b&w ocellaris clowns, yellow watchman/pistol, rosy scaled wrasse, Mystery wrasse, Copperbanded Butterfly, Lighting 48" outer orbit 2 150 mh/ 4 t5 actinics

05/29/2007, 08:53 PM	#8
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	That's a gorgeous sponge. I don't recognize it, but it's sure good-looking and healthy. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

05/29/2007, 01:57 PM	#2
Drix Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 590	Pretty much anything will kill off a tank if they die because of decomposition. However, some sponges are poisonous and are adept at tank killing. I'd do some searches to see if your specific sponges are poisonous or not. Sponges prefer low light due to their lack of defence mechanisims, they have no way at all of preventing algea from growing on them which is detremental to their health. All in all keep an eye on them for a few weeks and make sure they're doing ok, if one dies pull it immediatly. It will start leeching fairly quickly.

05/29/2007, 03:01 PM	#3
benjonesn Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 94596 Posts: 50	http://www.wetwebmedia.com/sponges.htm Tyree also has a book on sponges.

05/29/2007, 03:04 PM	#4
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	Try here. http://melevsreef.com/id/

05/30/2007, 12:48 AM	#9
ahullsb Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: sacramento, ca Posts: 2,729	Thank you. I'll take pictures of the purple and green ones that are just as bright. I just hope they don't cause any problems. Thats about the actual size. __________________ Andy Sacramento, CA Current Tank Info: 55 gallon reef w/20 gallon sump/ER135/ 75 pounds of live rock, 4 in sandbed, 2 b&w ocellaris clowns, yellow watchman/pistol, rosy scaled wrasse, Mystery wrasse, Copperbanded Butterfly, Lighting 48" outer orbit 2 150 mh/ 4 t5 actinics

05/30/2007, 01:05 AM	#10
tetra-tag Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Southern CA Posts: 167	The blue sponge you have pictured above could be an example of Haliclona . (The only way to be certain of an identity would be expert examination of the 'spicules,' silicate or calcium 'twigs' which give the animal stiffness.) The Fenner/Calfo Invertbrates book indicates that this genus of sponges is partly photosynthetic, in a symbiotic relationship with cyanobacteria (Blue Green Algae) which provides 'sugars and sustenance' to the colony. It does however get most of it's nutrition via filter feeding. They recommend "high light and high water flow to compliment deep sandbed or refugium methodologies." Live phytoplankton is better than bottled, due to the tendency of the latter to clump and form particle sizes too big for filter feeders to ingest effectively. Cultured rotifers are also recommended by the same authors. That one's real spiff, take care of it.