Sponge invasion! ID help anyone?

Cobrasvt1999 · 09/24/2017, 05:19 PM

Hello all!

So I have a sponge issue that is taking over the corals and is starting to choke out rastas and even other LPS corals. So far I have attempted to remove them with tweasers as well as expose them to air for an extended period of time, to no avail.

Normally I would be happy to have the sponge in my rock and all over, but its becoming endemic and is starting to kill my other corals. Any suggestions for what I can do to control them? any species specific predators? Linckia Sea star? morish idol? Nudibranch?

I feel like I need a proper ID before proceeding because of how specific some of these creatures diets are. any help would be appreciated!

Thanks a ton!

Cobrasvt1999 · 09/25/2017, 12:52 AM

bump

sailplanes2 · 09/25/2017, 01:24 AM

Quote:

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Peace

Cobrasvt1999 · 09/25/2017, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailplanes2

Peace

Uhh, got me on that one. Just pulled up the forum with 2 computers and my phone and the images load properly. Ibb is a image hosting website

sailplanes2 · 09/25/2017, 01:39 AM

Sorry brother. Does work on my phone but not Firefox Win10 w/Malwarebytes active. Hope others can view / help you with this issue. Peace

Cobrasvt1999 · 09/25/2017, 08:53 AM

Huh... that's odd

Michael Hoaster · 09/25/2017, 06:27 PM

Angel fish eat sponge. I'd try to match one up to the location your rock came from. For example, if caribbean rock, get a caribbean angel.

Cobrasvt1999 · 09/25/2017, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

Angel fish eat sponge. I'd try to match one up to the location your rock came from. For example, if caribbean rock, get a caribbean angel.

Wouldn't an angelfish decimate my other corals? I thought maybe a flame angel, but theres the same problem. If its willing to eat sponge, its likely happy to eat the zoas with it.

Also, why matching the rock? is there something about angels that makes that important?

Michael Hoaster · 09/26/2017, 08:08 AM

It depends on the species. Some prefer sponge to corals. But that is an issue to look out for, for sure. Do some research. The reason I said to match the angel to the rock location is to give you a higher chance of them preferring and eating your particular sponge species. Angel fish thinks,"Oh yeah, I used to eat these back home."

Moorish Idols might be candidates, but they are a hard fish to recommend, with their history of dying in aquariums.

Cobrasvt1999 · 09/27/2017, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

It depends on the species. Some prefer sponge to corals. But that is an issue to look out for, for sure. Do some research. The reason I said to match the angel to the rock location is to give you a higher chance of them preferring and eating your particular sponge species. Angel fish thinks,"Oh yeah, I used to eat these back home."

Moorish Idols might be candidates, but they are a hard fish to recommend, with their history of dying in aquariums.

Hrm... seems quite risky for the other corals in there. I fear I might be giving one fish a smorgasbord of meals...

I would love a moorish Idol, but I just cant convince myself to get a fish that has such a high risk of death...

Michael Hoaster · 09/27/2017, 10:14 PM

You could set aside some frags in a QT, then introduce a spongivore to your display. Zoas come back pretty quick, right? Maybe there's a nudibranch or something less risky. Ask google.

gargoylenest · 09/28/2017, 09:20 AM

I once had a singapour angel that I had to add sponge to his food for him to eat. never touched my corals.

JMorris271 · 09/28/2017, 11:51 AM

Sponge can't tolerate being exposed to air. Could you remove some of those polyps then remount them and sacrifice the others to get that sponge out? What a shame that would be though.

Cobrasvt1999 · 09/29/2017, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMorris271

Sponge can't tolerate being exposed to air. Could you remove some of those polyps then remount them and sacrifice the others to get that sponge out? What a shame that would be though.

Yah.. I tried already to let em dry out some. Away from home now, but im thinking about trying to give them a fresh water bath and see how they like that. I know the zoas can stand it for a few min...

BFG · 10/04/2017, 02:51 PM

Hold on ! Dont add hot water to zoa please ! You might get injured yourself !

09/24/2017, 05:19 PM	#1
Cobrasvt1999 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Anchorage Alaska Posts: 141	Sponge invasion! ID help anyone? Hello all! So I have a sponge issue that is taking over the corals and is starting to choke out rastas and even other LPS corals. So far I have attempted to remove them with tweasers as well as expose them to air for an extended period of time, to no avail. Normally I would be happy to have the sponge in my rock and all over, but its becoming endemic and is starting to kill my other corals. Any suggestions for what I can do to control them? any species specific predators? Linckia Sea star? morish idol? Nudibranch? I feel like I need a proper ID before proceeding because of how specific some of these creatures diets are. any help would be appreciated! Thanks a ton! __________________ 180 Gal main display with a 40(ish) gallon sump. Still getting it all settled in :P Current Tank Info: 180 Display W/sump and related parts

09/25/2017, 12:52 AM	#2
Cobrasvt1999 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Anchorage Alaska Posts: 141	bump __________________ 180 Gal main display with a 40(ish) gallon sump. Still getting it all settled in :P Current Tank Info: 180 Display W/sump and related parts

09/25/2017, 08:53 AM	#6
Cobrasvt1999 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Anchorage Alaska Posts: 141	Huh... that's odd __________________ 180 Gal main display with a 40(ish) gallon sump. Still getting it all settled in :P Current Tank Info: 180 Display W/sump and related parts

09/25/2017, 06:27 PM	#7
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Angel fish eat sponge. I'd try to match one up to the location your rock came from. For example, if caribbean rock, get a caribbean angel. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

09/26/2017, 08:08 AM	#9
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	It depends on the species. Some prefer sponge to corals. But that is an issue to look out for, for sure. Do some research. The reason I said to match the angel to the rock location is to give you a higher chance of them preferring and eating your particular sponge species. Angel fish thinks,"Oh yeah, I used to eat these back home." Moorish Idols might be candidates, but they are a hard fish to recommend, with their history of dying in aquariums. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

09/25/2017, 01:39 AM	#5
sailplanes2 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 19	Sorry brother. Does work on my phone but not Firefox Win10 w/Malwarebytes active. Hope others can view / help you with this issue. Peace

09/27/2017, 10:14 PM	#11
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	You could set aside some frags in a QT, then introduce a spongivore to your display. Zoas come back pretty quick, right? Maybe there's a nudibranch or something less risky. Ask google. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

09/28/2017, 09:20 AM	#12
gargoylenest Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: montreal,canada Posts: 135	I once had a singapour angel that I had to add sponge to his food for him to eat. never touched my corals.

09/28/2017, 11:51 AM	#13
JMorris271 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Foothills of SC Posts: 2,010	Sponge can't tolerate being exposed to air. Could you remove some of those polyps then remount them and sacrifice the others to get that sponge out? What a shame that would be though. __________________ 120 gal mixed tank. Lightly stocked now but....

10/04/2017, 02:51 PM	#15
BFG Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 700	Hold on ! Dont add hot water to zoa please ! You might get injured yourself ! __________________ If you've learnt, teach. If you have, give.