Freshwater Sponges?!?!

[vanillaXtiffy]

So am I the only one that just found out that there are freshwater sponges? For serious?! I was reading a book about aquarium keeping that talks about both fresh and saltwater systems, and the author mentioned freshwater sponges. This is insanity! So, among those who are laughing at me because they knew all along, lend me your knowledge. Are they plentiful? Do people keep them in aquariums? What is the deal?!

 

[Mgamer20o0]

spongebob does exist in fw. never kept them or remember anyone off hand keeping them. never saw them for sale locally so no clue how well they will do in the aquarium.

 

[vanillaXtiffy]

I am mystified. I don't even know why, but this is just so cool.

 

[spencerguy1]

there are about 20 species of freshwater sponge, all of the spongilla family. they are actually widely common.

 

[dbosman]

We knew. We were saving the news for a surprise.
sigh, now we have to find a new surprise.

Fascinating creatures. I predict someone will find the secret to maintaining them and they will be the next "freshwater shrimp" type of fad.

 

[toddnbecka]

Forget about keeping them in an aquarium, it simply won't work. They have been maintained in tanks for research purposes, but require a very complex and expensive combo of chemicals, and the knowledge of how/when to use them.

 

[James0816]

I've heard of them for a while. Even done some initial checking to try to find them. I would like to see about keeping them myself.

Todd...do tell more about the complexity if you could. I haven't heard that part of it.

 

[elinore]

We have them in our lakes around here (Northern WI). The type we see is yellowish and usually between the size of a pingpong ball and a basketball. Some years there will be one on every piling in our dock. They do seem to be extremely sensitive though. The lake we live on is swarming with tourist boats and jetskis and other water vehicles every summer, and the sponges definitely seem to respond to the level of traffic. I've always wondered if their sensitivity to human activity is due to chemicals and other crud given off to boats, or to the sudden violent waves the boats make, which would I assume seriously mess with the sponges' ability to feed on the little critters and plants they eat.

 

[Fishfriend1]

Now Ima figure out hot to keep sponges in FW...

 

[vanillaXtiffy]

I once met a guy who was successful in keeping and raising SW sponges. I wonder if he's ever tried these ones.