sponge.

[liquafaction]

At what point do you think I would be safe to add a sponge to my tank. I have read a few articles that kinda give you "what to look for, and when you can add tips", like when you start seeing dime size coraline algae, you are safe to add more hardy corals like leathers, and button polyps. I still have a slight algae problem, but won't the sponge use up some of the trace elements that feed algae? Are there any signs to look for?

 

[Gealcath]

sponges are not plants like algae is, thier filter feeders like feather dusters, and are colonies that act as a single organism, so you can cut them up into tiny pieces and as long as they are not exposed to air at all cost they will multiply easy. If you do buy a spong, make 100% sure that it was not removed from water for even a second, as that will most often result in the whole thing dieing (they filter feed by a syphon system thats pumps water through thier body, and when the suction is broken by air exposure its impossible for it to restart, and it then starves). All handling/bagging/ect. has to be done while under water.

As i previously mentioned, you dont know if a spong was exposed to air or not before you buy it, so its more a risk thing.

 

[liquafaction]

I already understand what you posted, my question I guess, is: At what point would you think that you tank was mature enough to keep a sponge? Maybe you answered that, and I did not understand.

 

[petcrazy213]

If I May ...

I am realatively new to SW ... my tank has been up and running for a bit over 8 mos now and I am constantly learning new things. Anyway, as far as your sponge question ...

While I had no real intention of keeping a sponge I found a couple as tag-alongs on a small piece of LR. At first I didn't even know they were there and about 2 months ago I noticed a small growth on this little LR that almost looked like a smudge of snot or something. At first I thought it might be some kind of algea as I have quite a bit of coraline and some other stuff growing. Then after a couple weeks I noticed it getting taller and a bit wider and it started changing color a bit ... getting lighter. After another couple weeks I noticed 2 other little bulges in on of the rocks crevaces and the original mass started getting finger-like things on it. It's been about 2 months now since I first discovered the hitch-hiker and now it's definitely a sponge, it's about an inch in height (at it's highest point, from the rock) and about 1/2 and inch wide. There are also 2 more little nodgules around the crevace that are growing and I'm pretty sure they are sponges also. Here's the thing ... these guys didn't start showing up until I started adding filter foods for my feather dusters. That's when I first noticed the stuff on the rock, about a week or so after the first filter food was added. So, I guess that as long as there are other things living in your tank and you have food for the sponge it should be fine. (my sponge would have started showing up at about 6 mos - tank age ... even though the rock was in there from about week #8 (2 mos)). You gotta love hitch-hikers!

Hope that helps you some.

 

[VoodooChild]

Depending on the species, captive care can be variable. As mentioned above, the sponges are filter feeders, so there is the thought that a tank should be set up for awhile so any free floating planton can have time to build up a good population. I don't think that live rock alone can do this, so I believe most of their feeding takes place from the remains of the fish foods. You can use assorted planktonic mixes, but keep an eye on water quality. Make sure that you have current in the tank. That's a must. After that, also like mentioned above, there's alot of hitchhiking sponges. Remember though, this is all conjecture, and no one is really to sure on the captive care of sponges (that applies to most marine inverts). Trial and error my friend. And alot of money.

 

[mogurnda]

I've never added any, but have a number of colonies that came in with the live rock. Many have since spread quite a bit. Some species have been thriving, while others have slowly died away. Presumably it has to do with food preference.

Since we, as a hobby, know very little, it's a gamble. I'd suggest trying a colony, adding DTs or Tahitian Blend regularly, and see how it does. It will take quite a while to know how you're doing, since sponges take quite a while to grow or die.

One other note. The sponges that have done the best are shaded. They tend to get overgrown with algae when they're exposed.