Freshwater Sponges?

K

kiwitwist

AC Members
Mar 30, 2007
8
0
0
Hey, I'm new to the website. I found it because I had been looking to find out about freshwater sponges. I can't seem to find them anywhere. So I'm wondering, is there a reason why? Do people not keep freshwater sponges? Are they too rare? Are they illegal? Is there something I just don't know? If none of that is the case, does anyone know where I can get some? And how to best keep them? I learned about freshwater sponges in biodiversity lab last year, and I thought they were super neat, and it would be really cool if it were possible to keep some. Thanks!!

-Sarah
 
Well, yes, I found informational articles, but nothing about why I can't find them live anywhere. And yeah, they are pretty cool like that, the way their cells work. It's very easy to propagate sponges, that's why I don't understand why I don't see anything about buying freshwater sponges...
 
kiwitwist said:
Well, yes, I found informational articles, but nothing about why I can't find them live anywhere. And yeah, they are pretty cool like that, the way their cells work. It's very easy to propagate sponges, that's why I don't understand why I don't see anything about buying freshwater sponges...
Click to expand...

They're probably not very popular for a number of reasons.
  1. They sit there
  2. You need to keep suspended food in the water column for them
  3. They just sit there.
  4. They probably make very easy food for a lot of fish.
  5. Um...they just sit there :)

Sam
 
lol, Sam, plants just sit there, but we keep them anyway. Sponges, even freshwater, are often very colorful, and I think they'd make a cool addition to a tank, if you had non-aggressive species in the tank. I mean, even if they just sit there.. I'd think SOMEONE would be selling them...
 
Times have changed. There are scads more animals available today than when I was a kid. No one I knew kept freshwater shrimp but now it seems many people do. I would therefor think that if sponges were avialable and people wanted them you could get one maybe with a little trouble. If there is no demand then I'd say you're outta luck. Maybe you can start a trend.

Q
 
kiwitwist said:
lol, Sam, plants just sit there, but we keep them anyway. Sponges, even freshwater, are often very colorful, and I think they'd make a cool addition to a tank, if you had non-aggressive species in the tank. I mean, even if they just sit there.. I'd think SOMEONE would be selling them...
Click to expand...
Oh, I know that I think that they're cool. I'd probably pick some up if I had the chance. I was just listing off why some people might not like them.

Anyway, you might try looking for an invertebrate forum. Maybe someone there will know about freshwater sponges. AC is a good forum, but specialized questions often go unanswered.

Sam
 
One problem with them is that the second they are taken out of water, their filtration system collapses and they are highly unlikely to be able to restart it. Then they die.

I looked into this a few months back. They're not readily available. Anywhere. I wanted to try to find them but it kinda fell by the way-side and I never got around to doing it.
 
Well, I understand, just like reef sponges, you have to collect them under the water, and they basically have to never be taken out of the water, or like you said, they die. I guess maybe I'll ask around the marine labs at my university. Maybe someday I could try and look for them. I hear they grow in streams in NC.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom