FAQs on Sponge Identification
6
Related Articles: Sponges in Marine
Aquariums
Related FAQs: Sponge ID
1, Sponge ID 2, Sponge ID 3, Sponge ID 4, Sponge
ID 5, Sponge ID 7, Sponge ID 8, Sponge
ID 9, Sponge ID 10, Sponge ID 11, Sponge ID 12, Sponge ID 13, Sponge ID 14, Sponge ID 15, Sponge ID 16, Sponge ID 17, Sponge ID 18,
Sponge ID 19, Sponge
ID 20, Sponge ID 21, & Sponges 1, Sponges
2, Sponges 3, Sponge Selection, Sponge Compatibility, Sponge Systems, Sponge Feeding, Sponge Disease, Sponge Reproduction,
|
|
Cocoon? Nope, Poriferan! 10-6-07 Hi guys,
<Hi Mark> just got to say I love your site and you've been
a tremendous help in the past. <On behalf of everyone here, I
thank you!> Anyway, we just discovered this cocoon in our tank
and have no idea what might be surprising us in the near future
with its presence. <Hmmm, a Butterfly fish perhaps? <G>
Sorry, couldn't resist!> Do you guys have any ideas?
<Yes, I do. Although it does look like a cocoon, it's
actually a harmless, filter feeding, Poriferan/sponge. Please see
this link, as well as the related FAQ's/articles linked at the
top of the page for more information re:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/sponges.htm .> For reference, the
tube on the tube anemone in the background is about 4" tall.
We have a 90 gal. tank with a couple of corals, a tube anemone,
copper banded butterfly, 2 blue Chromis, a coral beauty, a black
percula clown, a sand sifting star, a short spine sea urchin, a
handful of hermit crabs, and a handful of snails. The snails do
seem to reproduce in our tank quite frequently and Ralph, our
copperband butterfly, likes them as an appetizer! <Escargot!>
Thanks for <You're very welcome! -Lynn>
Mark |
|
Re: Cocoon? Nope, Poriferan! 10/6/07 Hi guys,
<Hi Stephanie> Just want to say I love your site!! <Why,
thank you!> So we were looking around in our tank tonight and we
discovered this cocoon. <Whoa, deja
vu!> It's a little over an inch long, the tube on the tube
anemone in the background is about 4" long. We have a 90 gal.
tank that has been up for about 1.5 years. For inhabitants we have
a copperband butterfly <Named Ralph -- love that name!> a
coral beauty, 2 blue Chromis, a black percula clown, a sand sifter
star, a tube anemone, a short spine sea urchin, a handful of hermit
crabs, and handful of snails. The snails like to reproduce and
Ralph, our copperband butterfly, likes them as appetizers!!
<Heeee! I never could stomach escargot, but there are those that
love 'em!> We do have a few corals as well, some purple and
green mushrooms, <Nice> a Chile coral <Pretty, but yikes,
difficult to keep.> a few different colored Zoanthids, and star
polyps. We'd love to know what is growing in the cocoon and
will be joining us soon. Do you guys have any ideas? <Yep.
Although I'd love to tell you that something really neat is
going to pop out of that cocoon, it's not. It's actually a
Poriferan/sponge, a harmless filter feeder and pretty neat looking!
Please see this link, as well as the related FAQ's/articles
linked at the top of the page for more information re:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/sponges.htm . Enjoy!> Thanks,
Stephanie <You're most welcome! -Lynn> |
Weird little white things...
8/28/07 Heya, <Good evening> I have used your
web site on countless occasions and usually I can find the answer
I'm looking for relatively quick, <awesome> but I
can't seem to find a question similar to mine so here goes. I
noticed a while ago that there was this strange white egg looking
thing attached to some of my live rock (pic 1&2), along with
other odd things I said "hey that's cool, wonder what it
is" and went about my business. However, this afternoon I
decided I needed to clean my canister filter and to my surprise
there were many (twenty+) of these things (pic 3&4) I had
seen on my rock earlier. I hate cleaning my filters because I
always have to rinse so many little critters down the drain (even
though I quite often spend 20 minutes picking out as many of the
little guys as I can before flushing the rest). <And to you,
my heart my friend'¦ I do the same thing. :-)> But
I've had my tank for almost a year now and I've never
seen these egg like things before, and now they're all in my
filter. Any idea on what they are? <They are sponges.
They're likely some kind of Sycon sp. Some aquarists call
them 'pineapple sponges' because they look a bit like
little pineapples. I've had them before myself. Sometimes
they bloom (reproduce like mad) and then suddenly disappear as
mysteriously as they came. Or, sometimes they stick around. In
any case, they're harmless unless they start clogging up
things.> And thanks so much for your web site... like I said
earlier I use it very often. ~Andrew
<Best,
Sara M.>
|
|
|
Quick response needed on coral... 8/27/08 Hi
thanks for your help. I have been doing a little research on here
tonight about my coral. <...? What is pictured is a
sponge...> I am including some pictures so maybe you can tell
me whether everything is ok or not and what I can do to hopefully
fix it if it's not ok. I received a hardy coral pack last
week and the orange sponge was a bonus coral. I do not know to
much about these corals unfortunately. I'm wondering if the
sort of clear layer around the sponge is just from stress and
will be ok or if it's deteriorating. Please give me
information on this and what to do. I do not want to jeopardize
the fish and other recently bought corals in my tank which is 75
gallons. Also the other corals I was wondering if you could
identify them for me and tell me how to feed them and if they
look ok. Thank you <Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marinvind1.htm the bottom of the
page... Likely to be trouble here... with a non-photosynthetic
species, newbie... I do hope this msg. gets back to whomever you
purchased this "pack" from. Bob Fenner>
Re: Quick response needed on coral,
sponge... -- 08/27/07 I am sorry to write you again
about the sponge. I looked at the information you told me to look
at. Would you say that my sponge is dying? <Mmm, not quite
yet... but very hard for most home hobbyists to keep such
non-photosynthetic species for much time period> Do you think
the sponge is emitting any toxins, and should I remove it from my
tank? Thank you for all of your help <Unfortunately this may
be the case... and yes, I would. Pardon my dispassionate
responses... Am unsettled that a company would send you such an
inappropriate "bonus" organism... Trouble for it, you
and your other livestock. Please do contact them re, send my
email along. Bob Fenner>
|
|
Help With ID... Likely Sponges (Poriferans)
8/22/07 Hello, <Greetings, Mich here.> Thank you in
advance for your bounty of knowledge. I have looked through the
site and found people with similar questions, but most times you
asked for a picture( so I attached one). <Is a start... Using
your cameras macro feature would be even better... the macro
feature typically looks like a flower/daisy and will allow your
camera to focus on images that are quite close.> In my fish
only with live rock tank (170 gallon) I recently re-worked the
aquascape due to my Triggers constantly fighting. When I moved
some of the live rock that has been in the tank for 5-6 months
now I noticed this strange cotton type cocoons growing on the
underside of a few of them. I am wondering if the are harmful and
should be removed, or just another life form taking residence in
my tank that I should enjoy? <Likely the latter.> My tank
consists of a Niger Trigger, Picasso Trigger, Porcupine puffer,
Lunar Wrasse, Panther grouper, Snowflake Eel, Lionfish and a 3 or
4 large red hermit crabs. <An aggressive set up.> I have
not had a problem with any sick fish or anything in the past 8
months ( knocks on wood) <Glad to hear... keep knocking!>
and have not added any fish in the past 6 months. The only thing
I have added to the tank is the live rock, which hasn't had a
new addition in about 3-4 months. All the fish are very active
and appear fat and healthy. <All good!> Again thanks for
all your help and advice. <Welcome!> They are bright white
and resemble cotton balls. <I suspect these are sponges that
often grow on the undersides of the live rock. When you
rearranged you rockwork you likely brought them into view. I
cannot really make out much from the picture, but I doubt these
are anything that you need to be concerned about. More here and
related links in blue:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/spongesii.htm> My picture isn't
to good because of the reflection I kept getting with the flash.
<Using the Macro feature would help with image clarity as
well. Cheers, Mich>
Help With ID... Likely Sponges (Poriferans)
8/22/07 You guys are awesome thanks for the help.
<Welcome!> For the life of me can't figure out why I
didn't use the Macro feature. <Heeee! Ya Coulda had a
V8!> Oh well live and learn. <C'est la vie!> <You
are most welcome. Mich>
|
|
Help! I need somebody Help! Not Just Any
Poriferan... the $140 Q 8/15/07 Hello
everyone at WWM! <Hola Esteban, Michelle ya belle aqui> I am
somewhat alarmed. I have looked all over your website and have had
no luck identifying this little creature. <Well I just had to
laugh, I saw the photograph. Is a Poriferan, a sponge, a harmless
filter feeder.> At first it was just like a little bubble
looking thing, but now it has started growing very nasty looking
hair. It frightens me. <Hey Jude don't be afraid. You were
made to go out and get here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/sponges.htm
> I don't know if it's bad, but it looks pretty gross.
<Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.> If anyone could help
me ID this furry little monster, <I'd like to be under the
sea, in an octopus' garden with this sponge. Oh what joy for
every girl and boy, knowing they're happy and they're safe.
Some similar here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/spongeidfaq4.htm >
I'd much appreciate it! thanks!!! <Welcome! We get by with a
little help from our friends.> Esteban
<Michelle> |
|
Sponge/Anemone ID, and Mantis comp.
8/8/07 Hi guys, just a quick thank you for the much
appreciated information on your site. I was told at my LFS that
this is a colonial anemone on a sponge, an "orange spider
sponge"; is this correct? <Mmm, maybe... are the greyish
parts ever "polyp-like"? This may be a sponge growing
on another sponge> if so what is the taxonomy. <Any idea
where this/these organism/s are from?> Also, are mantis shrimp
detrimental to a reef setup? <Can definitely be... are
predaceous... some can get quite large, consume shellfish, other
crustaceans, even fishes> I have had no luck removing this
specimen, I got a snowflake eel, not solely for the purpose but
thinking he might dine on it, but alas he hasn't. I'm
starting to admire his resilience. Thank you for your assistance.
Cameron Teague <See WWM re traps, baiting... strategies. Bob
Fenner>
Re: Sponge/Anemone ID 8/9/07
> Subject: Sponge/Anemone ID, and Mantis comp. > Hi guys,
just a quick thank you for the much appreciated information on
your site.> I was told at my LFS that this is a colonial
anemone on a sponge, an "orange spider sponge"; is this
correct?> <Mmm, maybe... are the greyish parts ever
"polyp-like"? This may be a sponge growing on another
sponge>> if so what is the taxonomy.> <Any idea where
this/these organism/s are from?>> Also, are mantis shrimp
detrimental to a reef setup?> <Can definitely be... are
predaceous... some can get quite large, consume shellfish, other
crustaceans, even fishes>> I have had no luck removing this
specimen, I got a snowflake eel, not solely for the purpose but
thinking he might dine on it, but alas he hasn't. I'm
starting to admire his resilience. Thank you for your assistance.
Cameron Teague> <See WWM re traps, baiting... strategies.
Bob Fenner> Hi, I have been told that they have
"flowers", I'm guessing polyps, that emerge after
time. I have only had it in my system for about a week. I'm
guessing it's just getting used to my system. The supply from
my LFS comes from Cairns, then gets shipped over night to Hobart,
Tasmania where I live. <Mmm, well... the polyps should have
been in evidence by now... I do suspect that this is a sponge on
a sponge more and more. BobF>
|
|
Follow up on Sponge/Anemone ID 8/15/07 >
> Subject: Sponge/Anemone ID, and Mantis comp. > Hi guys,
just a quick thank you for the much appreciated information on your
site.> I was told at my LFS that this is a colonial anemone on a
sponge, an "orange spider sponge"; is this correct?>
<Mmm, maybe... are the greyish parts ever
"polyp-like"? This may be a sponge growing on another
> if so what is the taxonomy.> <Any idea where this/these
organism/s are from?>> Also, are mantis shrimp detrimental to
a reef setup?> <Can definitely be... are predaceous... some
can get quite large, consume shellfish, other crustaceans, even
fishes>> I have had no luck removing this specimen, I got a
snowflake eel, not solely for the purpose but thinking he might
dine on it, but alas he hasn't. I'm starting to admire his
resilience. Thank you for your assistance. Cameron Teague>
<See WWM re traps, baiting... strategies. Bob Fenner>> Hi,
I have been told that they have "flowers", I'm
guessing polyps, that emerge after time. I have only had it in my
system for about a week. I'm guessing it's just getting
used to my system. The supply from my LFS comes from Cairns, then
gets shipped over night to Hobart, Tasmania where I live.>
<Mmm, well... the polyps should have been in evidence by now...
I do suspect that this is a sponge on a sponge more and more.
BobF> Well it's been about two weeks and polyps are staring
to appear. What does this mean? Apart from it's alive. Does
that mean it's not a sponge? <You know... with this nice
close-up pic... I do think this is an encrusting Gorgonian (an
Octocoral... Sea Fan), not an Anemone (Hexacorallian) at all. See
the Net re... Oh, is NOT a sponge. BobF> |
|
|
|