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FAQs on Sponge Identification 2

Related Articles: Sponges in Marine Aquariums

Related FAQs: Sponge ID 1, Sponge ID 3, Sponge ID 4, Sponge ID 4, Sponge ID 5, Sponge ID 6, 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 1Sponges 2Sponges 3, Sponge Selection, Sponge Compatibility, Sponge Systems, Sponge Feeding, Sponge Disease, Sponge Reproduction

 

Sponge ID 4/18/4 Could you please identify the olive colored growth that has been surrounding my Bali Xenia in these photos. <it is a sponge... and its presence is not wholly a problem at all. Enjoyable for many> It seem to be growing fast - spreading over the LR. <as a voracious filter feeder... its success is an indication of possibly heavy dissolved organics in the system (heavy fish or feeding load, lack of adequate water changes, lack of aggressive skimming, etc)> It now seems to growing upward towards the light. The Bali seems to trying to move away from it. It definitely is surrounding the base of the xenia. What do you think it is and should I pick off the LR? <better to starve such growths into control/submission by getting at the root  cause: nutrient control. But do prune it in the meantime. Anthony>

Identification of anemone and sponge? 2/27/04 These pictures were taken in St. Croix last weekend,   <Mmmmm... sounds nice> I think that one is a sun anemone, but it was NOT blue green in color as is advised in my Reef Creatures book.   <no matter... variable color, and it really looks like Stichodactyla helianthus to me too. The other is obviously an orange sponge of some kind... but what kind exactly is it? <the possibilities are staggering. No way of telling here my friend from a photo> I have non dumbed down pictures if you want them. thanks Melissa Dickens
<best regards, Anthony>
Growth ID - sponge 2/24/04 Could someone tell me what this rose-colored growth is?   <it appears to be a sponge> It is spreading onto various pieces of my live rock.  It is actually not quite as orange-y colored in real life.  It's more of a mauve color and more closely matches the color of the lavender coralline.  When I see a new "spot" of it on a new piece of rock, it is an area with well-defined boundaries that grows larger and larger (as opposed to something like an algae or brown diatoms that get darker and darker within a whole area as it grows).  It is slippery to the touch, and leaves my finger feeling slimy after I touch it, but no color rubs off.  I want to know whether to be concerned and to take action to get rid of it, or to leave it alone.  I can't decide if it might be a cyanoBACTERIA or sponge or what?! <the latter almost certainly. Steve Tyree of Dynamicecomorphology.com has written a very detailed book on sponges if you care to pursue it> Thanks so much for your time! Bess
<best regards, Anthony>

Sponge ID II 2/25/04 One more quick question, Anthony... Would you think sponge or tunicate since it's slippery?   <I still think its a sponge... do check our chapters and comparisons of Tunicates vs. Sponges in our "Reef Invertebrates" book> I know there is no way for you to know for sure, but I'm just curious about your guess.   <actually... they are easy to ID. Look close and you may see incurrent and excurrent pores... "cilia" or not around the excurrent openings, etc> And thanks for the suggestion about Steve Tyree - I'll check out his book. Thanks so much, Bess <yes... a very dry but informative (packed) read. Anthony>
Sponge Identity First I want to thank you for taking the time you devote to assisting to us wanna bes.  You have probably saved countless amount of life by sharing your knowledge. Question, I recently purchased three sponges for my 55 gallon tank. I have reviewed all I could find on your site and have tentatively identified two of the three.  Would you please take a look and let me know if I am correct.  One of them I could not identify. Pic 100_0277 Yellow Ball Sponge i.e. Cinachyra spp. Pic 100_0275 Blue Sponge  i.e. Haliclona Blue <These two we are in agreement on> Pic 100_0276 Red Sponge i.e. identity unknown <Am not so sure about either. Maybe a Monanchora or Ageles species. Did your supplier give you an idea of where it was collected?> All of the new items appear to be doing well.  I do have a concern about the blue sponge.  This thing is literally growing before my eyes.  Will     this take over my tank? <Not likely. Almost always either "something" becomes rate-limiting to their growth/expansion, they "self-regulate", likely by some sort of chemical feedback loop, or end up dying...> After I acclimated them to my tank, there was a small piece that had apparently got broken off during the transportation. So I thought to myself, what the heck.  So I just dumped it in the tank also.  Now, this is beginning to grow also.  I thought I might let it grow for a while and then trade it back to my retailer for something else. <Good plan> Tankmates include a yellow tang, coral beauty, lawnmower blenny, feather duster, flame scallop, a few snails and crabs.  I have studied your site about your concern regarding the scallop after I had purchased it.  This will not happen again.  I have had mine for about four months and appears to be doing well.  I hope it continues.   <Me too> Second question, I am planning to upgrade my lighting soon to two 48 inch VHO's.  One full spectrum and one actinic blue.  I will then take my current light strip and add two 24 inch VHO's for a total of about 300 watts.  My wife is wanting to get an anemone.  Do you think this should be adequate lighting? <Likely so, though still not easily kept. Do study up, learn how to pick out an initially healthy individual, better species... perhaps a tank "bred" clone of a Bubble Tip?> Thanks
Dean
<Be chatting, Bob Fenner>
Sponge ID Dear WWM Crew, Can you help make an ID of this assumed sponge?  I'm attaching a jpg for your review.  Any associated problems with this animal? <A nice growth of (white) Syconoid sponges. Sign of a healthy, stable system. No worries> Thanks for your web site and help, Brian in Alaska <Thank you for sending this along. Bob Fenner>

Syconoid sponges of the genus Sycon 7/10/03 Hello I'm new to this whole thing, anyway I have a 29 gal salt water with just crabs, 25 lbs of live rock, feather dusters, a couple of snails, a mushroom coral (small), and these on the side of my tank... What are they? Thank you for your time <these critters are very common and commonly misidentified or "unknown" incidentals that develops in marine aquaria with live rock. They are Syconoid sponges of the genus Sycon. Filter-feeders... harmless, and even desirable. They can reach plague proportions if the tank is neglected or has other nutrient control issues. Else no worries... enjoy! Kind regards, Anthony>
 
Sponge ID - 9/30/03 Crew: Hey, I finally got a picture of my tiny sponge that came on LR. <Sorry for the delay. This email has moved about a few times before I received it.>  I hope it looks clear enough to identify. <Not really>  The "debris" on it did not come off when I blew a powerhead on it. <Try a turkey baster at an angle so as to not to push the debris further "into" the sponge>  It has a similar opening on the other end.  I am hoping to help sustain the life of this organism, and I know identification is the first step.  So, any ID? <Unfortunately no. Too hard from a picture, to tell you the truth. Harder than corals as there are a great many similar sponges out there. What part of the world is the live rock from? This might help narrow down the search to at least a region to start. Sorry for the lack of an answer -Paul> Thanks, Rich

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