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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, & Sponges 1, Sponges
2, Sponges 3,
Sponge Selection, Sponge
Compatibility, Sponge Systems,
Sponge Feeding, Sponge Disease,
Sponge Reproduction, | 
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Cocoon? Nope, Poriferan! 10-6-07
Hi guys,
<Hi Mark>
just gotta 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
the help!
<You're very welcome! -Lynn>
Mark | 
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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, déjà 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.
<Thank you>
~Andrew
<Best,
Sara M.> |
.JPG) .JPG) |  .JPG) |
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> | 
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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!>
Thanks again
<You are most welcome. Mich> | 
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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> | 
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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> | 
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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> | .JPG) |
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