sponge id

[reeftec]

it is photosynthetic plating sponge,i have had it for close to 3months i have asked some experts in a few forums noone ever seen it before
it is growing & encrusting the rocks around

[G.Alexander]

Can not identify it with this light. Is it grey / blue coloured in daylight ?

G.Alexander

[reeftec]

the picture was taken under 10k xm its in a lowerlight corner of the tank,the color is exactly as the picture dark blue,if it helps,it has a smooth surfacebut matt in color not shiny ,fast grower,it came on a little rock covered with xenia & encrusting white sponge,i took the hole base off little piece by piece,the xenia was even growing on some parts of the sponge which did not seem to bother it either,but i did not want the xenia.
it also has multiple osculas one ine the middle & then other spots
i hope this helps alexander cause thats all i know about it,i looked @ it with the mesoscope,no polyps or anything

[Aged Salt]

Hi Jason, I also can not ID this but what a beautiful specimen, one which I've never seen before. Bob

[GTR]

I've seen them in my buddy's LFS. They came in a few months back for the first time (that he'd seen). Nice looking sponge for sure. When ever I go to his store he gets a kick out of following me around to see what grabs my attention and when I get out my magnifying glass to get a closer look. That sponge stopped me in my tracks just as anything uncommon does. Two of the three had a few yellow sponges or squirts growing on the underside and one had a sponge similar to some I'd seen at Steve Tyrees under it.
Not sure where to get an ID on it but I've spend some time looking at various websites looking but haven't found anything yet.

I wonder if it's really "photosynthetic" or just doesn't care if it's in a exposed zone.

SteveU

[G.Alexander]

I have asked while I was thinking about this sponge:





Over here it is known as Collospongia auris and it really can be a pest. It covers everything, also corals. If this is the same sponge, I would be extremely careful not to allow it spreading trough the tank. If I find a piece, I immediately remove it. It has a sleek surface.

G.Alexander

[reeftec]

well i can almost certainly say its photosynthetic,i have brought my feeding to minimal in the past few months,i also skim heavy & ozone,uv,etc.if it was a filterfeeder,it would have definately show some signs of deteriation or discomfort by noe,but in this sopnges case,it has been growing rather fast.
alexander i think it looks abit different than the picture,but it very well could be a close family of it,do you know if the sponge in your picture can also jump rock or it just grows & covers stuff.
as in case of mine it has already attached itself to a couple of rocks.
what are your thoughts on fraging it inside the tank?

[G.Alexander]

If you are not sure, I would recommend to keep a eye on the sponge and its growth. The one in the pictures does not spawn, just growing from one rock to the other.

G.Alexander

[reeftec]

thanx alexander,i must say i am very impressed,i asked many experts & noone dared to id,that is the one,i think its gonna be a problem i am taking it out (super fast growing)but what do you think of fraging it ,is it possible do you think i could take it out of water & cut it out,or if i cut it inthe tank would it release toxins?

[G.Alexander]

You can frag it if you like to. Exposing the sponge through the air for a short time will cause no problems. You can cut it with a knife for example which will not cause any problem s, restocking it to the tank. Maybe this depends to the size of the sponge, but I know many people cutting bigger patches without any negative effect to the animals in the tank. I have not found any information about toxins of this genius, but here are some general information about toxins / sponge:

Sea sponges produce a large variety of toxin, which are present, either on the surface of the sponge or released into the water. The intended function of these toxins is to ward off predators that would otherwise feed on the sponges, but humans can become the unintended targets by handling sponges or by abrading against sponges. Small particles from the sponge surface (spicules) may also dislodge and remain adherent to the skin surface of the unfortunate traveler causing local inflammation.

Symptoms of Sponge Toxins:

• Localized area of redness at the site of injury
• Pain
• Tingling at the site of injury (paresthesia)
• Itching (puritis)
• Swelling (localized edema)
• Small raised areas may form (papules) which may go on to form small fluid-filled bumps (vesicles)
• Although less common, systemic symptoms of nausea, malaise, and fainting (syncope) have also been reported.

Treatment of Skin injuries from Sponges :

The above listed local reactions may be caused by either the sponge toxin itself or by an inflammatory reaction from the small sponge particles (spicules) that are adherent to the skin.

• Treat the affected area of the skin by applying a vinegar-soaked cloth for about 15 minutes. If you're out in the middle of nowhere and didn't bring any vinegar with you, your own urine will do in a pinch.
**NOTE: if you have a choice in the matter, use urine from a male, because male urine is consider more or less "sterile", females, are more prone to have occult urinary tract infections, and thus using female urine could introduce bacteria into the wound.
• Pat the skin dry with a nonabrasive cloth.
• Pat the skin with the sticky side of some adhesive tape to remove any fine particles (spicules) of sponge that may be present.
• Again soak the area with a vinegar soaked cloth for another 5 minutes.
• If the skin remains inflamed or itchy, you can apply over the counter
• Hydrocortisone cream 0.5% twice day the area for several days until the inflammation subsides.
• If symptoms persist for more that a three days seek medical attention.

G.Alexander

[G.Alexander]

Went out for dinner yesterday in a Chinese restaurant. They run a 1400 gallon system and every coral in this tank which I have seen two years ago went dead. The two attached pictures show how the tank looks today. The complete rockwork is covered by this sponge. Sorry for the bad picture quality, I had only my cell phone with me.





G.Alexander