Sponge expert needed!

Discussion in 'Inverts' started by Bucsfan, Jan 4, 2015.

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  1. Bucsfan

    Bucsfan Flamingo Tongue

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    I made a huge rookie mistake today. I went to a LFS that I had never been to before and saw a magnificant orange tree sponge. Overcome with its beauty, I bought it without doing any research. After acclimating it, I put it in my 220 gal. sw tank. THEN, I did some basic research and learned 2 things other than they are very difficult to keep alive. The first thing I read was that sponges should never be exposed to air (my was when I transferred him to the tank) and more importantly, that if it dies, it will release toxins into the tank which could kill my animals.

    I need someone with experience and knowledge of sponges to tell me whether the sponge is doomed and if it dies, do I have a potential problem, because if so, I will pull it from my tank immediately.
    Obviously not worth the risk.......
     
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  3. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Give it a try. Put the sponge in an area of lower lighting and flow. Get an image and we'll be able to tell if it's a photosynthetic sponge or not.
     
  4. Bucsfan

    Bucsfan Flamingo Tongue

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  5. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Well that was easy enough, dang thanks.

    http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497 527 577&pcatid=577

    Edit: you may get some die off from air exposure but I have never had exposure to air out right kill a sponge. Yeah do not let a sponge sit out unexposed. If the sponge did die it would not create enough die off to compromise your water quality.

    I used to stir the sand around the base of my sponges, they seem to enjoy the detritus.
     
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  6. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Oh and care instructions state an area of higher flow, not moderate or lower flow.
     
  7. Bucsfan

    Bucsfan Flamingo Tongue

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    Will do. Thanks much. Still a bit worried about the toxin issue possibility............