Aussie Spider Sponge

[pardonmyreefing]

Hey all, I’m new to the forum but hi! I have two tanks: a mixed reef with an aurora goby, and a fish only soon to be LPS dominant tank with two snowflake clowns and a Valentini puffer (experimental tank). I’d like to consider myself relatively experienced in the hobby *knock on wood* haha, and I always love to challenge myself in the hobby. That being said I recently took up the challenge of caring for a spider sponge! Very pretty sponge and adds tons of character to my reef, I feed phyto daily and keep it out of DIRECT light near the back wall of the tank. It’s doing pretty well, but I would like to know more about the zoa polyps that encrust on the sponge’s surface. Are they parasitic? Do they always need to be open? Should they be open? How do you get them to open? Etc. I see them opening a lil bit every now and then, but not a lot. I did research..but I couldn’t find a solid answer, explanations anyone?

 

[PDR]

Welcome to R2R! I don't know much about these sponges but hopefully the #reefsquad can point you in the right direction.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Welcome to R2R! I know nothing of that sponge, but it is awesome looking!

#WelcometoR2R

 

[pardonmyreefing]

Welcome to R2R! I'm don't know much about these sponges but hopefully the #reefsquad can point you in the right direction.

Haha that’s okay

 

[pardonmyreefing]

Welcome to R2R! I know nothing of that sponge, but it is awesome looking!

#WelcometoR2R

Thanks! My fish store gets them in sometimes, the owner got me interested so I decided that a new challenge was ahead of me

 

[Crabs McJones]

Thanks! My fish store gets them in sometimes, the owner got me interested so I decided that a new challenge was ahead of me

Please let us know if you create a build thread, i'd love to follow along and watch the progression

 

[pardonmyreefing]

Please let us know if you create a build thread, i'd love to follow along and watch the progression

I probably will, I’m always tweaking something in my tanks[emoji23]

 

[NY_Caveman]

Thanks for sharing that beautiful sponge! Welcome to R2R!

 

[pardonmyreefing]

Thanks for sharing that beautiful sponge! Welcome to R2R!

Happy to share! It truly is! It’s doing well so far as well

 

[Fudsey]

Welcome to R2R ! ! !

Very cool sponge ! ! !

 

[reef lover]

Welcome to r2r!!
The zoas are commensial to the sponge and are growing in the tissue...not sure how to get them to open...check them at night.

 

[pardonmyreefing]

Welcome to r2r!!
The zoas are commensial to the sponge and are growing in the tissue...not sure how to get them to open...check them at night.

Good idea I sure will, I’ve been hearing a mix of a commensalism and parasitism when it comes to the zoas, but I sure will check. I see the pores on the sponge are open, however.

 

[reef lover]

Thats good sign from what i read its the sponge thats hard to keep alive...good luck with him..