I think it’s a sponge ?

[softreef92]

Im going to say this is a sponge but I’m not sure anyone familiar?

 

[BristleWormHater]

Get closer pics and switch your lights to white for better clarity.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I would guess that's a sponge, but white light pics would be needed for me to really feel confident about that.

 

[softreef92]

I would guess that's a sponge, but white light pics would be needed for me to really feel confident about that.

Sorry I wasn’t even thinking about how blue it was lol

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Sorry I wasn’t even thinking about how blue it was lol

Haha, it happens - yeah, that's a sponge. Interesting that it doesn't seem to be bothering the GSP there at all. As long as it doesn't prevent the coral polyps from opening, it should be harmless:

Yeah, that's definitely a sponge. Most sponges are completely harmless/beneficial, but some can be invasive and/or harmful to corals (thankfully, these are rare).

To tell if a sponge is chemically harmful: if a healthy, established coral starts closing up or looking to be in bad shape on the side closest to the sponge as the sponge grows closer to it, and nothing else has happened (lighting changes, parameter swings, pests, etc.) that could explain it, then the sponge is probably chemically harmful.

Chemically harmful sponges are very rare.

For invasive sponges: unless it shows signs of being chemically harmful or starts actively growing over and smothering a coral's flesh/polyps, it's harmless. These can grow over the skeletons of corals, around the base/stalks of corals, even up into the water column above corals (where they're over the coral but not growing on the flesh or polyps themselves), etc. without harming the coral at all - as long as the coral flesh and polyps can get food, light, and flow, the sponge is harmless.

Invasive sponges are moderately rare.

Invasive and chemically harmful sponges are incredibly rare.

If it starts spreading invasively, there are things you can do to try and remove it, but some sponges can be really resilient and regenerate after removal, so effectiveness may vary.

 

[softreef92]

Haha, it happens - yeah, that's a sponge. Interesting that it doesn't seem to be bothering the GSP there at all. As long as it doesn't prevent the coral polyps from opening, it should be harmless:

If it starts spreading invasively, there are things you can do to try and remove it, but some sponges can be really resilient and regenerate after removal, so effectiveness may vary.

Yeah crazy that gsp has been there for two years and I was cleaning the other day and noticed it kinda just appeared. Half of the tank is gsp so if it covers some I’m not to worried about it

 

[PharmrJohn]

I would guess that's a sponge, but white light pics would be needed for me to really feel confident about that.

Pineapple?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Pineapple?

Not a pineapple sponge - those are from the genus Sycon and typically are little tube shapes with a little funnel shape sticking out the top (so they look like white pineapples).

This is some other kind of sponge.