Wine Colored Cup Sponge coming apart

[chughes8523]

I have had a cup sponge in my 55gal. tank for about 6 months. No problems up till now. It has doubled in size, but has developed transparent patches within the past couple of days.

There are about 4 areas ranging in size from a pencil eraser to a quarter. These areas are not complete holes. They have very fine fibrous material still in the holes. These spots have gotten bigger in just a day. Any ideas anyone.

The tank specs are:

55 gal
260 watt compacts
sp. grav 1.024
ammo - 0
nitrite- 0
nitrate- trace
ph- 8.0
Cal. 380
KH- 9.3
temp 78- 79

[jaymz101]

Sounds to me like its dead or in the process of being so. The fiber you see are probably spicules. I dont know what would be causing it this late in the game though. Is anything picking at it?? Did it get exposed to air?? Most sponges cant handle air. It gets trapped inside and they die and rot from the inside out. The only thing I can think of (other than those) is that if it is a calcareous sponge, your calcium may be too low.

If I remember my college inverts class, sponges are either calcareous or sillaceous, if theyre not getting enough calcium or silicone respectiely, they will die..

[chughes8523]

There is small air bubbles that look trapped in the sponge. I have always seen some of these as long as I have had it.

As for something picking at it, nothing to my knowledge.

Can a sponge be cut?