Reef Central Online Community

Home Forum Here you can view your subscribed threads, work with private messages and edit your profile and preferences View New Posts View Today's Posts

Find other members Frequently Asked Questions Search Reefkeeping ...an online magazine for marine aquarists Support our sponsors and mention Reef Central

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community Archives > More Forums > Reef Club Forums > West Region-Reef Club Forums > Marine Aquarists Roundtable of Sacramento (MARS)
FAQ Calendar Today's Posts Search

 
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 12/29/2007, 12:28 AM
mike1962 mike1962 is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Woodland, California
Posts: 140
What is it? Sponge? A mystery from the Raffle!

Hi All,

Here is a couple of pics of an oddity that needs confirmation. I won this little cluster of zoa's at the Christmas Raffle, and when I brought it home saw this unusual white ball at the end. I'm thinking a sponge, but what do you all think?

Side view


Front view
__________________
Michael
  #2  
Old 12/29/2007, 12:32 AM
funman1 funman1 is offline
Got Salt?
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Citrus Heights, CA
Posts: 2,939
Looks pretty spongish to me....
__________________
"Sharks are naturally peaceful."
"How'd you get that nasty cut anyway?"
"A shark bit me."

Jack of all trades, and master of none.
~Steve~
  #3  
Old 12/29/2007, 12:35 AM
pbetito pbetito is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Carmichael
Posts: 1,035
It kind of looks like a dead skeleton of something like a brain coral or maybe a favia. If it is spongy however it is most likely a sponge and is good for a reef. If you have any angels they may go to town on it if it is in fact a sponge. Cool find
__________________
Mike did it!
  #4  
Old 12/29/2007, 12:39 AM
mike1962 mike1962 is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Woodland, California
Posts: 140
Yeah, I'm thinking sponge too. When I touch it, it flexes a bit, so it is a soft tissue. I've just never seen a sponge like that before (in my very limited experience).
__________________
Michael
  #5  
Old 12/29/2007, 12:39 AM
nova67 nova67 is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: redding ca
Posts: 242
its a sponge i have some in my tank
__________________
my current tank list
25 gal kille fish tank
110gal planted discus tank
125gal mixed reef tank
135gal cichlid,catfish tank
150gal peacock tank
  #6  
Old 12/29/2007, 12:43 AM
mike1962 mike1962 is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Woodland, California
Posts: 140
Cool! Okay, the support seems to confirm it's a sponge!
__________________
Michael
  #7  
Old 12/29/2007, 12:44 AM
nova67 nova67 is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: redding ca
Posts: 242
you can find them in other colors to. i have had yellow,lime green and oranges ones
__________________
my current tank list
25 gal kille fish tank
110gal planted discus tank
125gal mixed reef tank
135gal cichlid,catfish tank
150gal peacock tank
  #8  
Old 12/29/2007, 12:48 AM
mike1962 mike1962 is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Woodland, California
Posts: 140
That's very cool Nova67. How did you end up with these sponges? Did they come on your LR or with Zoa's like mine?
__________________
Michael
  #9  
Old 12/29/2007, 12:50 AM
nova67 nova67 is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: redding ca
Posts: 242
most of them just showed up out of no where
__________________
my current tank list
25 gal kille fish tank
110gal planted discus tank
125gal mixed reef tank
135gal cichlid,catfish tank
150gal peacock tank
  #10  
Old 12/29/2007, 12:52 AM
sagitariuscbc sagitariuscbc is offline
have fun with it!~)
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: New Helvetia
Posts: 2,218
Sponge, but I would keep an eye on it, it may out grow the zoa's. You could always frag the zoa's away from it.
!-)
__________________
It gets easier the more you do it!-)
  #11  
Old 12/29/2007, 12:56 AM
mike1962 mike1962 is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Woodland, California
Posts: 140
This is a pretty substantial cluster of Zoas, (a very generous donation for the raffle), so I will probably frag these anyways...Thanks for the advice Sagitariuscbc!
__________________
Michael
  #12  
Old 12/29/2007, 12:58 AM
KMP KMP is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: NorCal
Posts: 883
it's a snowball
  #13  
Old 12/29/2007, 01:09 AM
dots dots is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 2,498
Once thought to be a liability because once exposed to air they die, sponge used to be avoided. In recent years since water quality and stability has gotten better on average, they are a welcome sign of stabilty and biodiversity as well and filtration.

I have a large black sponge that I was going to offer pieces of soon if anyone would like. Its a good cover crop for the algae, stays jet black and is different to see. Right now it has some detitus on it, but in a few minutes it will slough it off and be black and shiny as new.

__________________
Fresh out of catchy one-liners today....
  #14  
Old 12/29/2007, 01:41 AM
mike1962 mike1962 is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Woodland, California
Posts: 140
Thanks for the info Dots. I am glad that as time has marched on, so has our understanding and equipment improved the overall success of reef tanks. It is my suspicion that while we understand a fair number of fundamentals in keeping reef tanks, there is probably a complexity that we still haven't yet appreciated. The Social Biologist E.O. Wilson has suggested that a rotting tree trunk contains a universe all to its own of fungi, mold, and bacteria working in complex ways, I don't see why a reef system would be any different.

That looks to be a large sponge that you have. Just curious, how long have you had it, and how big is it?
__________________
Michael
  #15  
Old 12/29/2007, 01:53 AM
dots dots is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 2,498
I bought the rock over two years ago and it came all purple, with two anenome on it and the sponge about the size of a quarter inside one of the holes. It covers what you see, is now really starting to take off since I changed my water source and encrusting on the bottom of the tank. Streched out flat......I would say 8" square easily and up to a 1/4" think in places. You wouldn't think it, but its very fibrous and meaty.

But like my 4" diameter Astrea snail, could go bad fast and pollute the tank if I get lazy. I figure by the time that happens all my SPS would be dead anyways, so I figure I can keep it without worry.

Seriously, its getting big and will need to cut it back one of these days.....if anyone wants some let me know.

One word of advice with sponge: Do not expose to air as they are sensitive to it.

In the FTS shot, you can see the big black blob on the bottom to get a idea of how big it really is. I like it because no algae grows where it does. Its a black encrusting sponge, but other than that have not looked it up.......I always thought Marine Flora and Fauna would always be interested in it........who was that agian?

__________________
Fresh out of catchy one-liners today....
  #16  
Old 12/29/2007, 02:09 AM
kevin95695 kevin95695 is offline
Reef Cowboy
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Woodland, CA, USA
Posts: 1,551
Marine Flora = bluenassarius = Sam.
__________________
Did I say that out loud? Good. Somebody needed to.
  #17  
Old 12/29/2007, 02:47 AM
dots dots is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 2,498
Thats it.....thank you.
__________________
Fresh out of catchy one-liners today....
  #18  
Old 12/29/2007, 02:32 PM
saltykelly saltykelly is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: grass valley
Posts: 240
I would like some of that black sponge. I have seen it at YR. John says it grows pretty fast and is tolerant to high lighting unlike most sponges.
  #19  
Old 12/29/2007, 08:52 PM
dots dots is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 2,498
We will have to get you a hunk then.
__________________
Fresh out of catchy one-liners today....
  #20  
Old 12/29/2007, 09:23 PM
sagitariuscbc sagitariuscbc is offline
have fun with it!~)
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: New Helvetia
Posts: 2,218
Hey if you have some left I would like a piece too, when ever really no rush!-)

!-)
__________________
It gets easier the more you do it!-)
  #21  
Old 12/30/2007, 01:29 AM
dots dots is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 2,498
I have all kinds, its kinda taken over really. I'll wait a little to see who and how much I need to "farm" and we will figure out a time and place.
__________________
Fresh out of catchy one-liners today....
 


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:00 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef Central™ Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2009