Sponge eaters

[I_Like_Fishies]

Are there any fish or inverts that will eat sponges??

[rshimek]

Originally posted by I_Like_Fishies

Hi

Are there any fish or inverts that will eat sponges??

Yes.

Such animals are often hard to maintain in captivity, however, because of their dietary requirements. Many of these will eat only 1 or 2 types of sponges.

Some fishes: larger angels, some parrot fishes

Inverts: dorid nudibranchs, several varieties of grazing snails, some sea stars, many "bristle" worms (syllids, particularly).

[justletmein]

Here's one, Dr. Ron ID'd him a few days ago.

http://www.discountaquatic.com/Critter.jpg

[I_Like_Fishies]

Justletmein what exactly is that? a nudibranch? What type of snails would be good for eating sponges?

[I_Like_Fishies]

and what type of sea stars would eat sponges also, and are they reef safe?

[justletmein]

ILF, sorry I meant to link to the thread. It's apparently a Dorid Nudibranch:

http://archive.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=131720

[mixalis]

I can't help being nosey. . .are you inquiring because you want to get rid of sponges in your tank? If so, why?

[rshimek]

Hi,

As I pointed out, most of the animals that eat sponges eat only a few specific types of sponges. So... unless you can identify any sponges you wanted eaten, and could get the appropriate animals from its natural area, it is unlikely you would have any luck with a generalized sponge-feeding animal eating a sponge from your system.

Most sponge feeding animals are not imported for the hobby, as they are too difficult to keep.

[I_Like_Fishies]

mixalis,
yes, i'm trying to get rid of the sponges in my tank. I have really big white ones and orange ones that i like, but then there are these really tiny ones that are no longer than a quarter of an inch long and they look like dead grass hanging on my LR and then some of the stuff falls off and floats around my tank all the time. the stuff is always constantly floating around in the water and some settles and it looks like silt on the LR, very ugly looking to me. I dont know exactly what type of sponge it is, i can try to post a pic later but you really cant see them very well.

[rshimek]

Hi,

I think you are out of luck with regard to something that eats that material. I have not heard of a specific animal that would help you out.

Sorry.

:frog: