Your sponge turning white = dying Cells. What can you do to salvage them? probably not much.
You should place these sponges in high flow area, lighting is not important as they are not photosynthetic. Sponges are filter feeders. There are many "openings" that draws in water and the tank water is dispersed and forced out of each individual cells. During the process, nourishment are taken and utilized. Exact ingredient of the nourishment is not clear, but a good water quality is prerequisite. Target feed them live plankton and rotifer helps them develope their cells.
What you should do now is try to keep the rest of the sponge alive. The dying portion will disintegrate by themselves exposing the living cells. Make sure there are no stagnant water where the sponges are. Water should be circulating around the branches at all time.
Just to add, the dying portion maybe due to exposure to air. Sponge has no means of expelling air out of their cells, trapped air announces their death. When handling sponges, there should be no air in the transport bags, and all bagging and unbagging should be performed under water. The inverts climbing up and down the sponge has no effect on them, not many inverts actively feed on sponges.
Good luck
[ January 08, 2002: Message edited by: danmhippo ]</p>
You should place these sponges in high flow area, lighting is not important as they are not photosynthetic. Sponges are filter feeders. There are many "openings" that draws in water and the tank water is dispersed and forced out of each individual cells. During the process, nourishment are taken and utilized. Exact ingredient of the nourishment is not clear, but a good water quality is prerequisite. Target feed them live plankton and rotifer helps them develope their cells.
What you should do now is try to keep the rest of the sponge alive. The dying portion will disintegrate by themselves exposing the living cells. Make sure there are no stagnant water where the sponges are. Water should be circulating around the branches at all time.
Just to add, the dying portion maybe due to exposure to air. Sponge has no means of expelling air out of their cells, trapped air announces their death. When handling sponges, there should be no air in the transport bags, and all bagging and unbagging should be performed under water. The inverts climbing up and down the sponge has no effect on them, not many inverts actively feed on sponges.
Good luck
[ January 08, 2002: Message edited by: danmhippo ]</p>
