Safe snails and hermits for a sponge

[utahsaltreefer]

I have a bright green sponge that came on a piece of live rock. After about 3 weeks it has grown to about 2 inches across and a half inch tall. It is really nice and I would like to keep it around. My question is what if any snails and/or hermits will leave it alone. In a previous tank, the clean up crew devoured all the blue sponges in the tank in a day. This tank is only about 4 weeks old and I haven't added a cleanup crew yet. Thanks for your help.

P.S. The attached picture is from when I first got it and it was about half an inch by 1/4 inch. It is much more colorful now.

 

[Anonymous]

Hm. What species of cleanup crew members ate it? Was it a new tank when that happens? perhaps they resorted to munching sponges because there was not enough detritus and algae to eat? My cleanup grew is mecifully oblivious to the existance of sponges.

 

[utahsaltreefer]

Here's a newer picture. Sorry its a bit fuzzy, I didn't have time to set up the tripod.

 

[utahsaltreefer]

In the previous instance. The tank was about a year old (plenty of detrius and algae). I added a piece of live rock with blue sponges. Then watched in horror as within a day or two they all dissappeared. They dissappeared during the nighttime, not during the day if that helps.