dead sponges?

[Anubis1]

ok.. everyone says to scrape off the sponges on your live rock when you get it cause they won't survive.. well... i didn't.. and it still looks ok.. I think... I mean.. it looks like it did when i got it..

so.. how do you know if a sponge has gone to that great ocean in the sky? Do they change colors?.. get slimy?... or what?

thanks!

 

[bleedingthought]

They will rot off the rock. If it's a hole lot, it could foul up your tank. But not always do they die off. Again, usually only large amounts are a worry.

 

[Anubis1]

well.. this is still looking like it did when i put it in.. that's why I wasn't sure.. it's not like it crawls around or moves .. it just sits there.. happy as a clam.. er.. sponge...

 

[bleedingthought]

It should be fine

 

[Anonymous]

I don't know who this "everyone" is that recommends scraping sponges off of live rock, but I don't recommend it.

 

[SnowManSnow]

just let it be you'll have sponges show up.. die off .. and show up again.. just part of a reef tank.

b

 

[Anubis1]

well.. the back posts I have read.. about putting live rock in a tank.. the majority of the ones I have seen mention removing dead and dying things.. and the ones that mention the sponges say to take them off as well because in their opinion they won't survive..

i couldn't see scraping off something which was still kicking.. so i left it..

 

[bleedingthought]

Well, large tube or tree sponges are usually what people recommend to scrub off. When exposed to air, it's really hard for them to get rid of the bubbles within their cells causing it to starve/suffocate. If it is turning white or black, it's usually dead or dying. The biggest thing to watch out for is when they're shipped (including when you get live rock online - especially from Florida).

But yeah, your everyday sponges, which come and go in reef tanks (like encrusting sponges) don't always die as easily and if they do when introducing rock for example, as long as it's not a massive amound, won't do much harm. It sounds like yours are fine, anyways.

HTH

 

[blackcloudmedia]

Could you take a pic? Ive always fancied sponges.

 

[Anonymous]

well.. the back posts I have read.. about putting live rock in a tank.. the majority of the ones I have seen mention removing dead and dying things.. and the ones that mention the sponges say to take them off as well because in their opinion they won't survive..

i couldn't see scraping off something which was still kicking.. so i left it..

Did you buy this live rock from a local fish store? I never remove anything from live rock purchased locally.

If I buy cured live rock shipped to me, and I see something large and obviously dead, like a big ol' sponge, I would peel it off first, but even shipped CURED live rock that I get rarely has any deadness dangling from it.

If you got in a shipment of uncured live rock, it would probably have a good bit of sponges that clearly did not survive the collecting and shipping process, those you would want to take off since they will just make the rock take longer to cure.

 

[Anubis1]

these are on uncured live rock from Florida which were overnighted to me.. from Sea Life Florida. So far it's the best live rock that I have gotten... and so far the little sponges are doing great

I tried taking pics of a worm that I got in on a different shipment of rock (Fiji).. and it came out as a little brown blur.. lol.. so as soon as I get a better camera I will take some pics of everything!

Our local live rock from the fish store is 9.00 a pound.. and even with shipping prices it's cheaper to get it online.

thanks for the help everyone! I really appreciate it!

 

[bleedingthought]

I don't like florida rock, even if it's cheaper.

Prices here are usually 7 bucks a pound, plus the discount I get from being a member of the reef club (10-30%) so that comes out to be way better, since I get to handpick everything!