orange tree sponge

I have a very large oragne tree sponge that i bought at the LFS for 50 Bucks. Its about 22 inches high and about 8 inches around. I dont think that it is dying, but it keeps on getting this brown alge stuff growing at the tops of the braches i dont know what it is and i dont know what to do to stop it from happening. Please Help!

 

well...sponges are very susceptible to the growth of algae on them...really they are very difficult inverts to keep because of that. They are best in a mature tank where algae is not a problem...I wouldnt even put a nice sponge in my tank because i still get a little algae and my tank is 2.5 years old. The best way to prevent this is to have water movement on it and try to blow it once and a while. Also you can purchase a phosphate buffer to help control algae. there are also many product that will control it as well. Good luck

 

Was it taken out of the water?

 

To expand on Reef Lovers question, does it have any clear patches on it?

I'd move it out of the light, most sponges, especially this one, don't require or even like, much light.

 

does it mean it can be happy in my tank with only the 70 watts NO lighting??? well, when it's more mature.

 

Was it exposed to air, did you take it out of the water? If you did then it's dying.

 

Im gona agree with Reef Lover, if the sponge was removed from the water...that will definatly cause problems...as for the lights this type of coral...im guessing this is probably a Higginsia Sp, Red Branching Sponge...if so then it still does require med to low lighting...so maybe put it where it can get some indirect lighting...as for for your 70 of NO i would highly recommend getting at least vho or pc lighting.

 

Can you post a picture?

 

Once it turns white, it's a goner. You can try scrubbing the algae off with a toothbrush to rid of it. put it away from light and you will have less algae growing on it due to the light restriction you put on the sponge.

 

It is very important to never take sponges out of water, otherwise air gets trapped inside the atrium of the sponge's tissue causing dead spots. Also, when you bought the sponge, was it attached to sufficient substrate? (very important to the health of the sponge. Any dead spots should be removed(cut out) and the sponge should regenerate(heal). On the whole sponges are very hardy as you could literally place sponge in the blender, mix it and dump it into your tank and it many new colonies of sponge will grow.(just don't blend it for too long or the heat from the blade will burn the sponge tissue).Cool huh?!!!!!
The same holds true for the infamous Crown of Thorns Star. You can cut them up also as scientists found out the hard way, trying to kill them but cutting them up only created twice as many as before as each cut created a new starfish.