Sponge help

Picked this up today as a "red zoo sponge" Had been at the lfs for over a week.

Any ID what kind of sponge exactly this is? Care besides never let it touch air and low light?

I am hoping my flame angel picks on it every now and then to help supplement its diet with live sponge but not to the point it wipes it out. I was expecting small frag size pieces of sponge but ended up with a whole colony!

 

Im thinking it is a red ball sponge, just confused by the yellow spots. At the lfs the yellow spots had small extensions coming from them, almost like a tubeworm would from its tube.

 

Can't help you at all with the ID, but very cool looking.

 

Anybody have any helpful tips??

 

Assuming its NPS; they require daily feedings, usually in a tank dedicated to other NPS, and strong, random flow.

If it is Photosynthetic, decent light, strong, random flow, spot feeding every now and then helps.

 

I don't think sponge is considered a coral at all but an invert of its own class, separate on nps. I was wondering if anyone could give me an id as to the type of sponge it is

 

Bump

 

I have had good to moderate success with them.

Algae will grow on them quickly if they are not in a mod flow area.

Liveaquaria states it will take a small particulate suspension. Stirring the detritus in the tank once or twice a week worked well for me.

There has been some debate about adding silicates to the system containing sponges.

Red ball sponge looks like the type to me. As with most sponges avoid exposing them to air.

 

NPS or PS simply refers to how it obtains its food. You asked for care, sponges are considered "expert only" because of how often they have to be fed a day. You're right sponges aren't cnidaria, but porifera.

As far as an ID, fancy red/orange ball sponge.

 

If your Flame acquires a taste for it in your tank it will most likely not survive the constant predation.I had a Rock Beauty who would devour large pieces of red tree sponge in hours.Increased feeding of your sponge will of course help growth.Its awesome!!!8)