Hammer flesh/tissue

[Saminpa]

I have always thought hammers grow by the skeleton/branches getting wider/longer/taller with calcification. This hammer i have in the video, there’s a flesh/tissue like growth covering the stalk and branches, even growing on the frag plug towards the rock. You can see what’s left of the normal white skeleton near the top of the right branch. So has anyone had experience with this? I’m a little puzzled exactly what this flesh/tissue is, but don’t want to disturb the coral by pulling it off the rock, it’s happy and fluffy when the lights come on.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Pic a little dark but May be sponge

 

[PeterB113]

+1 sponge

 

[Saminpa]

+1 sponge

Wow I didn’t think sponges swallowed coral skeletons like that. I imagine it should be removed correct?

 

[PeterB113]

Wow I didn’t think sponges swallowed coral skeletons like that. I imagine it should be removed correct?

It's mainly just unsightly. Most sponges are beneficial filter feeders. If it was me I'd remove it outside of the tank with tweezers. I hate seeing sponge of any kind in my tank lol.

 

[Saminpa]

It's mainly just unsightly. Most sponges are beneficial filter feeders. If it was me I'd remove it outside of the tank with tweezers. I hate seeing sponge of any kind in my tank lol.

Lol. I deal with seeing pineapple sponges on the underside of rocks, it’s not a ton of them. I just didn’t relate this growth to being a sponge since it’s grey and looks so fleshy. I can only see it during lights out since the head are nice and full during lights on

 

[PeterB113]

Lol. I deal with seeing pineapple sponges on the underside of rocks, it’s not a ton of them. I just didn’t relate this growth to being a sponge since it’s grey and looks so fleshy. I can only see it during lights out since the head are nice and full during lights on

Yea there's tons of different types. I have mainly pineapple sponges long stringy tube sponges and the same sponge as you on my birdnest colony I need to remove