Pineapple Sponge

[NWAquarium]

My sump is full of pineapple sponges.
Will a hermit crab eat them? Or any other inverts? I don’t want to chuck a fish on there

 

[bluemon]

Why do you need them eaten?

They go away over time if your tank is on the newish side.

You can’t curb remove them physically as well

 

[exnisstech]

Why do you want to remove them?
I have some in the display of my SPS tank and they bother nothing. Its my understanding they are actually beneficial filter feeders.

 

[Baylott224]

These are pinaple sponges the ones in your photo are different sponges.

 

[Baylott224]

That yellow. Sponge is kinda cool wierd you aquire that

 

[exnisstech]

These are pinaple sponges the ones in your photo are different sponges.

Thank you I stand corrected and educated
I don't believe ive ever seen pineapple sponges in any of my systems.

 

[exnisstech]

That yellow. Sponge is kinda cool wierd you aquire that

They just grow naturally in this tank. Its lower nutrients but high flow and light so may be that's what they like.
I have several types that grow in my tanks. This is a different tank with high N and P and lower flow and light and I have this type.

Everything I've read says they are beneficial as long as they're not invasive so I've never considered removing them.

 

[fish_collector]

Just leave them alone. They’re common and may go away in time.

 

[Baylott224]

That yellow. Sponge is kinda cool wierd you aquire that

They just grow naturally in this tank. Its lower nutrients but high flow and light so may be that's what they like.
I have several types that grow in my tanks. This is a different tank with high N and P and lower flow and light and I have this type.

Everything I've read says they are beneficial as long as they're not invasive so I've never considered removing them.

I like those tellower even the whites look cool

 

[Baylott224]

Yellow*

 

[Steven Garland]

They are beneficial,just leave them. I have pineapples and the clearish white ones all over my cube tank. I am assuming thats the reason my nutrients stay where they are with the amount that I feed lol.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I had a ton of pineapples in my tank, they eventually will just go away on their own.

 

[NWAquarium]

Why do you need them eaten?

They go away over time if your tank is on the newish side.

You can’t curb remove them physically as well

I have hundreds, just want to thin the herd.

 

[NWAquarium]

I appreciate all the offered comments on reasons to keep them, I really need to thin the herd in my sump.
Back to the original question, are there any inverts that eat them?

 

[NeMoo]

Is that what I have by chance?

 

[slingfox]

ChatGPT:

In reef tanks, pineapple sponges (little white/yellowish, sometimes fuzzy sponges shaped like pineapples) are harmless filter feeders, but if you want them controlled, here’s what may eat or graze on them:

• Certain angelfish (e.g., dwarf angels like Coral Beauty, Flame Angel, and larger angels like Emperor, Regal) – many nip at sponges, though they can also nip at corals.
• Butterflyfish (e.g., Copperband) – some species consume sponges, but they can be risky in reef tanks since they may eat coral polyps.
• Some nudibranchs – very specialized; only a few species eat sponges, and they usually starve once the sponge population is gone.
• Sea cucumbers and chitons – may graze sponges occasionally, though not as a primary food source.

Important: Pineapple sponges usually appear when nutrients are higher and there’s enough dissolved organics for them to filter feed on. Most reef keepers actually leave them alone since they’re beneficial filter feeders and help clean the water. If you don’t like the look of them, the best “control” is usually lowering nutrients (less feeding, better skimming, improved flow) rather than relying on livestock to eat them.

 

[NeMoo]

Thank you, I picked them up on a rock I bought, cleaned off some but missed a little and doesn't seem to be spreading super fast my nitrates are 18 right now and phosphates .06 working on bringing both down a little bit but not zeroing them.

 

[Land&Sea]

Why do you want to remove them?
I have some in the display of my SPS tank and they bother nothing. Its my understanding they are actually beneficial filter feeders.

I have a bunch of these yellow ones n I love them. Pineapples are the worst tho, at least when they get into the pumps/skimmer. My tanks have never been so nice and clean tho ever since I started using KZ SPONGE POWER. Gorgeous purple, blue, white and yellow sponges all over the undersides of my rocks. I’ll never hate on sponges ever again. Pretty sure they are THE reason I barely ever have to do water changes anymore. Purely anecdotal, but the timing is just to perfect for it not to be the reason. Nutrients are always perfect and water crystal clear.

 

[exnisstech]

I have a bunch of these yellow ones n I love them. Pineapples are the worst tho, at least when they get into the pumps/skimmer. My tanks have never been so nice and clean tho ever since I started using KZ SPONGE POWER. Gorgeous purple, blue, white and yellow sponges all over the undersides of my rocks. I’ll never hate on sponges ever again. Pretty sure they are THE reason I barely ever have to do water changes anymore. Purely anecdotal, but the timing is just to perfect for it not to be the reason. Nutrients are always perfect and water crystal clear.

I'll have to look into the sponge power. I run a cryptic fuge in one of my sumps and it has quite a few sponges but not as many as i would like.

 

[Land&Sea]

I have a bunch of these yellow ones n I love them. Pineapples are the worst tho, at least when they get into the pumps/skimmer. My tanks have never been so nice and clean tho ever since I started using KZ SPONGE POWER. Gorgeous purple, blue, white and yellow sponges all over the undersides of my rocks. I’ll never hate on sponges ever again. Pretty sure they are THE reason I barely ever have to do water changes anymore. Purely anecdotal, but the timing is just to perfect for it not to be the reason. Nutrients are always perfect and water crystal clear.

Sponge power changed my reefs life