Really need some help with this sponge or tunicate or slime or something.

[Just John]

This sponge looking stuff is all over the bases of zoas and in other lower flow areas, including in the sand. It is impossible to remove. It is slimy and using tweezers or running a tool through it is like running a toothpick through jelly - it basically does nothing and almost nothing comes off even when done outside the tank.
I have tried:
- Pulling and scraping it off - doesn't work, as mentioned
- Siphoning it off - it doesn't really work
- Removing frags or rocks like the one in the picture to expose it to air and then dribbling hydrogen peroxide between the polyps for close to 10 minutes. It knocks it back, but doesn't completely kill it
- Barely feeding. There have been no fish in the tank ever and I only feed my starfish a few pellets once a week.
Now I have run out of ideas.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

@ISpeakForTheSeas

 

[Subsea]

Use toothbrush with peroxide. Also, consider a 10 minute soak in a 10% solution of 3% peroxide.

 

[Just John]

Use toothbrush with peroxide. Also, consider a 10 minute soak in a 10% solution of 3% peroxide.

If you don't get it on the heads, zoas don't seem to mind peroxide, so I put straight 3% peroxide over the area for about 10 minutes out of the tank. I have not tried a toothbrush. Thanks

 

[Subsea]

When I eradicate Aptasia with peroxide, their slim coat is their protection and toothbrush breaks surface tension allowing oxidation of organic biomass.

I also use the toothbrush to physical brush it away.

 

[Just John]

Bump bump

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

@ISpeakForTheSeas

It sounds like you've tried quite a bit to get rid of this sponge, so I don't know how much this would help, but:

Yeah, that sounds like a potentially chemically harmful sponge:

Most sponges are completely harmless/beneficial, but some can be invasive and/or harmful to corals (thankfully, these are rare).

To tell if a sponge is chemically harmful: if a healthy, established coral starts closing up or looking to be in bad shape on the side closest to the sponge as the sponge grows closer to it, and nothing else has happened (lighting changes, parameter swings, pests, etc.) that could explain it, then the sponge is probably chemically harmful.

Chemically harmful sponges are very rare.

For invasive sponges: unless it shows signs of being chemically harmful or starts actively growing over and smothering a coral's flesh/polyps, it's harmless. These can grow over the skeletons of corals, around the base/stalks of corals, even up into the water column above corals (where they're over the coral but not growing on the flesh or polyps themselves), etc. without harming the coral at all - as long as the coral flesh and polyps can get food, light, and flow, the sponge is harmless.

Invasive sponges are moderately rare.

Invasive and chemically harmful sponges are incredibly rare.

I mention this in my somewhat messy post (linked below), but some sponges can regrow from single cells, so you really have be sure they're dead and gone or that your tank has become a hostile environment to them to ensure they won't come back.

As is also mentioned in my post, predation isn't usually a good option/solution for sponge removal at this point (it's not guaranteed, it's not typically 100% removal, and each predator comes with their own downsides).

Anyway, for the removal:

For removal in case it is a sponge, my post linked below has some ideas you can try - you may also be able to try smothering it using DIY reef snow or similar, but there's no guarantee there:

Is this a pest?

Dear friends, Tonight i recognised that one of the polyp was closed and saw something weird on it? What do you think it is? Should i worry? Thanks, Ozgur

www.reef2reef.com

If you decide to try the Fenbendazole or something similar, then please post back here and let us know how it goes - while harmful sponges are rare, a more effective treatment to eliminate them would be appreciated by the unlucky few who have them show up.

 

[tbrown]

I was going to suggest air exposure and/or peroxide dip/application.

I've had good results with a similar looking sponge with air exposure and a good rinse and scrub with a toothbrush but you sound like you've already tried the air exposure.

Hydrogen peroxide applied with a Q-Tip, wiped on and let sit for a couple of minutes and then brush under water (outside the tank) with a toothbrush has done it for a few of mine.

 

[Just John]

It sounds like you've tried quite a bit to get rid of this sponge, so I don't know how much this would help, but:

Sorry for the late response. Somehow I missed that you had replied. Thanks for all the links and info! It's not toxic, so at least that isn't a concern. I'll let you know if I can get it sorted out.

 

[Just John]

I was going to suggest air exposure and/or peroxide dip/application.

I've had good results with a similar looking sponge with air exposure and a good rinse and scrub with a toothbrush but you sound like you've already tried the air exposure.

Hydrogen peroxide applied with a Q-Tip, wiped on and let sit for a couple of minutes and then brush under water (outside the tank) with a toothbrush has done it for a few of mine.

Thanks!