Sponge?

[BigMax]

This is a picture from my FOWLR tank. I assume what's growing on the coral skeleton is sponge? It has that consistency. I have been dosing with vinegar an vodka for about 2 years and I do get a white film on the glass, but again assume this is sponge?

Scale the white 'sponge' is approximately 5 inches at the widest point.

 

[randomfishdude]

Can you get better image? But if it looks like a sponge, and feels like a sponge....

 

[BigMax]

Can you get better image? But if it looks like a sponge, and feels like a sponge....

Thanks for the reply. Hard to get the phone totally in focus, but here's a shot of what I could zoom in on....

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Yeah, that's a sponge.

Edit: To add, the vast majority of sponges are harmless filters-feeders, but some may be invasive and/or chemically harmful to corals:

Yeah, that's definitely a 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.

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is a picture from my FOWLR tank. I assume what's growing on the coral skeleton is sponge? It has that consistency. I have been dosing with vinegar an vodka for about 2 years and I do get a white film on the glass, but again assume this is sponge?

Scale the white 'sponge' is approximately 5 inches at the widest point.

Clatharina sponge and can be invasive potentially taking ovr a given coral

 

[tzabor10]

Clatharina sponge and can be invasive potentially taking ovr a given coral

But on a FOWLR why not keep it?

 

[vetteguy53081]

But on a FOWLR why not keep it?

Never said to get rid of it- It again can continue its growth and overtake rock/coral