sponges. Too many? What eats them?

[Susan Edwards]

I know sponges are good but I think I have too many. They are taking over rocks. What eats them or kills them? How do I get rid of them, or do I want to get rid of them. They are literally dripping from the rocks! And choking the gps (if that is possible)

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Wow! Mine have never bothered corals- at least the little yellow/green ones haven't. I know higher levels of silicates can cause some sponge "outbreaks". If you want to get rid of some, maybe spot treating with H2O2 would work? (I'm assuming you can't take the rock/coral out of the tank...)

Beautiful plate coral, btw :)

 

[WheatToast]

It's a SquarePants family reunion!

A few predator examples:
- Marine angelfish
- Moorish idols
- Sea turtles
- Some starfish
- Some nudibranchs

@blaxsun
@vetteguy53081

 

[Susan Edwards]

Wow! Mine have never bothered corals- at least the little yellow/green ones haven't. I know higher levels of silicates can cause some sponge "outbreaks". If you want to get rid of some, maybe spot treating with H2O2 would work? (I'm assuming you can't take the rock/coral out of the tank...)

Beautiful plate coral, btw :)

Yeah, rocks in to stay lol's. I brought the sponges in from old tank on that first rock. Thanks on the plate. So a syringe with h2o2 shot into them? I imagine a bit at a time so not a big die off.

 

[blaxsun]

Sponge-tastic! Your sponges are really thriving!

 

[Susan Edwards]

<<A few predator examples:
- Marine angelfish
- Moorish idols
- Sea turtles
- Some starfish
- Some nudibranchs>>

I have one angel fish-coral beauty. Doesn't seem interested. Any suggestions on starfish that are reef/coral/invert safe? And nudi's need other food, right

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

<<A few predator examples:
- Marine angelfish
- Moorish idols
- Sea turtles
- Some starfish
- Some nudibranchs>>

I have one angel fish-coral beauty. Doesn't seem interested. Any suggestions on starfish that are reef/coral/invert safe? And nudi's need other food, right

See, I would have gone straight to the turtle ;)

 

[Lavey29]

I thought ample sponges was a sign of a healthy ecosystem?

 

[Susan Edwards]

See, I would have gone straight to the turtle ;)

can't see me putting a turtle in my tank lol's

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Yeah, rocks in to stay lol's. I brought the sponges in from old tank on that first rock. Thanks on the plate. So a syringe with h2o2 shot into them? I imagine a bit at a time so not a big die off.

Yep, that's what I've read. Either a syringe with H2O2 or boiling water... For any that are on your coral, I think the H2O2 is a safer bet.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

can't see me putting a turtle in my tank lol's

Me either, t'was a joke :)

 

[Susan Edwards]

I thought ample sponges was a sign of a healthy ecosystem?

I think they are but I think I have too much. Esp. dripping like icicles !

 

[Susan Edwards]

Me either, t'was a joke :)

I know lol's

 

[AydenLincoln]

Starfish just be very careful it needs to be an established tank and the right species of starfish. As they will vary in what they eat and may easily starve.

 

[WheatToast]

<<A few predator examples:
- Marine angelfish
- Moorish idols
- Sea turtles
- Some starfish
- Some nudibranchs>>

I have one angel fish-coral beauty. Doesn't seem interested. Any suggestions on starfish that are reef/coral/invert safe? And nudi's need other food, right

Sadly, I don't know much about the specifics with the sea stars and nudibranchs. Simply plucking sponges off the live rock worked for me, though I would follow the advice of other on this thread since I have never had an urgent need to eliminate sponges.

 

[Susan Edwards]

Starfish just be very careful it needs to be an established tank and the right species of starfish. As they will vary in what they eat and may easily starve.

yeah, that is why I don't have any yet. Tank is 9 mo but an upgrade.

 

[WheatToast]

Starfish just be very careful it needs to be an established tank and the right species of starfish. As they will vary in what they eat and may easily starve.

Out of curiosity, do you know which starfish eat sponges?

 

[AydenLincoln]

yeah, that is why I don't have any yet. Tank is 9 mo but an upgrade.

What size tank?

 

[AydenLincoln]

Out of curiosity, do you know which starfish eat sponges?

Orange biscuit starfish (reef safe with caution but likes cooler temperatures), linckia (I highly caution against getting one though due to their sensitivity, needing a tank of no less than a year old, and being an expert level starfish), chocolate chip sea star (not reef safe), and some others.

 

[Screwgunner]

I had hundreds of pineapple spunges then I got dinos when I used dino x it killed all of my pineapple spunges but it killed my birdsnest too.