Weird sponges?

[keatonmjenkins]

I think these are sponges but I’ve never had them grow like this in the main display. Any ideas?

Theyre not vermitds because they’re pretty squishy and looks to all be growing together on the rock.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Yeah, those are sponges.

 

[keatonmjenkins]

Nothing to be concerned about being next to corals and in the main display? I thought they grew in dark areas for the most part.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Nothing to be concerned about being next to corals and in the main display? I thought they grew in dark areas for the most part.

Probably no concerns, but - much like where they like to grow - it depends on the species of 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.