Thick Brown Tubes Growing From Live Rock 6/17/09
Hello,
<Hi there>
Your site has been a wealth of information, thank you so much. It's been a good 12 years since I maintained a small 20 gallon reef aquarium in CA where I did water changes with sea water and enjoyed all the surprises that came along with it oftentimes. This year, as I embark on setting up a reef tank once again, I find there is so much more knowledge about reef systems and it's wonderful. I am having so much fun reading all the information online and learning so much.
<Great!>
I have an identification inquiry about some thick brown tubes that have grown from a piece of live rock covered with Star Polyps in my reef system.
<Are sponges of some sort... a burrowing variety/species... Not harmful>
Any input is greatly appreciated, thank you!
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>

Sponge Identification: Syconoid Sponges. 6/3/2009
Hello everyone,
<Hi Nathan.>
I have a identification problem that I cant find anywhere. These things have shown up in my tank in the past 2 weeks. Could you help identify what they are, or send me in the direction that would help.
<Sure, they are Syconoid sponges. Sign of a nice stable system. They will come and go as the nutrient levels in your tank change.>
I have been doing SW for about 10 yrs and just started to get into coral.
I haven't added anything new in the tank for over two months. So this is really got me.
,they have been in the rock, just waiting for the opportunity to grow.>
The first picture is a normal zoom of the items. They are the white things right in the middle of the picture. I'm not even really sure how to describe it. The second picture is of the larger one in picture one, zoomed in.
Thanks a bunch ahead of time. If you need anymore info on the tank, please let me know.
<Do check this page out - lots of entries for them:
http://www.google.com/custom?hl=en&cof=&sitesearch=www.WetWebMedia.com&q=Syc
onoid+sponges&btnG=Search >
Thanks
Nathan
<MikeV>

Clam/Sponge ID Question 6/1/09
Hi Crew,
<Hello Andrea>
Sorry if this question is already being worked on. I sent it yesterday and was surprised I haven't received an answer since I usually get one in a matter of hours, so I'm worried maybe it got lost among the many you get
every day.
<Not lost, weekends can slow responses.>
I usually try not to abuse the great service you provide on your site, but I really could use some help with this one.
Today at the LFS I saw some beautiful, bright red-orange sponges for sale. There were a few of them, all anchored to a what looked like clam or oyster shells. They were labeled as "sponge on clam". I asked one of the employees about them: light, current, feeding requirements etc... and also if the clams themselves were alive, and he said "probably not." He went ahead and moved them and they did not seem to react in any way. One of the sponge/clam combos had some nice coralline algae on it, so I decided to bring that one home. I acclimated it and introduced it as instructed, without letting the sponge be exposed to any air.
After lights out, however, I saw what looked like a bristle star on the sponge, and when I tried to get a closer look the clam moved!! It was slightly open, and my shadow caused it to shut close, so it's alive!! And
not only is it alive, there is also a smaller one attached to it's back which also reacts to the light.
I was not expecting to this new addition, and after searching through the web the only similar thing I have found is the Thorny Oyster, which appears to be very hard to keep. I really would not want to risk such a big (4 inches diameter) mollusk dying and possibly polluting my system, but the colors on it are so beautiful, and it is interesting to watch it open and close.
So, what exactly is it, and how do I take care of it? Also, what type of sponge is it exactly?
I am attaching a couple of pics. On the close up you could see the serrated edges, almost like teeth on the smaller clam/oyster/cool thingamajig.
<The thingamajig you have appears to be a species of clam and I'm sorry I cannot identify it. Bob or another crew member may input here. They are filter filters and require daily additions of phytoplankton to survive.
The sponge you have appears to be a specie of Ruffled Sponge (Teichaxinella), and are difficult to keep long term. They are filter feeders feeding on dissolved organic matter and bacteria. I'd try to return
both.>
Thank you for your help!
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
-Andrea

Sponge ID: Looks like a sponge..? Yep - It's a sponge. 5/4/2009
<Hi>
Can you help me identify these nodules? Yellow on left and white ball on right. I have searched and the best I can come up with is a sponge.
<The yellow one is definitely a sponge. The white one is difficult to make out.>
It does have a spongy feel.
<You can read more about sponges and their care here,
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/sponges.htm.>
Thank you for such a wonderful site.
<Our pleasure.>
<Mike>

Id of green growth, sponge? -- 05/03/09
WWM Crew,
<Tom>
Attached is a picture of green growth that was hidden behind Ricordeas when I purchased the rock. You can see it in front of the twin spot goby (first pic). I assume it is a sponge,
<Indeed it is>
but wanted your help to make sure it is safe for my 34 gal reef. It has grown over an inch in the past 2 months (second pic). Also notice the small Ricordea, on the right and about a third of the
way up the green growth, it has a cats face.
Thanks for your help,
And remember, I'm never too busy for your referrals!
Tom Peters
<Ahh! And this growth is testament to your good care here. Bob Fenner>

Critter ID 4/19/09
Good day,
<Jerry>
I come to you once again looking for help in identifying a marine critter.
This individual was a freebie from someone that I purchased a number of frags from. The gent told me that he thought it was some kind of sponge, but he didn't know what genus nor did he know anything about its care.
It's been in his tank for about 6 months with no special handling or feeding.
<You likely have "good reef conditions", as this looks to be either a sponge or Ascidian growing over/on another sponge... both of which are filter feeders>
I've scoured the web and your site, but can't seem to find anything that even remotely resembles this beast.
<Two species here>
The piece that I have is a frag from a much larger organism that resembled fingers. My section is about 4 inches long. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks and cheers.
Jerry
<Maybe a read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/spongeidfaqs.htm
the linked files above, and Sea Squirts coverage.
Bob Fenner>