Help!! identifying whats taking my tabk over??

[bizzynewreefs]

No idea what this is. Killed out a few zoa colonies on me, now spreading all over the tank....please help identify? And what can I get to eat them, or what do I do to get rid of them! They're now attaching themselves to the base of my elegance, along with multiple other mushrooms and my Duncan's...

 

[Tavero]

No idea what this is. Killed out a few zoa colonies on me, now spreading all over the tank....please help identify? And what can I get to eat them, or what do I do to get rid of them! They're now attaching themselves to the base of my elegance, along with multiple other mushrooms and my Duncan's...

Pineapple sponge. I highly doubt it was the reason for your zoas demise. Your tank would be the first one here where they did any damage.
They grow in my tank too.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Another vote for pineapple sponges. They aren’t known for being harmful.
They do grow in an excess of nutrients, so I’d be looking at a param issue for what harmed your zoas.
I’d also look out for any stinging corals/nems nearby - I’ve had torches and bta’s wipe out zoa colonies.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Another vote for pineapple sponges. They are simply filter feeders that show up in fairly new systems. They will cut back on their own as your tank matures. They are harmless. My tank was over run with them in the beginning because I did not have my lights on. I have heard that some dwarf angelfish eat them, but I have a coral beauty and he never even looked at them.

 

[Mark Goode]

I've got a sump full. I occasionally harvest a few for my Singapore Angel. As others have said, harmless.

 

[bizzynewreefs]

They are completely overrunning a few zoa colonies and completely drowning them out. I've lost 2 colonies to them-what params exactly do they thrive off? Params is a pretty broad term when it comes to talking nutrients. Do they like high nitrate? What parameters should I be checking. My nitrate levels are on the high side at 1ppm.

 

[twentyleagues]

They are completely overrunning a few zoa colonies and completely drowning them out. I've lost 2 colonies to them-what params exactly do they thrive off? Params is a pretty broad term when it comes to talking nutrients. Do they like high nitrate? What parameters should I be checking. My nitrate levels are on the high side at 1ppm.

1ppm of nitrate is not high in fact its very low. Typically they thrive in higher nitrate and phosphate water with lots of particulate foods to ingest. But I have had them in places that a lot of particulate tends to be concentrated in low nitrate phosphate tanks also, like the overflow and dark parts of my sump. My guess is the zoas are starving if that is truly your nitrate level.

 

[bizzynewreefs]

1ppm of nitrate is not high in fact its very low. Typically they thrive in higher nitrate and phosphate water with lots of particulate foods to ingest. But I have had them in places that a lot of particulate tends to be concentrated in low nitrate phosphate tanks also, like the overflow and dark parts of my sump. My guess is the zoas are starving if that is truly your nitrate level.

I don't want higher nitrate levels. And with it being below 10ppm nitrates, and me watching these sponges drown them out, im certain of what I'm seeing. Every zoa colony without these sponges are perfectly fine.

 

[twentyleagues]

I don't want higher nitrate levels. And with it being below 10ppm nitrates, and me watching these sponges drown them out, im certain of what I'm seeing. Every zoa colony without these sponges are perfectly fine.

Thats fine I didnt say you need them higher its just a fact they will rise in time. Low nutrients can and in a lot of cases does lead to coral loss. If you are somehow able to keep the nutrients low and still feed the corals youll be fine. As for the pineapple sponges scrape them off outside of the tank it is possible that they could irritate the corals just from touching them, they have no sting I am aware of. Its possible they have a chemical component, but I am not sure. Typically they grow in dark spots where corals do not, so I cant say I have had this issue. I can say I have never had nitrate that low in an established tank. How do you achieve it? Is it something you work on or is it just because its a newer tank?

 

[NanoNana]

From the way those zoas have their necks stretched, I’d be sus of lighting. Zoas shouldn’t look like short tentacle gonis.
Do you have pics of the pineapple sponges on the zoas? I’ve never heard of them killing corals. I’ve had my hammer bases covered in them with no ill effects. They’ll go away on their own or you can just pull them out.

 

[kevgib67]

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Yeah, the pineapple sponges wouldn't be killing your corals - the worst I've seen these do is irritate flesh of corals if they're physically touching them. So, assuming the tank is relatively new and the zoas are relatively new to the tank, I'd really look at the typical suspects of lighting, flow, water quality (parameters), and predation.

Regardless, pineapple sponges tend to boom then bust in population and eventually go away on their own, so I expect you'll see them dying off over the next few/several weeks.

With regards to the sponges and what they like - sponges tend to feed on POM and DOM (Particulate Organic Matter and Dissolved Organic Matter); these don't register on our hobbyist Nitrate and Phosphate test kits, as the kits only test for inorganics. It's possible that your tank is currently high in the right kinds of DOM/bacteria for these sponges to feed on, but I don't know for sure.

 

[bizzynewreefs]

Thats fine I didnt say you need them higher its just a fact they will rise in time. Low nutrients can and in a lot of cases does lead to coral loss. If you are somehow able to keep the nutrients low and still feed the corals youll be fine. As for the pineapple sponges scrape them off outside of the tank it is possible that they could irritate the corals just from touching them, they have no sting I am aware of. Its possible they have a chemical component, but I am not sure. Typically they grow in dark spots where corals do not, so I cant say I have had this issue. I can say I have never had nitrate that low in an established tank. How do you achieve it? Is it something you work on or is it just because its a newer tank?

I appreciate the information. The tank is on the newer side-about 8 months. They just seem to be spreading very fast. I can't say they are stinging or anything, but they spread so fast on a rock that they did indeed drown out an entire colony so I pulled the entire rock. Seeing they feed on organic matter-possibly I'm feeding my coral too much? I do keep a few lobophyllia and I try to spot feed all my coral twice a month with reef roids

 

[bizzynewreefs]

Yeah, the pineapple sponges wouldn't be killing your corals - the worst I've seen these do is irritate flesh of corals if they're physically touching them. So, assuming the tank is relatively new and the zoas are relatively new to the tank, I'd really look at the typical suspects of lighting, flow, water quality (parameters), and predation.

Regardless, pineapple sponges tend to boom then bust in population and eventually go away on their own, so I expect you'll see them dying off over the next few/several weeks.

With regards to the sponges and what they like - sponges tend to feed on POM and DOM (Particulate Organic Matter and Dissolved Organic Matter); these don't register on our hobbyist Nitrate and Phosphate test kits, as the kits only test for inorganics. It's possible that your tank is currently high in the right kinds of DOM/bacteria for these sponges to feed on, but I don't know for sure.

Possible over feed of reef roids?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Possible over feed of reef roids?

Roids will raise phosphates and does not align with these sponges which derive from silicates which often are cause. Can be from new rock, new sand, from tap water if used and expired or leaking Di Resin cartridges.
These are short lived and will dissipate as silicates reduce. You can peel them off with the edge of a credit card into a net if they are too many
They are not harmful and cherish algae if they get any

 

[Tavero]

Please don't use ai as a source here. Randy already showed several times how bad the advise is it gives.

Also:

 

[Tavero]

I appreciate the information. The tank is on the newer side-about 8 months. They just seem to be spreading very fast. I can't say they are stinging or anything, but they spread so fast on a rock that they did indeed drown out an entire colony so I pulled the entire rock. Seeing they feed on organic matter-possibly I'm feeding my coral too much? I do keep a few lobophyllia and I try to spot feed all my coral twice a month with reef roids

Getting back to topic.
What's your lighting? I have never seen them grow in bright areas. And someone already commented on the stretched necks of some of your zoas

 

[kevgib67]

Please don't use ai as a source here. Randy already showed several times how bad the advise is it gives.

Also:

That’s not AIIt is good old fashioned google, you should try it it’s user friendly!

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Possible over feed of reef roids?

Not likely:

Your sponges probably won't feed on Reef Roids, as the food in Reef Roids is too big (I've seen it stated at 150-200 microns, most of the food consumed by sponges is DOM, which is smaller than 1 micron; even the larger foods like the T-Iso are only like 6 microns at the largest).

 

[bizzynewreefs]

Getting back to topic.
What's your lighting? I have never seen them grow in bright areas. And someone already commented on the stretched necks of some of your zoas

I run 3 marine 3.0 fluvals..48_60inch. I have most the lighting on maximum, tabk is very lit, not enough light??