invasive pineapple sponge

[dragonfisher33]

i know that they are filter feeders and usually a good sign. however, as of today they are spreading over my tank and covering as much area as they can find. yesterday i took out the strainer of the return pump for a deep clean because they have covered up the open area.

is there something that will kill it? i'm leaning toward a chemical treatment since they are all over the place in hard to reach areas in the tank and sump.

 

[Billdogg]

If you limit their food source their population will self regulate. Because they are filter feeders, I'll guess that you need to cut back on coral foods (i.e. reefroids, coral frenzy, etc)

I don't know of anything offhand that you can treat the tank with to get rid of them that wouldn't adversely affect all the rest of the little beneficial organisms that you want to have.

There are some species of angels that eat sponges, but that will be all they eat. When the food source is gone, the fish will starve.

 

[dragonfisher33]

If you limit their food source their population will self regulate. Because they are filter feeders, I'll guess that you need to cut back on coral foods (i.e. reefroids, coral frenzy, etc)

I don't know of anything offhand that you can treat the tank with to get rid of them that wouldn't adversely affect all the rest of the little beneficial organisms that you want to have.

There are some species of angels that eat sponges, but that will be all they eat. When the food source is gone, the fish will starve.

Actually I don’t feed any corals food (ie no reef rounds coral frenzy etc). I’m shocked by the explosion of the population

 

[Katrina71]

Would you mind posting a pic?

 

[dragonfisher33]

Apology for the bad picture but here you go. The first pic is the drain section of the trigger sump. They are not detritus but sponges

 

[Billdogg]

that looks normal to me. I'd leave them be

 

[Katrina71]

+1 looks normal to me too.