One pink/red sponge and yellow are they good?

Tonycorals22 · Dec 3, 2019

What’s doing everyone I’m new into the reef game . I started my tank September 2nd of this year . When I bought my live rock I didn’t know they had sponges on them til about a month and half ago and in the last 2 weeks out no where there starting to like take off . I been told the pinkish one growing like that is epic for such a immature tank and that there’s mostly yellow sponges. I also been told that there great for my tank but now do a little research and keep reading that there bad for what elements they steal out of the tank or release into it so my question is are they good or bad and your experience with them here’s pictures

Ron Reefman · Dec 4, 2019

First let me say, welcome to Reef2Reef!

I don't think most sponges do well in reef aquariums. They are not photosynthetic and need food. Most use food that is not found in most reef tanks. There are a few common sponges that tend to grow in the dark underside of live rock and a very few decorative sponges that some people can keep alive, but they are quite difficult.

I can't say I've seen either of those sponges in any of the tanks I've kept over the last 15 years... or seen in the Keys when I go snorkeling. I'm sure the pink/red one is a sponge and I'd be inclined to keep it, but also keep a close eye on it and not let it get out of hand if it grows too fast. On the other hand, it could just as easily run out of food and fade away in the not too distant future.

I'm less sure that the yellow one is a sponge. It may well be, but I'm not so sure. At any rate it looks kind of ugly and slimy to me and I'd just as soon not have it in my tank.

Given your tank is only 3 months old, it's still a long way from mature and they may not survive too long.

Did you start your tank with live rock that you bought from an LFS or online? If so, did it have any visible life like this on it when you first got it?

Tonycorals22 · Dec 6, 2019

Ron Reefman said:
First let me say, welcome to Reef2Reef!

I don't think most sponges do well in reef aquariums. They are not photosynthetic and need food. Most use food that is not found in most reef tanks. There are a few common sponges that tend to grow in the dark underside of live rock and a very few decorative sponges that some people can keep alive, but they are quite difficult.

I can't say I've seen either of those sponges in any of the tanks I've kept over the last 15 years... or seen in the Keys when I go snorkeling. I'm sure the pink/red one is a sponge and I'd be inclined to keep it, but also keep a close eye on it and not let it get out of hand if it grows too fast. On the other hand, it could just as easily run out of food and fade away in the not too distant future.

I'm less sure that the yellow one is a sponge. It may well be, but I'm not so sure. At any rate it looks kind of ugly and slimy to me and I'd just as soon not have it in my tank.

Given your tank is only 3 months old, it's still a long way from mature and they may not survive too long.

Did you start your tank with live rock that you bought from an LFS or online? If so, did it have any visible life like this on it when you first got it?

thank you ron for the reply , I did live rock and some dry mostly live rock. No I didn’t see the sponges on them when I bought or placed it . I started reading a bit that sponges eat silicates and I know In new tanks silicates are found so maybe that’s reason they grew that quick idk.