Does anyone know how to permanently stop sponge growth on a coral? I have a single head hammer frag that has this orange "sponge" that keeps overtaking the coral. When the sponge was small the polyps were extended. If I scrape the sponge back the coral extends for a couple weeks until the sponge grows back. What is strange is that it doesn't seem to ever grow on the rocks. I moved the frag and there was some left on the rock which died after a couple days.
orange "sponge" irritating coral
- Thread starter Octane13
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Ron Reefman
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Photos would be a BIG help.
I have some doubt that it's a sponge, but it could be.
If you can pull the coral out of the tank, this might work:
Protect the heads of the hammer coral as best you can and then put some H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) on the orange growth. Dab it on with a Q-tip, or an eye dropper or even spray it on. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and then put the coral in a small container full of saltwater from your tank. If it looks OK after a couple of hours, it's OK to put back in the tank. Most, not all, but most sponges do not do well once being pulled out of the water for even a couple of seconds. And even if the one you have is OK with that, the H2O2 will likely kill it.
I have some doubt that it's a sponge, but it could be.
If you can pull the coral out of the tank, this might work:
Protect the heads of the hammer coral as best you can and then put some H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) on the orange growth. Dab it on with a Q-tip, or an eye dropper or even spray it on. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and then put the coral in a small container full of saltwater from your tank. If it looks OK after a couple of hours, it's OK to put back in the tank. Most, not all, but most sponges do not do well once being pulled out of the water for even a couple of seconds. And even if the one you have is OK with that, the H2O2 will likely kill it.
may help us help you better otherwise the advice given above is good advice.
Ron Reefman
Lets Go Snorkeling!
Reef Squad
Excellence Award
Reef Tank 365
Article Contributor
Tampa Bay Reef Keepers
MAC of SW Florida
Yeah, you're really going to need a better photo than that. And just exactly where is the 'sponge' in the pic you posted? Is it the stuff all the way around the very base of the stem? Or the very small thing at the very bottom in the front (which looks like it could be a vermeted snail. Or the blob off to the lower right front?
