Red finger sponge

[Merck]

So i got a order of red finger sponge last month, there was air in the bag( first problem). Then i put one piece in a medium flow area(second problem). One piece is destroyed the other one looks ok but the bottom of it has turned white, i have moved them to the back of my tank and put them in the sand ,should i cut the bottom off where it has turn white? There's not alot out about red finger sponge any suggestions thanks.

 

[Reefing Madness]

 

[Merck]

Ok, maybe this will help someone. The second piece, i cut the bottom off where it was turning white. So i have learned that it is like a tree and takes food from bottom ,so i stuck
in the sand. So do not glue bottom. The second one is doing fine now. Hope this helps some one.

 

[Jeffar]

I'm not seeing much about sponges on the forums, so here is my experience.
I purchased two red finger sponges (Ptilocaulis sp.) recently and placed them in two different tanks. The first one went into the main display of my 125 gal, trigger systems sapphire sump, mp40 x2, AI hydra x4, with a chaeto chamber. The second went into the sump of a dual tank system that I have used to keep frags, ~80 gal plus eshoppes R200 sump, icecap gyre x2, AI hydra x2, with a chaeto chamber.
The sponge in the 125 gal did not fare well and eventually started to die from the bottom. This is when I ran into a similar problem with the base of the sponge fading to white with visual tissue loss on the branches. I imagine the white portion that I am seeing on the sponge could be part of the "bleaching/dying" tissue of the sponge.....or my other idea is that the sponge may have contracted some kind of fungal/bacterial infection and that is what I am viewing. After I noticed this my tank had a small crash and I lost some coral frags that I had (monti, pectina, gonipora), but I don't know if I can solely attribute that to the sponge or the tank because in the dual 80gal system, which also had the second sponge I purchased, is running fine. This sponge was also placed in a chamber of the sump receiving very low flow and low lighting.....opposite of what I have read about the preferences of these sponges.
Just out here trying to bump the conversation about sponges....anything productive responses would be appreciated.

 

[dennis romano]

First of all, did any part of the sponge get exposed to air? Air gets into their pores, killing them. I have several sponges and they really do not get infections. Usually, they fail from exposure to air but most often to lack of food. I see that you also have a yellow ball sponge. They are one of the more hardy. One of mine was about three years old when I accidentally killed it. Tree sponges are one of the least hardy. When it comes to feeding, they need microscopic food. Every day, I stir the substrate of my 25 year old tank to get the "crud" into the water column. They do well on that. I have found that light is the enemy. Light causes algae to grow on them, smothering them. If algae shows up, I just go over the sponge with my finger. They seem to like a moderate flow. It brings more food to them and keeps them clean of detritus. A sponge can be saved even if most of it has decayed. I have found that even a small piece can be kept alive. Scientists believe that they reproduce after a storm by being broken up and spread by the currents. Best of luck.

 

[izzy1942]

So i got a order of red finger sponge last month, there was air in the bag( first problem). Then i put one piece in a medium flow area(second problem). One piece is destroyed the other one looks ok but the bottom of it has turned white, i have moved them to the back of my tank and put them in the sand ,should i cut the bottom off where it has turn white? There's not alot out about red finger sponge any suggestions thanks.

 

[izzy1942]

So i got a order of red finger sponge last month, there was air in the bag( first problem). Then i put one piece in a medium flow area(second problem). One piece is destroyed the other one looks ok but the bottom of it has turned white, i have moved them to the back of my tank and put them in the sand ,should i cut the bottom off where it has turn white? There's not alot out about red finger sponge any suggestions thanks.