What are these white roots?

[JLC2587]

These white root like things have been randomly appearing throughout the rock and spreading. They don't seem to bother the fish or really anything at this point. They stay to the underside of the rocks. They feel almost spongy and appear to be hallow. Tried googling to no avail, help? Thanks!

 

[Crabs McJones]

Looks like sponges

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Agreed. Looks like sponges

I’d feel them. If they have structure, sponges. If they fall apart. Bacteria

 

[Teri NewbieReefer]

WOW! Looks like you might have lucked out and got some free sponges! Oh, BTW, Welcome to R2R!

 

[JLC2587]

Okay so when I feel them they don't necessarily fall apart unless I rub them a little. Still sponges? And thanks!

 

[reefer wanna be]

These white root like things have been randomly appearing throughout the rock and spreading. They don't seem to bother the fish or really anything at this point. They stay to the underside of the rocks. They feel almost spongy and appear to be hallow. Tried googling to no avail, help? Thanks!

I have this also

 

[Crabs McJones]

Yup

Okay so when I feel them they don't necessarily fall apart unless I rub them a little. Still sponges? And thanks!

 

[JLC2587]

Accidentally double posted. Awesome thanks.

 

[reefer wanna be]

Agreed. Looks like sponges

I’d feel them. If they have structure, sponges. If they fall apart. Bacteria

I have them also they are white have no idea assumed that they are sponge i have a rock the underside of it is covered in it

 

[reefer wanna be]

Accidentally double posted. Awesome thanks.

Sorry still new on here also

 

[VSVP bet]

These are a type of sponge. Not sure why they grow more in some tanks and not others. I think it comes down to how many you get on live rock. I think they can spread by breaking off. They usually grow in overflows for drilled tanks (i.e. dim areas with good flow). Ive seen a tank where the sponge was almost growing through all the pipes of the overflow plumbing. That probably took 8 years of growth however.

Stuff like that I just leave though I would be afraid of getting you plumbing clogged, that was in a 20+ year old system.

 

[reefer wanna be]

These are a type of sponge. Not sure why they grow more in some tanks and not others. I think it comes down to how many you get on live rock. I think they can spread by breaking off. They usually grow in overflows for drilled tanks (i.e. dim areas with good flow). Ive seen a tank where the sponge was almost growing through all the pipes of the overflow plumbing. That probably took 8 years of growth however.

Stuff like that I just leave though I would be afraid of getting you plumbing clogged, that was in a 20+ year old system.

Isnt sponge a filter feeder also an yes it will squeeze just like a sponge so cool new to the site still done solved 1 problem it helped me to be on here

 

[Ron Reefman]

reefer wanna be, consider yourself lucky. Although I think the sponges you have there are fairly common, they tend to grow where the light doesn't get to them. And for most people, that is under their rocks, like yours are. But most people can't see under their rocks very well and only discover these when they move rocks around for whatever reason.

I set my rocks up on egg crate platforms an inch or two above the sand and when I sold off my 120g tank, the egg crate was literally covered with sponges. I could see they were there, but I had no idea that they had formed a virtual mat of sponge covering the egg crate completely. In my new 50g cube I've raised the platform up even more and now I can see the underside of the egg crate fairly easily. It's only been 4 or 5 weeks, but I already have small white feather dusters starting to grow under the rocks. The photo below was tanken right after all the rocks were in but no corals.

 

[VSVP bet]

reefer wanna be, consider yourself lucky. Although I think the sponges you have there are fairly common, they tend to grow where the light doesn't get to them. And for most people, that is under their rocks, like yours are. But most people can't see under their rocks very well and only discover these when they move rocks around for whatever reason.

I set my rocks up on egg crate platforms an inch or two above the sand and when I sold off my 120g tank, the egg crate was literally covered with sponges. I could see they were there, but I had no idea that they had formed a virtual mat of sponge covering the egg crate completely. In my new 50g cube I've raised the platform up even more and now I can see the underside of the egg crate fairly easily. It's only been 4 or 5 weeks, but I already have small white feather dusters starting to grow under the rocks. The photo below was tanken right after all the rocks were in but no corals.

The beauty of saltwater! Every square inch is used by some creature or another...