Tree Sponge

[channah]

Can you shorten tree sponges (I guess in sorts, frag them)? I got one from SWF.com and it is really tall, and I have read that they cannot be exposed to air. It's not until I do a WC. Any ideas?

[sjpresley]

Don't do any water changes until it's inevitable death.

[channah]

??????????????

[Kalanianaole]

Sponges cannot be exposed to air because they have no means to expell any air bubbles that may get in their porus structure. These bubbles essentially block flow and succed in starving the specimin. However, I believe that only the exposed portion of the sponge will suffer. If you're water change only exposes three inches of the sponge, then expect those three inches to turn white and die. It's not for sure that the remainder of the sponge will die also, as it's flow is not blocked.

 

However, not all sponges will be killed when exposed to air. I have many small, white sponges that were hitchhikers on my rock. I routinely reaquascape and leave these rocks out for several minutes at a time. The sponges are always ok afterwards. Likewise, I have a small orange tree sponge that I have moved – quickly, mind you – from one tank to another several times, to no apparent harm to the specimin. Remember that surface tension of water will can protect a sponge for a brief period.

 

To answer your fragging question, yes you can frag a tree sponge. I fragged my red tree sponge, making sure the frag was securely fastened to his new location. Within two weeks the sponge had fastened itself down. A further note of warning...don't keep too many sponges in the same tank. I believe the red tree sponge is a bacterivore, and once the culture supporting it in your tank is gone, it's gone. My red tree and red ball sponge died a while back in my 6 gal, and I believe this to be the reason. Spectravital by Marc Weiss claims to be benifical to some sponges. I was dosing with that, and the small, white types seemed to love it, while the red tree and red ball didn't seem to benifit.

 

Such is my experience.

 

...................................

 

Learn.

[sjpresley]

Tree-like sponges pretty much all starve to death in tank scenarios. They require more flow and food than is generally available and will look fine for awhile and then dissentigrate.

 

Just a note, it isn't that the air gets trapped in the sponge and can't get out, if that were the only problem you could "knock" the air out with good flow or a pippette. The pigments of many of the brightly colored sponges (especially those non-encrusting forms) oxidize on contact with air, leading to tissue necrosis.