zoas being smothered by a sponge?

[Cal Native]

This is really close up and not the best shot, seems to have little pores, touched it with a stick and it feels dense. Is it a sponge and can I get rid of it before it destroys all my zoas?

 

[DrHank]

I'd scrape the sponge off and hope for the best.

 

[aquaticimports]

try to find a nudibranch that eats that type of sponge. I am preaty sure you will find one.

 

[vdituri]

I would start fragging the zoos now just incase the worst happens.

 

[goldenmean]

Id take the rock out of water for about 5 minutes.
The exposure to air should kill the sponge but the zoanthids will be okay.
Scrap off as much of the sponge as you can so it does not all die off in your tank.

 

[DrHank]

Good idea Jeff. I'll bet that will work.

 

[Frankie]

Is it hurting your corals now? Do you see a visible decrease in them. I have yet to see sponge harm corals.

 

[Emg]

Yeah, I have a sponge that starts growing over my clavularia just like that. I'm not all that concerned about the clavularia...it grows like a weed....so I just scrape it off occasionally.

Taking the rock out of the water for a bit sounds like a good idea, I may give that a try myself.

 

[amc78cj7]

I have a sponge just like that on one piece of live rock. I like it as it adds a nice scarlet color to the rock. I'd only get rid of it if it starts killing off the corals.

Does the red on this rock look like your sponge?