Encrusting sponge

[Mermade]

I hope someone may help or advise what I can do with a type of encrusting sponge growing on several of my clam shells. They are begining to prevent the mantles from fully enxtending. I'm begining to wonder if they are sponges as they are located in on the shells close to the surface of the water. Knowing that sponges prefer low light conditions it make me wonder. They certainly resemble sponges, being porous. The species is a milky beige colour, encrusting and grows quickly, growing on the shells in a good water current area. I also filter feed heavily for the clams,and as sponges are filter feeders this is probably encouraging their growth. Has anyone any ideas if I should try to eliminate them and if so how to do the job?.
Tehlia.

 

[ATJ]

Tehlia,
There is a whole section on boring sponges in EIS (part of this weeks reading). I was thinking of your clams when I read that part.

I'm not sure that sponges "prefer" low light. I think it is more that most have no light requirement and so can tolerate low light. There would probably normally be too many competitors in high light sites.

As to what you can do about it, I'm not sure.

 

[Eric Borneman]

Hi Tehlia:

Yes, hey couldbe boring sponges, and they might not. You can just scrape it off. Of course, you may have more sponge in the tank, then...but thats probablya good thing overall.

Sponges don't prefer low light. Except for photosynthetic sponges, they have no preference at all about light. Some grow in the dark, some in the light, some crptically, some exposed locations, some deep, some shallow, some tropical, some temperate, some even freshwater.

Eric