Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
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Best Left in the Wild Sponges

 Xestospongia muta (Giant Barrel Sponge)

Xestospongia muta
(Schmidt, 1870)

Giant Barrel Sponge

Likely Reef Tank Suitable

Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable

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Those seen in tropical areas in the wild and should remain there!

FYI - Sponges posses no nervous, digestive or excretory systems, and feed by filtering suspended bacteria and fine detritus. Strong water movement is vital to almost all, not only for carrying food to these sessile creatures but also to carry waste/unused matter away. In fact, a sponge the size of a baseball can filter fifty gallons of water per hour! Most do best only in low light areas and where currents are quite swift.

Each sponge has both female and male reproduction capabilities. Cutting a piece from the healthy tissue and simply relocating it to another area can form new colonies. Bear in mind the new specimen should not be exposed to air during the procedure as that may kill it. New purchases should be bagged under water with no oxygen added or should the bag contain an air space while being transported. They are not too sensitive to temperature changes, yet sudden changes in salinity may have drastic effects.

New specimens should not contain any gray or white tissue, which is generally a sign of dying or dead tissue. However, it is possible to cut that section out, of course under water. Sponges should be placed in shaded areas where water movement is very good and detritus or algae do not accumulate on their surface. They feed upon plankton and suspended detritus, and require numerous feedings per day of live and/or preserved commercial phytoplankton products or that of animal and plant powders that produce suspended products in the bulk water.

Without a doubt, most sponges should remain in the wild, as they are difficult to impossible to maintain in captivity, and/or simply not suited for confinement in closed systems.

Family Agelasidae

Family Aplysinellidae

Family Aplysinidae

Family Astroscleridae

Family Axinellidae

Family Biemnidae

Family Callyspongiidae

Family Chalinidae

Family Clionidae

Family Crellidae

Family Dictyonellidae

Family Dysideidae

Family Esperiopsidae

Family Grantiidae

Family Halichondriidae

Family Haliscarcidae

Family Hymedesmiidae

Family Ianthellidae

Family Iophonidae

Family Iotrochotidae

Family Ircinidae

Family Latrunculiidae

Family Leucettidae

Family Microcionidae

Family Mycalidae

Family Niphatidae

Family Petrosiidae

Family Phloeodictyidae

Family Pseudoceratinidae

Family Raspailiidae

Family Spirastrellidae

Family Spongiidae

Family Tedaniidae

Family Thorectidae


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