Species Name: Collospongia auris

Authority: Bergquist, Cambie & Kernan, 1990

Common Name: Blue Ear Sponge

Range: Indo-Pacific Ocean

Natural Environment: Inhabits rubble areas

General Husbandry: Has a temperature range of 72 to 79°F (22 - 26°C). Sometimes shows up in the trade attached to stony coral bases and/or live rock. Once established, it may do fairly well. Feeds 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. Needs to be placed in the shade and where the current is quite swift. Will not tolerate hair algae and nitrate-nitrogen levels should be kept below 15 mg/l.

Taxonomy: Subphylum Cellularia, Class Demospongiae, Subclass Ceractinomorpha, Order: Dictyoceratida