Sponge? Tunicate?

[Palmer]

Hi everyone,

I am in my fourth week of cycling my tank and have a mixture of LR and baserock without any direct lighting. Today for the first time on my LR I noticed a hitchiker that looks like the small sponges in a picture at the link below. Perhaps the only difference is it is a bit more white than yellow. It looks like a fuzzy white cone with a hole at the top and it appeared out of nowhere. From what I have seen of pictures of tunicates they usually look translucent/clear?

If this is the kind of sponge in this picture is it potentially bad? From what I read on here sponges are usually good. But I also read an article that said some sponges damage coral etc?

thanks,

Palmer



http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/sponges/photoalbum_photo_view?b_start=0

[christyf5]

Could be pineapple sponges, they're fine and will likely disappear once you get some light on the rock

[justinl]

yeah sounds like pineapple sponge to me too. Some species of sponges can exhibit different colors depending on... well actually nobody really knows why, but it happens. harmless filter feeder. Enjoy them while they're there though, in most tanks, they tend to disappear after a while.

[Palmer]

Thanks for the info!

Palmer