Hi guys Im a newbie that just had a major tank meltdown

kkccornell

New Member
Hi all,
I bought a sponge yesterday and put it in my tank in the evening, all seemed well everyone ate and all was normal until this morning my fish started dying one by one and at 8:30 at night I am still waiting to see who is gonna die, I changed out half the water when it all started and I have a few that are still trying to survive.......I have lost a yellow tang, raccoon butterfly, a couple of damsel, a sandsifting goby, a what I call a purple yellow you know what that is. I am not new to the salt water world but I cant believe a sponge did this. Attached is the sponge

 

ecooper

Member
I'm sorry, I have no idea about the sponge or why your fish are dying. We need more information. However, I do like your greyhound. I have one that looks just like him/her.
 

kkccornell

New Member
sorry about that, the water was perfect for everything in the test kit thats why I am wondering about this sponge and my tank has been up for at least a year. thats why this has broke my heart because everything was soooooo good, maybe you all could show all your friends and see if anyone can figure out this alien
I am going to take it to my LPS and see what they think
 

mcbdz

Active Member
Did the sponge get exposed to the air when you added it to your tank?
Could you check you water againg and list the actual numbers
amm.-
nitrates-
nitrites-
cal.
phostpates-
PH-
ALK-
SG-
temp-
and anything else you may check.
This will help see the over all picture.
 

sk8shorty01

Active Member
Also, what size tank is this and how large is the sponge? Sponges are filter feeders and need good flow and a pretty decent tank size in order to sustain their filtering.
There are two different fish that are both purple and yellow. Look on the fish section on this site at the Royal Gramma and also the bi-color pseudochromis and that should tell you which one it is.
 
Originally Posted by sk8shorty01
http:///forum/post/2558917
Sponges are filter feeders and need good flow and a pretty decent tank size in order to sustain their filtering.
.
not likely that was the problem, being it was added the day before. Perhaps he got one of the very rare sponges that attack fish.... interesting.
 

kkccornell

New Member
ok after I calmed down and stopped freeking out I realized that this sponge is loaded with ammonia and that is something that should never have happened I took it to my LPS and they had never seen anything like it and could not believe the ammonia reading from the water that I put the sponge in he told me that sponges dont normally have or make ammonia so if you ever see anything that looks like this sponge run as fast as you can so tonight I am going back to where I got it with all my dead fish
thanks for all your interest
oh by the way the readings before the sponge was
ammonia 0
nitrites 0
nitrates 30
ph 8.0
I would like to know what the sponge being exposed to air would do
 

sk8shorty01

Active Member
Sponges should not be exposed to air when you are transfering them from tank to tank, for some reason the actual reason escapes me, but I believe it has something to do with the air getting trapped within their porous bodies and the sponge not being able to expell it, thus killing that area of the sponge. Can someone else elaborate please?
 

michaeltx

Moderator
thats exactly right the sponge pumps water in and out and when exposed to air it will pull air in but it can not get rid of the air causeing a trap where nothing will go in or out of that area of the sponge in effect cutting off its food supply.
I have never heard of a sponge producing ammonia unless its tissue is dying thus causeing the ammonia.
Mike
 

sk8shorty01

Active Member
I agree, I think the sponge had some die off going on, and that is probably what caused the ammonia leeching into the tank.
Also, looking that the picture of the sponge, those areas that are lighter are probably filled with air pockets, at least that is what it looks like. Think of a sponge that you clean your house with, when you ring it out it is a lot lighter and as an area soaks up water, it changes to a darker tint. I would suppose that the same applies here.
 

lions_den

Member
Originally Posted by sk8shorty01
http:///forum/post/2559102
Sponges should not be exposed to air when you are transfering them from tank to tank, for some reason the actual reason escapes me, but I believe it has something to do with the air getting trapped within their porous bodies and the sponge not being able to expell it, thus killing that area of the sponge. Can someone else elaborate please?
same thing with sea urchins and starfish i think
 
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