A sponge? but what?
 

HI,

I went to a store yesterday and they had this structure growing on the side wall. It produce a nice thick mat and from that mat is growing many of these structures like they gave me. They said it is a sponge and it does have the texture so I am pretty sure it is a sponge but I would like to find out what it is exactly and if it is photosynthetic or not. Any one know?

The structures like these are around 5" long and there can be quite a few of them growing on a 10" mat. Dunno if it will survive without its mat and the guy pulled it out of the water (I was like eeeeee...). oh well...it was free.



http://i786.photobucket.com/albums/y.../103_1891s.jpg

That stuff stings me every time I touch it, leaves itchy welts on my arms/hands. It grows in the coral systems(hitch hiker) where I work. Not sure if it's photosynthetic or not though.

Are you sure it's the same thing? because I handled it quite a bit and it did not sting by any way.

It feel soft to the touch.

how can this sting? with what exactly?

Haliclona sp? Might come in on Caribbean orders or other species from Philippine orders (Black Antler). Sponges are so hard to identify.

yes they are very difficult to ID. it is not the same as you posted though, because it is thinner and does not have any holes in its structure.

All I know is that it is a branching sponge. Would love to know if similar species are photoshythetic. My guess is that it is not photosynthetic, although in their aquarium it was growing toward the light. hmmmm...hard to say.

The black anthler seem to have a very fine tip, where mine seem to get larger at the tips, almost like a digitata coral.

Yup, same stuff. If I just touch it with my hands it's usually fine but if it hits the back of my hand or wrist it gets me.

I guess you must be allergic, because today I cleaned the aquarium and it touched my arm and hand just about everywhere and no reaction what so ever. It is very soft to the touch, very nice feeling to touch it.