ECC Blue Plating Photosynthetic Sponge

Quick facts

Identity

Also known as

Blue Photosynthetic Sponge; Blue Plating Sponge; Blue & Red Plating Sponge

Synonyms

Porifera sp.

Environment

Saltwater

Native to

Indo-Pacific

Habitat

Shaded reef overhangs, crevices, and vertical rock faces in shallow to moderate depth reef environments with steady flow

Sourcing

Aquacultured

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

0.8 – 6 in (1.9 – 15 cm)

Lifespan

2 – 5 yrs

Min tank

20 gal (76 L)

Growth rate

Fast

Placement

Middle

Water

Temperature

75 – 78 °F (24 – 26 °C)

pH

8.1 – 8.4

dKH

8 – 9.5 dKH

Salinity

1.025 – 1.026 SG

Flow

Moderate

Behavior & compatibility

Social

Colony

Aggression to own kind

Low

Active

Daytime

Reef safe

Yes

Invert safe

Yes

Shrimp safe

Yes

Population boom risk

Low

Feeding & breeding

Diet

Photosynthetic

Foods

Phytoplankton, Coral food

Breeding difficulty

Not bred in captivity

Sexing

Not applicable; sponges do not display external sex differences and most aquarium specimens reproduce asexually via fragmentation

Target feeding

Beneficial

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Care guide

Overview

Spreads across rockwork as a smooth, folded plating sheet in deep blue, encrusting shaded overhangs and vertical faces much like a plating Montipora. Growth is fast once settled, so give it clearance from neighboring corals. It relies mainly on symbiotic algae for nutrition, with occasional phytoplankton dosing as a supplement, and must never be exposed to air during handling.

Care

This sponge grows as a smooth, folded or plating sheet in a deep blue color and can spread quickly once settled on the rockwork. The single non-negotiable rule with any sponge is that it must never be exposed to air, even briefly during acclimation or placement, since trapped air bubbles inside its internal channels kill the surrounding tissue and can collapse the whole colony. Moderate, indirect flow keeps detritus from settling on its surface without physically stressing the tissue, and moderate lighting in the blue spectrum supports its symbiotic algae. Give it room to expand since fast growth in favorable conditions can lead to it overgrowing or shading slower neighbors.

Feeding

Most of its nutrition comes from photosynthetic symbionts, so direct feeding is not strictly required in a well-lit tank. It does benefit from a mature system with measurable dissolved organics and occasional dosing of phytoplankton or very fine plankton foods. Avoid large particulate foods intended for other filter feeders, since sponges take up nutrition at a much finer scale.

Tank mates

Keep a few inches of clearance between this sponge and stinging corals such as LPS with long sweeper tentacles or aggressive soft corals, since contact can damage its tissue. It is not aggressive toward tankmates itself, but its fast growth rate means it can eventually crowd or shade slower-growing corals if left unchecked. Trimming or refragging back the plating edges periodically helps manage its footprint in a mixed reef.

Health

The most common cause of death is accidental air exposure during acclimation, handling, or water changes, which introduces bubbles into the internal canal system and leads to tissue die-off that can spread through the whole colony. Bleaching can occur under excessive light or in nutrient-starved systems, while poor flow or sediment buildup can cause localized tissue recession or algae and cyanobacteria overgrowth on the surface. Improving flow and husbandry generally resolves early-stage decline if caught quickly.

Sources

1. ECC Blue Plating Photosynthetic Sponge - Bulk Reef Supply
2. Blue Photosynthetic Sponge Coral Care Guide | Top Shelf Aquatics
3. LiveAquaria CCGC Aquacultured Photosynthetic Plating Red & Blue Sponge
4. Blue Plating Sponge - Tidal Gardens