Ethical reefkeeping, research your purchases

Very well said
I was thinking the same thing when I seen the feather stars!

 

I may be one of the naïve attendees that purchased 3 different sponges (a yellow ball, red tree, and orange sponge). My wife really liked them and the vendor convinced me that I could keep them alive. I am sorry that I did not do my research on these sponges.

I do have an established tank and have placed them low in the tank with high, indirect flow. My concern is being able to get enough nutrients to them. I have read that they can only utilize the smallest of phytoplankton and other nutrients. The issue is that I only feed my other corals once a week as to not create other issues with over feeding.

Any suggestions on possible success with these sponges now that they are in my tank?

 

My girlfriend saw the feather star and exclaimed how pretty they are and we need one! I agreed with her that they are beautiful, but from what I know they are almost impossible to keep. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2013/7/inverts. I don't knock anyone that got one, it's easy to get something like that on impulse from a big show like fragfest and you assume the sellers are offering an animal that actually has a chance to survive - after all most of the animals at fragfest were grown in fellow reefer's tanks.

She then saw the sponges and thought those would be great, haha. I did come home with way too many coral frags, but nothing else.

Sponge care: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/6/inverts2

 

agreed i have a beef with this situation also

 

Perhaps through out the year topics should be brought up about what makes a good addition for the home aquarist. What has high or low survival rates. What needs a high amount of light or low. Same for flow...... and I could go on, there are so many things to learn about. I love it when someone posts an interesting article on GIRS. We have some people in this club that really know their stuff and others that are in the beginning of their learning process. Sharing the knowledge in a welcoming way is what will keep this club and hobby going strong.

 

Maybe we can pin a note at the top of this forum with a list of the "leave it in the ocean" species. With so many interesting species which are also much easier to keep it's a shame that the fish pays the price.