red tree sponge and red chili coral question

[dano]

I am thinking of getting one of these to add some bright red color to my tank. Any suggestions/guidance as to hardiness, longevity, appeal, growth? Thanks.

[davelin315]

Not worth it. The tree sponge may make it but the chili corals need to be fed constantly and it takes a lot of dedication to keep one long term. They may look like they're thriving for months but in reality most of them are simply dying very slowly in our tanks. If you're willing to target feed constantly then it's worth it, otherwise just go for something else.

[Jon Lazar]

I am thinking of getting one of these to add some bright red color to my tank. Any suggestions/guidance as to hardiness, longevity, appeal, growth? Thanks.

 

Both are beautiful, but IME neither live very long in a reef tank and I recommend against them. Especially the sponge.

 

They'll take longer to die if you keep them in the shade so they're not overgrown with nuisance algae.

[wogga]

Sounds like your standard 'it may survive, but most certainly won't thrive' scenario, eh?

[davelin315]

The sponges seem to suffer from air bubbles during collection and shipping which inevitably will doom them as it causes them to die from the inside out usually, at least that's the explanation I've always been given. I have had success with sponges before by cutting them into smaller pieces and then trying to let them attach in between rocks, but that has also been hit or miss. From what I understand when they are exposed to air that's the end of them but if you can isolate pieces that have not been exposed to air then you can have some success, kind of like breaking off a piece of RTNing coral and hoping that it stops.

[dano]

Thanks for the responses. I will not get either. And Dave, wanted to thank you for your comments about my suicided Naso Tang. In fact, after the power outage I did not empty the skimmer and later that week my wife spoke of an awful smell coming from downstairs so maybe the naso's death might have had something to do with the skimmer turning back on. Though none of the other fish or corals seemed to have been affected.