Common name: Branching Vase Sponge
General information
The Branching Vase Sponge, Callyspongia vaginalis, is a common sight in tropical reef environments and is known for its distinctive tube-like branches that often resemble the shape of a vase. This sponge species exhibits a range of colors, typically varying from purple to lavender, and sometimes even gray or brown. It is a filter feeder, drawing in water to extract nutrients and oxygen, which makes it an important component of the reef ecosystem.
Details
- Recommended minimum tank volume
- 75 liter (20 gallons)
- Salinity
- S.G. 1.023 to 1.026
- Temperature
- 24 to 28 °C (75 to 82 °F)
- Acidity
- pH 7.8 to 8.4
- Average size
- 30 cm (1′)
- Care level
- Moderate to easy Requires stable water conditions.
- Diet
- Planktonivore Filters plankton from water column.
- Reefsafe
- Yes
- Aggression
- Peaceful
- Captive bred
- No
Taxonomy
- KingdomAnimalsAnimalia
- PhylumSpongesPorifera
- ClassDemospongesDemospongiae
- OrderHaplosclerida spongesHaplosclerida
- FamilyCallyspongiaCallyspongiidae
- GenusCallyspongiaCallyspongia
- SpeciesBranching Vase SpongeCallyspongia vaginalis (Lamarck, 1814)
- SynonymsCallyspongia lineata (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864)Callyspongia lineata flabelliformis (Carter, 1882)Callyspongia papyracea (Schmidt, 1870)Siphonochalina papyracea Schmidt, 1870Spinosella maxima Dendy, 1887Spinosella sororia (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864)Spinosella sororia dilatata Dendy, 1887Spinosella sororia elongata Dendy, 1887Spinosella sororia fruticosa DendySpinosella sororia fruticosa Dendy, 1887Spinosella vaginalis (Lamarck, 1814)Spinosella velata Dendy, 1887Spongia bursaria Lamarck, 1814Spongia clavaherculis Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864Spongia vaginalis Lamarck, 1814Tuba bursaria (Lamarck, 1814)Tuba clavaherculis Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864Tuba irregularis Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864Tuba linearis Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864
Care
In the aquarium, Callyspongia vaginalis requires a moderate to strong water flow to mimic its natural habitat and facilitate its filter-feeding behavior. It is essential to maintain high water quality with low levels of nitrates and phosphates. This sponge should never be exposed to air, as trapped air bubbles can be fatal.
Reproduction
Sponges like Callyspongia vaginalis reproduce both sexually and asexually. In the aquarium, they may reproduce asexually through budding, where a part of the sponge breaks off and grows into a new individual. Sexual reproduction involves the release of sperm into the water column, which then fertilizes eggs in other sponges.
Habitat
Callyspongia vaginalis is found in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and the western Atlantic Ocean. It thrives in shallow waters, typically between 3 to 30 meters deep, on coral reefs or rocky substrates where it can attach itself and extend its branches towards the water flow.