Acanthella cavernosa

Sexing

 * Hermaphroditic.

Tank compatibility

 * Do not keep with aggressive fish or invertebrates that may damage it.

Diet

 * A filter feeder, can easily starve if not enough food is available in the water column. Feeds on plankton, bacteria and suspended detritus.

Feeding regime

 * A baseball-sized sponge can filter 50 US gallons an hour, so plenty of particles need to be available to it. Requires at least one direct daily feeding.

Environment Specifics

 * Must have strong water movement and requires a shaded area. This sponge is not photosynthetic. In the wild it is found near caves with strong currents. Will not tolerate algae growth. A challenging animal to keep and generally does not do well in captivity.

Behaviour

 * Delicate filter-feeder, will generally stay static.

Identification

 * Brilliant yellow, orange or red colouration with many nodes making its surface appear pitted and spikey. Specimens should not contain grey or white tissue as this indicates sickness.