What is it?

[BiochemRobyn]

Check out what Sonny from Mr. Coral is selling. He claims it's a sponge, but I what on earth are the white things? Sponges don't have polyps.

Here's the link if the picture doesn't work well:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Live-Coral-Australian-SUPER-RARE-Spider-Sponge-FRAG_W0QQitemZ270217139090QQihZ017QQcategoryZ46308 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[twincitiesreefer]

it looks like a cluster of pineapple sponges......very rare.lol

[epidemic]

Ive heard of a type of zoa that grows on sponges. Only saw a reference once though.

[Ly]

I'd love to see it fully opened.

[tico mike]

Looks like a gorgonian to me???

[wes]

Looks like a gorgonian to me???

that's what I thought at first, but the polyps appear to be a colony on top of some sort of branching substrate. odd, that's for sure.

[Chad Vossen]

i also think it is two seperate animals. polyps/gorgonian on a sponge. i have seen pictures of this elsewhere that were much better, but i have no idea how to find them again.

[ChopSuey288]

the white polyp looking structures arnt sponges due to the fact that some are partially closed, while some are all the way open. But I due agree with tico mike, it does look like a gorgonian.

[gruntmon]

Is it just me or does it somewhat resemble the blueberry piece that armagedon48 has.

[Goldpony75]

Its called a spider sponge. it is supposed to be a zoanthid that grows on the sponge. very cool indeed, but very fragile from what I hear.seen them at live aquaria when i was there last.

[Afish4u]

yep Fosters had them for about 100.00 for a 6"-8 stalk. I wish I bought a bigger one. Miesen also brought some for sale at the swap. I got about 2" for 20.00. The zoanthids come out sometimes in the evenings. My anenomie stuck the heck out of it. I didn't know it could kill sponge.