{"title":"Sponge","description":"\u003cp\u003eSponge filter feeders (phylum Porifera) are among the simplest and oldest multicellular organisms on Earth. Lacking true organs, muscles, or a nervous system, they survive entirely by pumping water through a porous body network to extract food, process oxygen, and eliminate waste.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"blue-sponge-mini","title":"Blue Sponge Mini","description":"\u003cp\u003eDespite often being referred to as a \"coral\" in the aquarium trade, the blue sponge (\u003ci\u003eHaliclona caerulea\u003c\/i\u003e or \u003ci\u003eCollospongia auris\u003c\/i\u003e) is actually a primitive invertebrate filter feeder, not a true coral. It features a striking, vivid cobalt-to-violet hue with a matte, porous texture that grows either in thick encrusting mats or lobed, tubular formations dotted with \u003ci\u003eoscula\u003c\/i\u003e (exhalent water pores). Most blue sponges kept in aquariums house photosynthetic cyanobacteria in a symbiotic relationship, giving them their brilliant color and allowing them to derive energy from light as well as filter feeding.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePicture 1 under white light\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePicture 2 under blue light\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Koral King","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51417458049344,"sku":null,"price":35.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/9697\/5302\/files\/BlueSponge2.jpg?v=1789153867"},{"product_id":"frilly-sponge","title":"Frilly Sponge","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe frilly sponge, scientifically known as \u003ci\u003eClathria rugosa\u003c\/i\u003e (or \u003ci\u003eClathria prolifera\u003c\/i\u003e depending on region), is a striking sessile marine invertebrate native to the warm coastal waters of the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean. Growing to an average height and width of 3 to 6 inches (7.5 to 15 centimeters), it is easily identified by its vibrant orange-red to bright yellow coloration and its unique, fan-shaped structure composed of intricate, ruffled or frilly lobes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike all poriferans, the frilly sponge is a non-photosynthetic filter feeder that relies entirely on water currents to bring food to its microscopic pores. It uses specialized inner cells to pump water through its body cavity, filtering out microscopic organic detritus, bacteria, and phytoplankton. Because it contains no photosynthetic zooxanthellae, it does not require strong aquarium lighting and prefers shaded or low-light areas of the tank to prevent nuisance algae from growing over its tissue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a home reef aquarium, keeping a frilly sponge requires moderate to strong, indirect water flow to supply nutrients and keep its surfaces clean of settling sediment. Aquarists must provide targeted liquid phytoplankton feedings regularly to keep it from starving. Crucially, like all sponges, the frilly sponge must never be exposed to air during handling or transport, as trapped air bubbles in its internal pore structure permanently block water intake and cause the organism to rot from within.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Koral King","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51417495568704,"sku":null,"price":79.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/9697\/5302\/files\/Frilly_Orange_2.jpg?v=1789160383"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/9697\/5302\/collections\/BlueSponge2.jpg?v=1789154074","url":"https:\/\/koralking.com\/collections\/sponge.oembed","provider":"Koral King","version":"1.0","type":"link"}