FW sponges?

[Mzungu]

Some interesting info:

http://www.petshrimp.com/discussions/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2970

[OrandaMan]

Those are some awesome links. Interesting that one of them found a biological supply store that sold them. I'd be interested in finding one myself, though I'd prefer to collect them wild locally. The reason for this is because, being from this area, I have a good idea of what kind of climate they need and I can also sample the water for parameters, possibly including the nutrient levels.

In that last link, someone mentioned the difficulty of keeping the right amount of nutrients. I wonder if he tried culturing infusoria. That'd be another good thing about finding them locally, as I'd have access to the original water, as well.

I did get a reply from TPWD. It said I didn't have to have a permit to collect as long as I use legal means (I was figuring on just doing it by hand, anyway). I was also given the phone number of their Marine Lab at Rockport for ideas on location. I'll be calling them tomorrow.

[Dan Johnson]

Here is a bryozoan colony that showed up in one of my tanks. I've seen them show up about three times.

I've found similar stuff covering the bottoms of small rocks in Buffalo Bayou just east of the dam at Highway 6.

[OrandaMan]

Oh, that is awesome. Thank you!

[abornet]

OrandaMan, I know it has been about 5 years since your search for freshwater sponges and/ or bryozoans. Did you ever find any useful information/ use them in a tank? I would like to incorpoate some bryozoans ina freshwater invert tank to explore how they would work as part of natural filtration and /microorganism control. It seems right now though, that I will need to hunt them down in ponds myself. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[troy tucker]

This was an interesting read. I guess we will have to look in to the info some more.

[abornet]

I actually wonder if I could find any around Herman park?