Are there parasitic sponges? Kenya problems

[turfgrass]

For the first time in a month since I got this Kenya tree it has been closed all day. At first I thought it to be a hermit crab, but it usually opens kind of quickly after it gets touched. However, I just noticed that it had some type of blue sponge that was growing from a piece of LR connecting to the Kenya. I knocked away the sponge rock piece, but the still is a mass and type runners that are attached to the kenya. You can see it in the lower left and upper right. Could this be a parasitic type sponge that is doing this?

I'm about to check my water parameters now. The only other thing I can think of is my lights going upgrading from 110vho to 220vho in the past week and a half.

Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[turfgrass]

My ph and nitrates are great but my Ca and Alk took a drop. I think it is because of the large water change I did recently. 2 Flat worm treatments.

 

[smcnally]

Could be the Alk level. I have no clue about the sponge. I once had a thick orange waxy sponge that almost completely covered a rose coral. I cut it away about 9 months ago and the rose coral is still alive in my tank.

 

[Chris L]

it could be getting ready to shed its outer skin like the toadstools do. i have a green tree that does that from time to time

 

[turfgrass]

I started to fix the ALk and Ca prob and also removed the sponge that seemed to be anchored. I think there was even a aptasis attached to it.

 

[smcnally]

I would think Aiptasia might sting it. Maybe someone else will chime in?

 

[Moe_K]

Was the coral opened before you did the flatworm treatments?