.gce-product { --gce-accent:#D9A441; /* golden yellow */ --gce-accent-2:#A0782E; /* deeper gold-brown */ --gce-seaweed:#D9A441; /* reused var name for consistency */ --gce-text:#222; --gce-muted:#6b6b6b; line-height:1.6; color:var(--gce-text); font-size:16px; } .gce-product h3, .gce-product h4 { margin:0.2em 0 0.4em; line-height:1.25; } .gce-product h3 { font-size:1.35em; } .gce-product h3 em { font-style:italic; } .gce-product .gce-tagline { color:var(--gce-accent); font-style:italic; font-weight:600; margin:0.25em 0 0.75em; } .gce-product .gce-hr { border:0; border-top:2px solid var(--gce-accent); width:100%; margin:1.1em 0; } /* Trait Grid – Sponge Line (Square Cards) */ .gce-traits { display:grid; grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit, minmax(150px,1fr)); gap:0.75rem; margin:0.6em 0 1.2em; } .gce-trait { border:2px solid var(--gce-accent); padding:0.55em 0.75em; font-size:0.9em; border-radius:0.35em; } .gce-trait strong { display:block; font-weight:700; margin-bottom:0.15em; color:var(--gce-accent-2); } Yellow Ball Sponge (Filter Feeding NPS Reef Sponge) - Cinachyra alloclada Proof the moon isn’t made of cheese...it’s a sponge! What You Get A single, naturally rounded Yellow Ball Sponge collected from the hard bottom waters around Florida. Most specimens range from 2–3.5 inches across. For better long-term success in aquariums, we intentionally collect smaller specimens, which adapt more reliably than large, older individuals. Sponges are handled and packed submerged throughout the process. Why It’s Spongtacular This species is easy to recognize by its crater-like surface, dotted with irregularly shaped openings that give it a “mini moon” look on your rockwork. For a wild sponge, Yellow Ball is fairly hardy under the right conditions, maintaining its form and color in established systems. It adds instant texture, biodiversity, and a bright focal point without overshadowing nearby corals or macroalgae. Care & Placement Yellow Ball Sponges should only be placed in mature aquariums with stable parameters and plenty of naturally occurring microfauna. Like all sponges, they are filter feeders and depend on a steady supply of dissolved micro foods, plankton, and other fine suspended material. Provide low to moderate light and gentle to moderate flow so water passes through the sponge without blasting its tissue. Avoid burying it in sand or tucking it where detritus will pile up. When transferring the sponge into your aquarium, a brief move through the air is not harmful, but avoid letting it dry out or trapping air inside its channels. A slow, intentional submersion, with a gentle tilt to release any bubbles, helps protect the internal structure. Sizing We offer single specimens typically in the 2–3.5 inch diameter range. Shape, surface texture, and hole arrangement vary from piece to piece, and no two will be identical. Color may appear slightly lighter after shipping but usually deepens again within a few days under good lighting and flow. Traits Difficulty Intermediate Placement Rock crevices & shaded rockwork Lighting Low–moderate Flow Gentle–moderate A Note from the Collectors Every sponge we offer is hand-collected, acclimated, and observed by our team before shipping. While we carefully remove debris, algae, and tiny hitchhikers, a few reef passengers may still tag along. It’s a natural part of receiving genuine wild-collected specimens from Florida’s reefs. Shipping We ship sponges Monday and Tuesday only via 2-Day service to minimize transit time and stress.
