Sponges, particularly vase sponges, provide habitat for a variety of small fishes and invertebrates. That is why I look inside sponges.
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| Azure vase sponge, a great sponge to look inside |
My favorite sponge resident is the peppermint shrimp. They are less than 2 inches long, and act as cleaning shrimp. Their pale bodies are lined with thin red stripes, like a peppermint candy.
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| A single peppermint shrimp |
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| A pair of peppermint shrimp |
I was surprised to find another shrimp, that I had never seen before inside one sponge. From the few parts that were visible, it appears to be a two claw shrimp. This species grows up to 2.5 inches long.
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| A two claw shrimp |
The above photos were taken at depths between 40 and 50 feet.
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