Blue Velvet Nudibranch

[Kdocimo90]

I have a 210g tank with about 300lbs of live rock with flatworms all over them. I siphon out a ton every time I do a water change, but the numbers always seem to come back to about the same amount, if not more.

I'm considering getting some blue velvet nudibranchs. To keep my question short, how many should I get?

I do realize that after the flatworm population is gone, it is recommended to give away the nudibranch (which I have no problem doing), so I was considering getting about 3, and once the population is way down, giving away 1 or 2.

Thanks!

 

[Kdocimo90]

^^^

 

[Kdocimo90]

^^^

 

[Beaun]

I would advise against the nudibranch, they dont do well in high flow tanks and even if they do make it, they wont last long after they erradicate your flatworms, it's all they eat. Rather, I would highly suggest getting a wrasse in the Halichoeres genus, most of them will eat flatworms. Some people have better success with certain species then others; Melanurus and the yellow corris are two of the more used and well known flatworm eaters, but I had great success with the Halichoeres leucoxanthus.

 

[Kdocimo90]

I was considering a Halichoeres melanurus wrasse or two, but figured that I'd have much more luck getting 2 or 3 blue velvet nudibranches.

I have a softy/lps tank so there isn't too much flow in there. I figured I would give them away after my flatworms get eradicated.

 

[DaytonaJoe]

I was considering a Halichoeres melanurus wrasse or two, but figured that I'd have much more luck getting 2 or 3 blue velvet nudibranches.

I have a softy/lps tank so there isn't too much flow in there. I figured I would give them away after my flatworms get eradicated.

Give them away to who? It seems irresponsible to me to purchase something that cannot be housed indefinitely in a reef tank. Maybe you'll find someone to pass it along to, but what about after that? Eventually someone's just going to end up letting it starve to death. I think it's best not to support the harvesting of this type of animal.

What makes you think you'll have better results with nudibranchs over wrasses anyway? A wrasse can eat other things, so you'll be able to house it until it dies of natural causes. You'd have a fish that will keep your tank clean of flatworms for years, rather than a temporary clean up.

 

[Kdocimo90]

Give them away to who? It seems irresponsible to me to purchase something that cannot be housed indefinitely in a reef tank. Maybe you'll find someone to pass it along to, but what about after that? Eventually someone's just going to end up letting it starve to death. I think it's best not to support the harvesting of this type of animal.

What makes you think you'll have better results with nudibranchs over wrasses anyway? A wrasse can eat other things, so you'll be able to house it until it dies of natural causes. You'd have a fish that will keep your tank clean of flatworms for years, rather than a temporary clean up.

Well that's the reason why i'd think I'd have better luck with the nudibranch, whereas wrasses eat other things, and nudibranchs specifically eat flatworms.

I know a few local guys who are having flatworms problems, but regardless, they are already in captivity and arent going to be released back into the wild or anything. Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking to get these guys to help me out, and then toss them away.

 

[Kdocimo90]

^^^

 

[Fishdisease]

I had a 6-line wrasse that ate flatworms, preferentially over anything else I fed the tank. He was great, a bit aggressive for his tankmates, but constantly darting around and grazing.

Easy to find and I had good luck with a 6-line, imho

 

[Kdocimo90]

^^^

 

[GhostCon1]

I would say only one, that way he could potentially keep the pop. in check, whilst still allowing them to reproduce enough for him to have food.

 

[29reef]

+1 to a wrasse and NOT the nudi.

 

[Kdocimo90]

I would say only one, that way he could potentially keep the pop. in check, whilst still allowing them to reproduce enough for him to have food.

how fast of eaters are they? I mean I have a real lot of rock work. I wouldn't want the population growth rate of the flatworms be faster than the rate the nudibranch eats them.

Anyone have any input on this?

 

[pwoller]

Skip the nudi. I haven't been able to keep one alive for long. Go for a herd of wrasses or FW exit the tank.

 

[Kdocimo90]

^^^

 

[Captinshinyside]

I have a similar setup to you 210 gallons and about 200-250 lbs of live rock, got flatworms also. Tired siphoning and it didn't help. Thought about the nudi and flatworm exit. Couldn't find the meds anywhere.... Those flatworms were everywhere they would be on my arms after cleaning it was very bad.

I read on the nudi that you are never sure if you get the right one and a good portion of the time they arrive dead.

My thought was that the flatworms are living off some food source they have no competition for. I upped my clean up crew added serpent stars more snails and hermits. This was step one in my mind, I added sand cleaner snails and regular snails. I added hermits and got a sand cleaner fish.

Step two now that I'm am sure I have a huge clean up crew I added fish that were know to eat them. I Added a sand sifter fish just for extra clean up. My flatworms were on the sand a lot. I also added a six line wrasses. He ate some but it's a small fish so they weren't dissapearing fast enough for me. I also had read about a melaluna wrasse. Very pretty fish and know to eat all the bad things that may get into your tank. I added him last. This was prolly a 3 week long process. Maybe 2 weeks later and I couldn't find a flatworm if I wanted too!

I think the two wrasses prolly did most of the work to be honest. But the extra clean up crew helped I'm sure!

 

[GhostCon1]

how fast of eaters are they? I mean I have a real lot of rock work. I wouldn't want the population growth rate of the flatworms be faster than the rate the nudibranch eats them.

Anyone have any input on this?

I don't know, but that would be my first attempt at control if you are set on the nudibranch when others say don't. If one doesn't seem to do anything, then go to two. See how many they eat; my concern is that I don't want them to get bought and eat up so fast and then keep moving tanks over and over, that would be very stressful. Hence why I said try one at first to see his "crowd control" capabilities. And if you could get only one, or two, and they keep them in check, but still allow for some of the population to survive, then they would have a constant food supply so they don't starve to death.

I mean, they look amazingly cool, why not have that in the tank all the time *Unless you have something that picks at it*

 

[Acronic]

I suggest a mandarin dragonette. I had alot of flatworms at one point and added a mandarin (not for that reason) and he ate every last flatworm in maybe a week or two. It is a green spot mandarin if that makes a difference. They are peaceful and in a tank your size should do just fine IMO. Look it up there are reports to back it up HTH

 

[Kdocimo90]

I don't know, but that would be my first attempt at control if you are set on the nudibranch when others say don't. If one doesn't seem to do anything, then go to two. See how many they eat; my concern is that I don't want them to get bought and eat up so fast and then keep moving tanks over and over, that would be very stressful. Hence why I said try one at first to see his "crowd control" capabilities. And if you could get only one, or two, and they keep them in check, but still allow for some of the population to survive, then they would have a constant food supply so they don't starve to death.

I mean, they look amazingly cool, why not have that in the tank all the time *Unless you have something that picks at it*

I understand. They are really cool looking too fortunately! I just don't want to have to pay an extra 35$ every time to have it shipped ot me :hmm3:

Maybe I'll go with 2, and if the population gets demolished too quickly, I'll give away one of them. Sound like a plan?

 

[DaytonaJoe]

I understand. They are really cool looking too fortunately! I just don't want to have to pay an extra 35$ every time to have it shipped ot me :hmm3:

Maybe I'll go with 2, and if the population gets demolished too quickly, I'll give away one of them. Sound like a plan?

7 out of 8 people who replied to this thread have suggested that something other than the nudibranch would be best. I don't think it sounds like a good plan, but you knew that already. Good luck!