Lookie what I found today...

[Blugobi]

Well there I was checking out my tank this morning and scratching my head as to why one of my newly aquired corals was bleaching from the bottom up....Well logic was telling me that this is is unusual, so I took a closer look with a magnafying glass and I'll be darned, there was about ten or more of these interesting critters just devouring my coral. I plucked it out of my tank and took this coral to my local expert (St.James of Reefdom) and he confirmed my suspisions of a coaral eating nudi. I borrowd the photo below to show what they look like...at least the ones I have. The cure...I placed the coral in small container and Jim added a few drops of Flat Worm Exit and with in minutes the were dead. After comming back home I have studied all of my corals and did find one more piece with the same little buggers...treated and re-attached. In my case all of my corals have been in my tank for only few weeks so, it was easy to detach and re-attach....from here on out all corals will be dipped in a preventative solution!!!!!

 

[stupac21]

too bad they're so destructive, nudi's are kinda cool looking

 

[Namyar]

I did not relize there where so many kinds of nudi's

 

[SteveL]

George:

This looks like the montipora eating nudi that I have referenced on my website. They're a real pest - don't count on flatworm exit getting rid of these. Even if it has killed the adults they deposit their eggs underneath the colony. They'll be back in a few days unless they haven't laid eggs yet. Check all of your montiporas very carefully. Remove each colony and if you find the nudibranchs remove them, look for their eggs and scrub with a toothbrush. 2 years back I lost hundreds of $ to these guys. Ended up fraging all my monti's and throwing away the main colonies. Never seen one since but I'm very cautious when buying/swapping new livestock.

SteveL

 

[Blugobi]

Steve...

Thanks for the insigt and I will be sure to look out for these pests. I did find a few on an encrusting monit and used the same method for killing the adults. As far as the other pieces, I did exactly what you did and re-fraged them and got rid of the lower half. I will be sure to keep you all infomed of my battle progress. By the way the large Green Slimmer I got from you a few weeks ago is doing great....grwoing like a weed! So far these pesty little buggers have not found it. What kind of dip do you use for your frags again...I can't seem to remeber...must be my old age...I turned 41 last Friday and it's be down hill ever since...lol

GR

 

[dalbrecht]

Ray,

There are several thousand species of sea slug on the planet. All nudibranches are predatory. There are a few sea slugs (non-nudi slugs) that are ok. -sea slugs, lettuce slugs, for example. There are also some nudi's that are acceptable. (berghia) but you're generally best QT'ing purchases and killing any slugs that you find.

 

[SteveL]

George:

If these nudi's are eating your montiporas (which in my experience they do) then I can almost guarantee that they will NOT touch that green slimer which is an acropora. Just watch all your montis.

I don't know when this pest came into the hobby or if it still is coming in on wild monti colonies. I've heard various reports of successful treatments but I recommend careful inspection before purchase over any "chemical dips".

Steve

 

[Blugobi]

Will do...thanks Steve