Mandarins and zoa eating nudi's

[Moort82]

I spotted a couple of days ago that a zoa frag was reluctant to feed. Close inspection revealed nothing. Today however I found lots of pinhead sized creatures. I'm almost certain that they are newly hatched nudi's as you could see the ring of tentacles.
I've taken the frag out and its now in QT but I have lots of other zoas which I could never get out as they have encrusted. My tank has a mandarin (Synchiropus splendidus) and I was wondering if these had been documented to eat zoa nudi's or if it would be better looking for another alternative, providing this isn't an isolated incident. I don't have a wrasse due to the mandarin but know the usual species which would work for this problem.

TIA

 

[650-IS350]

No they won't eat them, mandarins feed on copepods.

Manual removal and dips are best. Some wrasses like Yellow or Green coris might do the job. Do research.

 

[Moort82]

Thanks, I know lots of wrasse species which have been documented to eat them but was just wondering if mandarins would as they happily eat flatworms ime and a small nudi isn't that great a leap.

 

[m0nkie]

Thanks, I know lots of wrasse species which have been documented to eat them but was just wondering if mandarins would as they happily eat flatworms ime and a small nudi isn't that great a leap.

I have never seen a flat worm eating mandarin. I've seen scooter blenny eat flat worms, but not mandarin.

wrasse may not be an option as they will clean out your pods..

I had to manually remove the whole rock and fresh water dip it to remove nudis...

 

[dr.big]

I have never seen a flat worm eating mandarin. I've seen scooter blenny eat flat worms, but not mandarin.

wrasse may not be an option as they will clean out your pods..

I had to manually remove the whole rock and fresh water dip it to remove nudis...

I had monti eating nudis but since i put 2 red scooter blenny i dont see them anymore. I have never seen them eat nudis but i dont have another explication for their disappearance.

 

[Moort82]

Mandarins definitely do eat flatworm (well from my experience of some individuals). I've also used wrasse for the same purpose, normally H. chrysus but like above don't want it to outcompete the mandarin in this case.

It was really only anecdotal experiences i was after as i have had this zoa frag for 6-8weeks (can't remember exactly) and it was dipped with Coral RX before being added to the tank. I have seen nothing since then until last night where baby nudis the size of a pinhead were seen. I therefore believe they had only just hatched that day. I was under the impression that the eggs take 3-4 days to hatch but as there were no adults present (at least none on this frag or that i could see in the surrounding area) that perhaps the adults had been eaten by something already. The only fish that would fit and that actually scours every inch of the tank is the mandarin, so that would be my likely answer if they were being eaten.

 

[reefwars]

Mandarins definitely do eat flatworm (well from my experience of some individuals). I've also used wrasse for the same purpose, normally H. chrysus but like above don't want it to outcompete the mandarin in this case.

It was really only anecdotal experiences i was after as i have had this zoa frag for 6-8weeks (can't remember exactly) and it was dipped with Coral RX before being added to the tank. I have seen nothing since then until last night where baby nudis the size of a pinhead were seen. I therefore believe they had only just hatched that day. I was under the impression that the eggs take 3-4 days to hatch but as there were no adults present (at least none on this frag or that i could see in the surrounding area) that perhaps the adults had been eaten by something already. The only fish that would fit and that actually scours every inch of the tank is the mandarin, so that would be my likely answer if they were being eaten.

from my experience and watching an egg sack carefully in qt , the eggs hatch between 10 and 14 days i say between then as i didnt watch the nudi lay them this was only for how long i monitored the eggs. over the years we have done all kinds of tests on what kills them , how fast they grow , how long the egss brew for and how fast babies eat compared to adults


babies come out and are barely visible by eye and about the size of dust or small salt grains, they grow to about 1mm within days

 

[Moort82]

Interesting thanks. In that case they would have been a couple of days at most.