nudibranch & flatworms

[Big Chippa]

Has anyone heard of using a blue velvet nudibranch to eat flatworms? Do they work and are they reef safe?

 

[MarkKlier]

I have done it. They eat them quickly once established, then starve to death. They excrete the flat worm juice in a concentrated form, which may be toxic.
All and all, I love them but do not think they are a good addition to the tank...MK

 

[Agu]

Same experience, they eat 90% of the flatworms, die, and the flatworms come back. They also have a fatal attraction to pump and powerheads intakes.

 

[RandyStacyE]

Nudis are strange. I had some before and it diminished over time to a tiny speck ... magical shrinking Nudis.

I see them in the pet stores all the time and I can't help but think that they are all going to die. It's a shame. They are so impressive looking and there was nothing I could do.

 

[kryppy]

Seeing a flatworm run for its life is priceless!

These guys are hard though. I put two in my 250 and they promptly disappeared never to be seen again. A third was the charm and he ate like crazy until he took a trip through the water change pump.
I couldn't believe my eyes. The slug must have felt the slight current, let go of the glass, rolled up in a ball and rode the current to his doom in all of three seconds.
Funny thing is, my flatworms are totally gone. I sometimes wonder if either of the others just live deep in the rockwork, but I really doubt it.
It is probably the fat little psychedelic mandarin doing his thing.