HELP ID Nudibranch

[bwomac44]

Nudibranch found under montipora with eggs.
Please help to identify and educate me.
I have a mixed reef. Lots of corals from Acros to Zoas.
I try not to freak out anymore as some critters while scary looking are fine in our tanks. However this Nudi laying eggs under coral makes me wonder if it eats coral.. I have two leopard wrasses that hunt all day long over every millimeter of the tank, but this guy was under a sheet of montipora.

 

[bwomac44]

 

[aqua_code]

Looks like a monipora eating nudibranch. Might want to dip some of your other corals.

 

[Ligeia]

That’s a monto eating nudibranch. Not to be a downer but that is one of the hardest things to get rid of... they multiply like crazy and devour your montis with reckless abandon.

 

[bwomac44]

That’s a monto eating nudibranch. Not to be a downer but that is one of the hardest things to get rid of... they multiply like crazy and devour your montis with reckless abandon.

I only have a couple montis. Will they move on to other corals like acros when they run out of montis to eat or do they only eat montis?
That is, should I just be concerned about the montis? Are they only going to be found on montis? Thanks yall

 

[Ligeia]

They eat only montis. But they will make extremely quick work of them. You'll notice little bald patches all over the coral. From what I know they are dip resistant and so you have to tweeze the adults off the coral at night when they feed. I gave up when I had it and ended up just chucking my coral lol.

 

[Ligeia]

Just looking at them in your post is giving me flashbacks

 

[bwomac44]

Just looking at them in your post is giving me flashbacks

I’m reading a few other threads. It seems that if you have wrasses that hunt constantly for fauna like this you’ll be fine in managing them. I have two beautiful leopard wrasses that eat all day long.
That seems to be the most essential component of managing them.
It seems as though a few active wrasses and you will never have enough Nudi’s to do any real damage. Like my monti that I found this under looks entirely healthy. We shall see
Other threads saying Yellow Coris Wrasse is or six line is key, but I’m sure these leopards will perform the same.
Anyone think leopards won’t perform as well as a yellow coris? May be an excuse to get one. I’ve always wanted one. But prefer to have more microfauna for my leopards not to have to share with other similar kinds of wrasses.
These leopards are like dragons to the little creatures they consume.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Oh noooo- Monti eating. Will take several dips to eradicate. Wrasses mainly yellow coris May eat them

 

[Ligeia]

I’m reading a few other threads. It seems that if you have wrasses that hunt constantly for fauna like this you’ll be fine in managing them. I have two beautiful leopard wrasses that eat all day long.
That seems to be the most essential component of managing them.
It seems as though a few active wrasses and you will never have enough Nudi’s to do any real damage. Like my monti that I found this under looks entirely healthy. We shall see
Other threads saying Yellow Coris Wrasse is or six line is key, but I’m sure these leopards will perform the same.
Anyone think leopards won’t perform as well as a yellow coris? May be an excuse to get one. I’ve always wanted one. But prefer to have more microfauna for my leopards not to have to share with other similar kinds of wrasses.
These leopards are like dragons to the little creatures they consume.

dang, those are some nice wrasses

 

[Ligeia]

I agree, I think the main issue is they reproduce WAYY faster than zoa eaters AND they get into the tiniest nooks and crannies of your montis. Maybe a combo of wrasses and picking off the adults will do it for them?

 

[Ligeia]

Did you just get a new coral in or have they been there for a while?

 

[bwomac44]

I have 4 monti’s. Green, red and tubs stellata added April and May. Bubble gum digi added 6 weeks ago.

Old pic, red monti and tubbs have grown off their discs since then. (Ignore TN’d birds nest.. result off 0 phosphates bringing forth dinos. It is a healthy piece now)

 

[bwomac44]

Nudi was under the red monti that had grown off the disk. Eggs laid on the underside. Someone said they had success epoxying the undersides of their montis, so as to kill/prevent eggs.
I’m gonna let the wrasses keep doing their thing. If I see them at night actually on monti’s or see any decline in monti health I will reconsider options

 

[Erick375]

Do I have a nudi problem? Only one seems affected and it has progressed rather slowly but is slowly getting nibbled out. Orange in the middle, then close ups below.

Frr

 

[vetteguy53081]

DIP …… Try peroxide but you may need CoralRX

 

[ZaneTer]

Do I have a nudi problem? Only one seems affected and it has progressed rather slowly but is slowly getting nibbled out. Orange in the middle, then close ups below.

Frr

I am going to go with that you probably don’t have a nudi problem. For a start that is lepto. The white patterns aren’t the same as if they had been consumed but instead look washed out in colour.

Of course you could dip it but I don’t think that is where your problem lies.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I am going to go with that you probably don’t have a nudi problem. For a start that is lepto. The white patterns aren’t the same as if they had been consumed but instead look washed out in colour.

Of course you could dip it but I don’t think that is where your problem lies.

Agreed why I mentioned peroxide. Looks like Hi Alk or Bleaching from lights.
Need parameters to best assist with issue

 

[bwomac44]

My monti eating nudibranches only ate my plating monti frags. Didn’t ever make it to my tubbs stellata monti or my bubblegum digi.
Thought they might as those are types of montipora, but so far so good
My lentos were obviously unaffected from them as well as everything else