Monti eating nudibranch.

[Paul31733]

Well it was bound to happen with starting the hobby with no qt. But it looks like I have Montipora eating nudis.
Was looking in my tank with lights out this morning and I see a little white thing crawling on my forest fire digitata.
This particular digitata has had its polyps retracted for a while and body looked almost to be getting smaller or more thin.
Now I know why. It is being eaten.
I will say I was smart enough to only buy cheap Montis and one Anacropora.
So.. what am I going to do?
I only have 4 corals which could be effected. I only visibly see nudi on digitata. I will remove digitata with nudi on it and hopefully(I have read how persistent these are and know this prob will not work) that solves the problem.
If I see them move to another coral I will drop to my knees and beg wife to let me buy qt.
When that doesn't work I guess it's just Acropora LPs and softies for awhile
Thanks for listening to my rant. Nobody else would listen!!
Paul.

 

[Bleakborn]

I just had to tear out almost all of my monti's because of this.... I am dipping them every 4 days for the next 2 months and I am in the process of setting up a frag tank for them for next year or so... so sad since my tank was finally startling to have good growth...

 

[Paul31733]

I just had to tear out almost all of my monti's because of this.... I am dipping them every 4 days for the next 2 months and I am in the process of setting up a frag tank for them for next year or so... so sad since my tank was finally startling to have good growth...

I feel for you but think of all the extra frags you could get!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Pics of nudis ?

 

[Paul31733]

Pics of nudis ?

I am currently repairing Toyota's. I will attempt to get a picture tonight.
Is there something else it could be crawling on my digi? Don't get me excited!
Also do nudis come out in the day or only at night?

 

[EW_Fish]

These guys can survive dips even super strength bayer dips for me. They like to get under montis and under montis on frag plus can create a pocket which is either air or wont get hit with the dip.

 

[Paul31733]

These guys can survive dips even super strength bayer dips for me. They like to get under montis and under montis on frag plus can create a pocket which is either air or wont get hit with the dip.

Yea I have ruined my morning reading horror stories. But I am only 5 months in and only have 4 small frags could be affected. I am lucky. I will try my hand at Acropora I don't think they eat these?

 

[EW_Fish]

Yea I have ruined my morning reading horror stories. But I am only 5 months in and only have 4 small frags could be affected. I am lucky. I will try my hand at Acropora I don't think they eat these?

They will starve out if there is no montis. So yes Acros are safe. My suggestion if you want to keep the montis is frag the tops (if branching montis) and frag the middle (if encrusting monti) remove the plugs and glue new plugs. I beleive that they only lay eggs on dead parts of the montis.

 

[Paul31733]

I was attempting to take a picture of nudibranch on my digitata... When my blue springeri damsel swept in and ate him !!!

I thought he was a bully but he just moved into my number one spot lol

MY BOY BLUE!!!

 

[Paul31733]

This is digitata with problem...
It has algae growing on it which I thought was from burning the tips but it has now spread.
I am thinking it is growing on areas that have been eaten... I will update with a picture of nudibranch when I can get it before my damsel!

 

[Paul31733]

Ok last night I turned off my lights early to simulate night. I checked probably 10 times between 7pm and 7am. I did not see a nudibranch...
I did however see a bunch of insect like things crawling around. I think these are some type of pod...
I am hoping that I mistook a large pod or other creature for a nudibranch as I was just waking up in the morning and have never actually seen either of these in real life ...
Would some sort of pod crawl up my digitata?
There is some algae type stuff growing on it maybe they are eating this?

 

[Paul31733]

Maybe was the second pic here which would be a good thing I am reading

 

[Bleakborn]

I will say that montipora eating nudibranchs are really small, like the size of a polyp when they are babies

 

[Paul31733]

I will say that montipora eating nudibranchs are really small, like the size of a polyp when they are babies

Thanks. I will just have to monitor and cross everybody part I have for luck.

 

[98dak83cam]

Is there anything that will eat the Monti eating nudibranch? I just found that I have them too.

 

[Bleakborn]

Is there anything that will eat the Monti eating nudibranch? I just found that I have them too.

I have found that my possum wrasse has done a great job of stopping the infestation in the display. I also heard that peppermint shrimp also do a pretty good job but haven't tried them out yet.

 

[germo]

I have found that my possum wrasse has done a great job of stopping the infestation in the display. I also heard that peppermint shrimp also do a pretty good job but haven't tried them out yet.

This is great to hear. I just purchased one with hopes of the same. I have something eating my Montis and i am not sure what it is. I just hope this possum wrasse is the answer.