Please help Identify: Looks like a Nudibranch

[Reefer_alskk]

Hi there,

I recently picked up a mean green zoa and I noticed what looks like a nudibranch, looks exactly like it, except that it's not transparent/ white in color. The one that tagged along was a darkish color in the beginning, now it's like dark brownish... also, I just saw another one today, a smaller one on the same frag. They haven't left the frag... the nudi is always in between the zoa or in a crevis/hole on the frag. Can you help me identify this so I can either leave it in or take it out.

Pictures aren't that clear, no macro lens yet... =/

Any input would be appreciated. Oh btw: when I first introduced the coral in my tank about three days ago, my peppermint shrimp did pick at the frag, im sure it was picking at the nudi while it was in the crevis.


ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

Pic was too big so I used imageshack.

Thanks,

Al

 

[BeakerBob]

Yes, the small brown thing with the small appendages sticking out all over is a nudi eating your zoas.

 

[returnofsid]

Almost all Nudibranchs are "obligate feeders" and take on the color of what they've been eating. Your Zoanthid Eating Nudibranch is doing just that, taking on the color of the Zoanthids it's been munching on.

 

[Lateral72]

Iodine dip ALL of your zoas--colonies and frags. Also, inspect them thoroughly for nudi eggs.

 

[Bigdaddy]

Good luck getting rid of these i just got done with an infestation of them its like treating lice dip everything and then in a week dip again and keep checking for eggs the dips dont kill the eggs from whati read

 

[returnofsid]

Salifert Flatworm Exit also works very well for Zoanthid Eating Nudis. Like other dips though, it won't kill the eggs, so repeated dips and inspections are required.

 

[Reefer_alskk]

Hi, thanks for the replys. I thought they were good to have in the tank for aptasia.. I dipped all my corals with Revive. I will continue to dip every 3 days and I wil remove the nudi... but I have no idea what to do with it. I mean, I can throw it in my bro-in-law 24g nano, there is three aptasia in there... you think it will just go after that first before it goes after his zoas? Or should I just get rid of it?

 

[Reefer_alskk]

I got three and 2 more in a 24g

disregard the title, I have 3 peppermints rdy, but I don't want to catch them..but I'll just use the salifert to rid them as soon as I get ahold of it. I'll jsut toss them... will the eggs have web like stuff?

 

[Reefer_alskk]

Update: I isolated the frag with a peppermint shrimp, if nothing happens i'll remove it physically, if it becomes a headache, I will bring it back to where I purchased it from and trade it in for another (travel is a bummer).

Thanks all for your help.

 

[EpicWin]

Polyox dip. Look into it. It kills eggs if done properly

 

[allabout]

Not sure where exactly you're at with these anymore, but I don't think there is any way at all that I would leave them in a tank or put them in another tank to get rid of apstasia. They'll kill your zoas before you can even spot them most of the time. The eggs look like little curls of white spots on the zoas when they are closed. Pull them off carefully with a q-tip or something. Even when you think you've gotten rid of all the zoas they'll show up at some point so keep an eye out for them.

 

[emerald525]

Hi, thanks for the replys. I thought they were good to have in the tank for aptasia.. I dipped all my corals with Revive. I will continue to dip every 3 days and I wil remove the nudi... but I have no idea what to do with it. I mean, I can throw it in my bro-in-law 24g nano, there is three aptasia in there... you think it will just go after that first before it goes after his zoas? Or should I just get rid of it?

There are many different species of nudibranchs. The one that are eating your zoas are not aiptasia eaters. The ones that eat aiptasia are berghias. Just throw the nudibranch away. I don't know what kind of fish you have in your tank but a melanarus wrasse is also great for keeping pests under control. However they can be agressive to more peaceful wrasses. I have heard that the flatworm exit works well too for treatment.

 

[FaviaFreak]

dip it in melafix and call it a day

 

[shred5]

Hi, thanks for the replys. I thought they were good to have in the tank for aptasia.. I dipped all my corals with Revive. I will continue to dip every 3 days and I wil remove the nudi... but I have no idea what to do with it. I mean, I can throw it in my bro-in-law 24g nano, there is three aptasia in there... you think it will just go after that first before it goes after his zoas? Or should I just get rid of it?

There are many different nudibranch, some good and some bad. I usually assume thay are bad and remove them if I see one.

 

[Reefer_alskk]

UPDATE: I have removed the zoa from my tank and is in quarantine. I removed the two nudis shown in the pic. I did another dip with revive and this time, I just plucked the nudis off of the frag. I noticed very tiny white dots on the zoa, when i touched it with an instrument, it would react, so I took a q-tip and removed it as careful as I could. In the end, it was not worth it. I knew that once I remove the nudis I would not throw that frag back in my main tank due to possible contamination of the babies/eggs.

There are no zoas in my tank, just chalices and soon acans, favias. Should I be concerned? I'll keep monitoring... i guess, it's inevitable to get anything unwanted, no matter how hard you try to keep it out your tank.

Thanks all for your insight and knowledge in this matter.

 

[Reefer_alskk]

Update: So far so good ---> WOOOT -__-

 

[riosf63]

dip it in melafix and call it a day

Does this really work? I think I found some in my tank last night (I think), didn't know what it was then remembered reading this except they didn't look nearly as big. It was dark in the tank so it was hard to be sure but the zoa's looked like crap all day then I saw that on them at night. I'll have to take a closer look when I get home from work tonight, what can I do to make sure it doesn't effect the rest of my Zoa's other then take the frag in question out?