Fish that eats nudibranchs

[mfinn]

I have been following a thread at reef central that was started by one of the members there, that goes by the name MUCHO REEF.
He has been into zoanthids for many years and recently had his zoanthid tank named Tank Of The Month.
Even though he developed a fairly effective dip concoction the problem still existed because of the many eggs they laid, which the dip did nothing.
Over the last few months he has been experimenting with different wrasse species, he believes he has found one that may be a good zoanthid eating nudibranch predator. It's called the Sea Grass Wrasse, ( Novaculichthys Macrolepidotus ).
Here is a link to the thread on Reef Central.
It's a interesting story.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=533167&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

 

[NaH2O]

Wow finn - thanks for the link. It will be interesting when more people try this fish out for nudi removal. For some hobbyists, it may be an answer to alot of grief.

 

[Electrokate]

Hey Finn, you ever get one of these? I think I want one now, maybe they will eat flatworms too My filament flasher wrasse jumped and ever since I have more and more flatworms. I really like the stark green of this wrasse.
I wonder how many other wrasses are effective at eating shell-less mollusks?
Kate

 

[jlehigh]

I must have missed this thread back in Febuary.. My Copperband butterfly likes to eat nudibrancs. Anything fleshy and slow moving including snails

 

[mfinn]

Blue Serria had a large adult that was too big for my zoanthid tank and nobody has been able to get a small one for me.
I've traded away alot of my zoanthids and lost alot to the nudibranchs.

jlehigh,
I think most butterfly fish will eat the zoanthids too.

 

[MUCHO REEF]

Hello everyone, the dip has worked affectively for many people including myself. There's nothing that I'm aware of that will affect the Nudi egg sacks which are incased and sticky to the touch. I hope that I didn't mislead anyone into thinking the dip would eradicate the eggs, because if simply won't affect them. The dip is/was a means to start the process of getting rid of the adult and juvi nudis. I can say with all honesty that anyone can wipe out nudis. It simply takes time, dedication and persistance. I have done it several times myself.

As for the Sea Grass Wrasse, don't count him out just yet. Please read the link below

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=596642&highlight=sea+grasse+mucho

I simply do not accept the fact that I had the only SGW to consume nudis. I have received confirmed reports from several people that their SGW did the same. I have received a lot of reports on other SGW that wouldn't even touch or go near a nudi. My assumption, there has to be more than one type of SGW, or, they most likely won't touch a nudi if their are other sources of food in the tank and they have no desire to consume them. What I do know is this, I sat with my own eyes an watched my SGW consume nudis many times. I refuse to believe I am that lucky to have the only SGW to repeatidly consume them. I'm still working on this and I am confident the truth will be revealed someday. Until then, if you have nudis, dipping, plucking and suctioning them out on a daily basis will work. It won't happen overnight, but you can defeat them, I did.

Just my 2 cents,

Mucho

 

[mfinn]

I recently bought a green coris wrasse to put in a tank that had some montipora eating nudibranchs.
Not sure if it is doing any good. I also have been doing dips using saltwater and a strong lugols solution.
I also tried a freshwater dip with 4 pieces. Don't think I'll do that again. I'm sure the monti's have died.

 

[Barbie]

I know this isn't a feasible solution for everyone, and I actually expected it to cause the zoos more problems than it did, but I took my two frags with nudi egg sacks and baby nudis and sprayed it off under my kitchen sink faucet. I used water about the same temperature as the tank, and I had to do it a few times before I stopped seeing them, but I've done it 3 times now and I haven't seen signs of a nudi in more than 2 weeks. The force of the pressurized water really worked to dislodge the egg sacs and the zoos would open up within a few hours after I put them back in their tank. Like I said, I don't know that it's a highly recommended thing to do, but it worked well here!

Barbie