Montipora-eating nudibranchs

[Herefishyfishy]

I have many types of plating Monti plus some digitata and encrusting. A couple of my green plates have been dying. The reds, pinks, purple rim, and most others are A-OK. Noticed a orange digitata frag I got from a friend was dying back at the base. After a large water change, no change. All acro and other sps and LPS are thriving. Well, all of the chatting about red bugs caused the light bulb to go on. Pulled a dying green into a bowl of water under a light with a magnifying glass and started probing. Guess what I found:doubt: :evil:

Little hairy backed nudis the size of a 1/3 a grain of rice. OK, to the point. Short of buying some wrasse to compete with my mandarin for food, what is the current treatment? Legals dip? Picked off the ones I could find on and dipped the green plating and the little digi that were doing badly and put them in some interceptor dip that was handy just to see what happens.

Worst case, could buy some wrasse that eats these, but he would then clear out most of the pods my docile mandarin feeds on.

It's always something...Any advise?

 

[LakeEd]

Are you positive these are Nudi's??? Its possible that you may have some Acro Eating Flatworms...

Here is a good thread Nikki started, that would be helpful if thats what they are;
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16086&highlight=flatworm

 

[LakeEd]

I should of mentioned... if these are Nidi's... the best method I have heard of getting rid of them, is with either dipping your corals in Lugol's, or Levamisol.

 

[ronj]

i found some sort of (slug?) on one of my monti's yesterday..i checked the others and couldn't find any..i was wondering what it was...do any of the nudi's appear like a slug(beige)??

 

[Herefishyfishy]

They look identical to these and create the same effect. So Lugols is still the state of the art treatment?

The interceptor dip seems to have killed off the adults, will be interesting to compare. Might have to do a side by side anecdotal comparison between Lugols and Interceptor dips.

http://www.qualitymarineusa.com/article.asp?page=feature&id=FA22AE9A-A335-4F27-A5C5-0913F83DCB60

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Almost seems like we need a coral QT tank treated with interceptor and keeping a nudi eating wrasse in it awaiting it's next subject, sheesh!

Maybe my mandarin will develop a taste for nudis...

 

[ronj]

no, mine looked totally different..hopefully it was just a slug or snail of some sort

 

[DonW]

They look identical to these and create the same effect. So Lugols is still the state of the art treatment?

The interceptor dip seems to have killed off the adults, will be interesting to compare. Might have to do a side by side anecdotal comparison between Lugols and Interceptor dips.

http://www.qualitymarineusa.com/article.asp?page=feature&id=FA22AE9A-A335-4F27-A5C5-0913F83DCB60

There really is no comparison they both do different jobs.

Don

 

[JRBear5658]

Is Lugol's like Interceptor for red bugs but for nudi's instead

JR

 

[DonW]

Is Lugol's like Interceptor for red bugs but for nudi's instead

JR

Lugols is just Iodine and can be had at any drugstore over the counter. Used for the nudies.
Interceptor is a regulated prescription drug. Used for red bugs.

Don

 

[ronj]

so, when i am ready to take my corals out of qt, could i dip them (Interceptor) and place them right into my display??? if so, could i also take the ones in my display and dip them as well, and put them right back in the display???

 

[DonW]

so, when i am ready to take my corals out of qt, could i dip them (Interceptor) and place them right into my display??? if so, could i also take the ones in my display and dip them as well, and put them right back in the display???

If you have bugs in the display then treat the display. I wouldnt pull them out to treat. I also wouldnt qt frags just dip N stick.

Don

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Don, think my iodine suppliment (don't use it, got some free) would do the same thing as lugols?

 

[ronj]

If you have bugs in the display then treat the display. I wouldnt pull them out to treat. I also wouldnt qt frags just dip N stick.

Don

i don't think i have any problems in the display, it is just precautionary..i only have a few frags, so it wolud be east to get them out..none are encrusted..they are on an eggcrate..you don't think it would help to dip them anyway???..also,the qt is more for parasites like ich, than it is for redbugs or nudi's..i can't take that chance with all the tangs that i have

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Ron, don't want to argue with those who profess to QT everything wet, but the primary concern on corals are hitchhikers such as flatworms, red bugs, and nudis. You will not be able to view any ich on a coral.

If there are bugs in your display, the entire tank needs to be treated. If not, just dip the new ones before putting them into the display as a precaution. If the bugs are already in the display, removing pieces to dip will just stress them and not cure any existing infestation.

 

[DonW]

Ron, don't want to argue with those who profess to QT everything wet, but the primary concern on corals are hitchhikers such as flatworms, red bugs, and nudis. You will not be able to view any ich on a coral.

If there are bugs in your display, the entire tank needs to be treated. If not, just dip the new ones before putting them into the display as a precaution. If the bugs are already in the display, removing pieces to dip will just stress them and not cure any existing infestation.

I agree and doubt that small loose frags are going to be carrying anything to be concerned with. If they had rock bases I would be concerned but would just trash the bases.

Don

 

[ronj]

ok, i will dip the new ones..i don't think there are any in the display..i just wanted to be sure..

 

[Anthony Calfo]

Almost seems like we need a coral QT tank treated with interceptor and keeping a nudi eating wrasse in it awaiting it's next subject, sheesh!

faithfully using a QT tank properly is THE only way to protect the thousands of living organisms in your tank from a long list of pests, predators and disease.

Admitting them without QT and treating chemicals latter at best only kills some of the bad guys and more of the good ones