So I am interested in knowing if this fish would cause some tension in a 34g tank with 3 other fish. Here is some great info from Live Aquaria about this pest:
Coral-eating Nudibranch
<u>Identification</u>
Several species of nudibranch which feed upon Soft Corals like Sarcophyton sp. Leather corals, Xenia sp., Zoanthus sp., and Palythoa sp. polyps have made their way into the industry over the years. Most of the soft coral-eating nudibranchs can reach a size of 2 cm when full grown, and are best seen after the lights have been off on the aquarium for several hours. They often mimic the appearance of the coral they are preying upon, making them difficult to spot. Soft coral-eating nudibranchs will slowly consume these corals causing bare spots or discoloration on some or all of the corals tissue.
A more recent nudibranch pest that affects SPS coral aquariums has recently become prevalent, and prefers to consume corals of the genus Montipora and Anacropora. These nudibranch are very small, attaining a maximum size of only up to half of a centimeter, are pale white to tan in color, and have many branch-like appendages along their back. They are very damaging pests in a reef aquarium that can multiply and consume corals in a very short period of time.
<u>Symptoms & Signs</u>
Corals that become infected with these pests will begin to show white spots where the nudibranchs have eaten away the tissue of the coral. The most vulnerable seem to be Montipora capricornis, also known as vase corals, as well as Montipora digitata, the branching form. Many times the nudibranch will begin feeding on the underside of the coral, and it will not become apparent to the hobbyist that the coral is being damaged until it can be seen in plain view on the top of the colony.
<u>Treatment</u>
Controlling outbreaks of these pests is difficult, and several different techniques are being experimented with. Removal of these pests is often performed manually with tweezers.
Natural predators of the nudibranch are butterflyfish of the Chaetodon genus, wrasse of the genus Thalassoma and Coris. Two species of Butterflyfish fish in particular that have been noted as being efficient predators are: Chaetodon semilarvatus, the Red Sea Butterfly and Chaetodon auriga, the Thread Fin Butterfly. Be advised that these fish will also consume worms, such as feather dusters and those that inhabit live sand beds in the reef aquarium.
Chemical techniques have been also used, yielding varying results. Iodine dips using a concentrated Lugol's and aquarium water mixture will kill the nudibranch, but seems to have a limited success rate on the eggs. Another chemical called Levamisol has been used with a good deal of success. However, the development of this treatment along with specific dosages and treatment lengths, are in preliminary stages, and this medication is only available with a prescription from a licensed veterinarian.
The problem that exists with chemical dips is that it will only kill the nudibranchs that are on the colony and the rock that the coral is attached to when treated. This nudibranch has been found to lay eggs within the rockwork of the aquarium, as well as on other coral colonies. Therefore, just treating the colony and its associated rock will not solve the problem. One answer to this is to remove all colonies of Montipora and Anacropora to a separate containment system for a few months, and to repeatedly treat the corals and their associated rock with an iodine dip. This will ensure that the nudibranch within the display aquarium are eradicated due to starvation. Also, you will be able to monitor the health of the infected colonies with greater ease in the smaller system.
You are a man with some experience in this department and one that has the exact same tank!
