So, yesterday before i turned my light off for the night i noticed my montipora had some white stuff growing on the bottom. Looked kind of like a spider scorpion. Did more research and identified it as a montipora eating nuibranch. Coral has been looking a little weak lately and I know because it was one of my more beautiful corals. Still a somewhat small frag so I didnt think a full quarantine and dipping every 3 days or so would be worth it. So I pulled it and tossed it in a hurry to do my best from them damaging anything else. All my other corals look happy (other than my kenya tree who had been knocked over by a snail) but should I be worried about my remaining corals? Are the fish okay? Sorry the images aren't super clear but camera doesn't do well with the lighting.
I need help!
- Thread starter Ghoff2323
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I surrendered to monti eating nudi's a few years ago and removed all monti's from that particular tank. Nothing else is in danger, they only eat the flesh of the various montipora species. The only method I've ever found to totally eliminate them is to remove their food source (monti's) for an extended period of time. They won't bother anything else at all and might even get picked off as food by a fish.
Opinions vary on the length of time you need to kill them all off and I don't have a good feel for how long it took since I didn't add any monti species for an entire year.
Edit: I should not that there are several methods for getting rid of them that don't involve removing all monti species but it involves QT, lots of dipping and a tremendous amount of diligence and patience. I lacked all of these traits when I was dealing with them so the "fallow" method was what I went with.
Opinions vary on the length of time you need to kill them all off and I don't have a good feel for how long it took since I didn't add any monti species for an entire year.
Edit: I should not that there are several methods for getting rid of them that don't involve removing all monti species but it involves QT, lots of dipping and a tremendous amount of diligence and patience. I lacked all of these traits when I was dealing with them so the "fallow" method was what I went with.
Thanks for the advice. I too didn't feel it was worth it to go through all of that with such a small frag. Hopefully they'll be gone and I'll make sure to keep the montipora out of the tank for a while
You can add a wrasse to your system, it will surely clear out any nudis and other pests.
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Perfect thank you! I'll look at getting one this weekend
Wrasses are a hit or miss on pest. Just go fallow on monti’s .
Fallow?
Fallow is an old farming term that means leaving a field unplanted or "at rest." The term has taken on a few different meaning but basically it means leaving monti's out of the tank and letting them die off. It's a guaranteed way to get rid of them.
My wrasse is a pest killing machine and a great insurance policy. He saved me from monti nudis and zoa nudis at the same time, don't be so quick to discount their effectiveness, not all wrasses are the same, research one that will fit your tank and needs.
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To build on this topic, I'll never have a tank without a wrasse in it for this very reason. Things happen and a wrasse can be a pest killing machine. I've had the best luck with 6 lines but they come with their own many, many issues. However, in a frag tank where other fish aren't much of a consideration, you'll always see a 6 line cruising for snacks. I look at it this way, when I see a person's tank and think "I want what they have," there's almost always a wrasse of some sort in play. They pretty, active and can do a real number on any potential pests if you research and get the right one. There are always outliers but wrasses have been doing work in the marine hobby for a long, long time.
Only way to be certain is to remove their food source and let them die off.
Assuming the wrasse does eat the nudi’s, this is only going to control the population.
If you want them eliminated, go fallow on monti’s. Only true guarantee to remove them.
Assuming the wrasse does eat the nudi’s, this is only going to control the population.
If you want them eliminated, go fallow on monti’s. Only true guarantee to remove them.
Not discounting wrasses, I love them and have 4 myself. However in past tank, i had 2 leopards, potters, blue star, melanurus, yellow coris, and 6 lime... they didn’t touch flatworms or nudi’s.
Again, hit or miss. I’m just giving the correct way to eliminate nudi’s for sure.
Thanks guys! I do believe I'm going to go with both options here. I think we've got room for one more fish and the wrasse should be added last. So I'm going to get a wrasse and keep all montis from the tank! Thank you for all the help
I support wrasses 100%, but as a backup. MENs suuuuuck (that’s the professional term, lol).
Definitely let your tank fallow without any montis for a long time. I’ve heard 6 months is enough for some people; but I also hear that 9 months is not enough from others. Given how bad MENs are; I’d wait 10-12 months if you’re able. Montiporas include any Monti Caps, Digitata, setosa, scrolling monti, encrusting monti... it’s unfortunate that it’s such a large group of cheap, easy, and beautiful corals to avoid.
As for removal; I’ve tried the potassium permanganate. However, I wouldn’t recommend going through all that effort unless it’s a big colony of a high-end monti. I did it as an experiment. Also; it will discolor your monti completely brown as well; if you’re able to keep them alive.
My best method is dipping every other day with a strong coral dip; including blasting with a pipette (or turkey baster). Coral dip won’t kill them, but it will weaken them. Also, learn to identify their eggs, and remove all of their eggs too every time. After a few weeks of dipping, plus having a wrasse to help with clean-up,... you’ll be paranoid, but your tank and remaining monti’s might pull through without any additional work.
Definitely let your tank fallow without any montis for a long time. I’ve heard 6 months is enough for some people; but I also hear that 9 months is not enough from others. Given how bad MENs are; I’d wait 10-12 months if you’re able. Montiporas include any Monti Caps, Digitata, setosa, scrolling monti, encrusting monti... it’s unfortunate that it’s such a large group of cheap, easy, and beautiful corals to avoid.
As for removal; I’ve tried the potassium permanganate. However, I wouldn’t recommend going through all that effort unless it’s a big colony of a high-end monti. I did it as an experiment. Also; it will discolor your monti completely brown as well; if you’re able to keep them alive.
My best method is dipping every other day with a strong coral dip; including blasting with a pipette (or turkey baster). Coral dip won’t kill them, but it will weaken them. Also, learn to identify their eggs, and remove all of their eggs too every time. After a few weeks of dipping, plus having a wrasse to help with clean-up,... you’ll be paranoid, but your tank and remaining monti’s might pull through without any additional work.
Perfect thank you! I think I may only have one other frag of monti species in the tank. I'll dip it and get the wrasse and keep them away from the tank and see how it goes. Thanks for the help!
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You missed the 1 wrasse that is 100% a monti nudi killing machine and that's the mystery wrasse. The others are all hit or miss.
May be a little large for my tank? I have a 30 gallon. 32 if it's fullYou missed the 1 wrasse that is 100% a monti nudi killing machine and that's the mystery wrasse. The others are all hit or miss.
