Ok, boys and girls....the lesson for today:
For those who haven't seen them, here are a couple of pics of the little b**tards. Hopefully you'll never see them because if you do consider yourself in trouble. I have them happily munching the rest of the Montiporas in a 20 gallon tank.
For those of you who don't know
Moderator: snoopdog
For those of you who don't know
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) refer to them as little b**tards. Ok, I realize this is one of those posts I'm quite sure no one really cares about 
But just in case one person ever finds these guys in their tank, maybe it'll help a little.
I figured since they were already in the seperate tank, instead of just removing corals and all to some bucket outside I would observe them (for a while, anyway). In the tank were 3 -3 inch purple Cap frags, 1 green/purple rim Cap, a small Confusa frag, the rest of the Danae (prob. a 4" peice or so) and my big colony of whirling purple Cap. (8")
I saw them first, not surprisingly, on the big purple cap. The finished it off in maybe a couple of weeks. On to the smaller caps, and as the Confusa was close to a Cap frag it was next. Now the interesting thing is: I have yet to see them on the Danae. There are a number of the little b**tards in the tank, plenty to get the Danae too. But it sits, all of it's little polyps out, not really happy to be in that tank with so much less lighting, a little algae on the bare part of the skeleton (it was damaged there from the first series of treatments.
I'm starting to come to the conclusion that the Nudibranchs definately don't prefer the Danae. I have to wonder if it's because the Capricornis' polyps are not so close together (making it easier for the Nudibranchs to access the tissue between them, or if it has to do with the thickness of the tissue itself, maybe it's just not as easy to access. Don't get me wrong, the little b**tards will certainly decimate this one too when all else is gone, I just thought it an interesting observation.
But just in case one person ever finds these guys in their tank, maybe it'll help a little. I figured since they were already in the seperate tank, instead of just removing corals and all to some bucket outside I would observe them (for a while, anyway). In the tank were 3 -3 inch purple Cap frags, 1 green/purple rim Cap, a small Confusa frag, the rest of the Danae (prob. a 4" peice or so) and my big colony of whirling purple Cap. (8")
I saw them first, not surprisingly, on the big purple cap. The finished it off in maybe a couple of weeks. On to the smaller caps, and as the Confusa was close to a Cap frag it was next. Now the interesting thing is: I have yet to see them on the Danae. There are a number of the little b**tards in the tank, plenty to get the Danae too. But it sits, all of it's little polyps out, not really happy to be in that tank with so much less lighting, a little algae on the bare part of the skeleton (it was damaged there from the first series of treatments.
I'm starting to come to the conclusion that the Nudibranchs definately don't prefer the Danae. I have to wonder if it's because the Capricornis' polyps are not so close together (making it easier for the Nudibranchs to access the tissue between them, or if it has to do with the thickness of the tissue itself, maybe it's just not as easy to access. Don't get me wrong, the little b**tards will certainly decimate this one too when all else is gone, I just thought it an interesting observation.
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Amphiprion
- Astrea snail
- Posts: 1472
- Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2005 10:41 pm
- Location: Mobile, AL
What all have you tried to get rid of them so far? I suppose there isn't terribly much you can do. We had one specimen in at work (actually a Porites spp.) The little specialized Dendronotid nudibranchs were practically impossible to get rid of completely without killing the coral itself.
Andrew
25g planted nature aquarium
25g planted nature aquarium
The ones I had in that tank were basically the last of the bunch. A few months ago I did a once a week dip for 5 weeks in Levamisole for 5 hours each. At the time the only real studies had been done by Mitch Carl, he was really helpful in explaining the process (which is the same treatment for Acorpora Flatworms). It was a tough treatment, a little hard on the corals. The ones I had that looked good I put in the 40 gallon. These did fine, the corals have recovered completely.
The remainder I put back into the 75. I have the feeling there were quite enough Montipora bits and pieces in it to feed any Nudibranchs remaining, as it wasn't too long before they were at it again. I decided not to put any of them into the 120, just didn't want to chance it. These were the ones I had in the 20. It's a shame really.
I concluded that if another tank is available after treatment, it's best to put them there for as long as possible. I'm not sure how long it would take to starve them out of the infected tank though.
Someone said the other day, that they knew someone who used Fluke Tabs for freshwater fish, with good results. I would have been willing to try it on them, but had just emptied the tank. I don't know what the dosage was for the dip.
I
The remainder I put back into the 75. I have the feeling there were quite enough Montipora bits and pieces in it to feed any Nudibranchs remaining, as it wasn't too long before they were at it again. I decided not to put any of them into the 120, just didn't want to chance it. These were the ones I had in the 20. It's a shame really.
I concluded that if another tank is available after treatment, it's best to put them there for as long as possible. I'm not sure how long it would take to starve them out of the infected tank though.
Someone said the other day, that they knew someone who used Fluke Tabs for freshwater fish, with good results. I would have been willing to try it on them, but had just emptied the tank. I don't know what the dosage was for the dip.
I
i had them as well in a 130. lost the battle. check this out: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthrea ... did=533167
might be promising treatment in the future!
lance
might be promising treatment in the future!
lance
Interesting. Thanks for the link! I know several people have had some luck with wrasses, etc. eating red bugs too. It might be interesting to see what comes of it.
I have to say, I'm not really sure I would want such a voracious eater in my tank though.
It might be trouble in the long run. I just hope I don't have to deal with it again. That's my goal.
I have to say, I'm not really sure I would want such a voracious eater in my tank though.
It might be trouble in the long run. I just hope I don't have to deal with it again. That's my goal.