montipora eating nudibranch

Eric B 125 · 03/28/2011, 08:49 PM

if there is a montipora eating nudibranch in the system, will they eventually die off after the system has been monti-less for a time? the reason i ask is that i've been struggling with my monti cap and now my monti digi. the cap has white spots where there used to be flesh. nearly every level of its growth has receding tissue. none of my acro's have any problems. i havent added anything new for a while now. i did have some pH swings from 7.8 to 8.4 over the last two weeks (because my alk was low) which i have resolved, and also some temp swings from 74-79, which i remedied with a new heater. these monti's were fine until i broke my tank down and changed the lights. i feel like all of this could have contributed to the monti problem, but i dont understand why only the montipora's are affected and none of my other corals (sps, lps, softies) clams, inverts, or fish seem worse for the wear.

now, if you guys dont think its a nudibranch thing (i havent seen any, but i'm just trying to cover all bases) would you advise me to break off an un-affected part of this monti cap and try to re-grow it?

Neogenocide · 03/28/2011, 09:54 PM

A nudibranch won't usually just eat spots out of your coral. You will see them eat their way across a coral, methodically until there is nothing left. That is how they typically consume coral.

needmore-reef · 03/28/2011, 11:40 PM

have you read the pest sticky in the SPS forum? The nudis should be large enough to see. good luck.

eja99 · 03/29/2011, 01:02 AM

Can you post pictures? ALK swings make my montis very unhappy which would be the lesser of 2 evils.

Eric B 125 · 03/29/2011, 04:19 AM

how do i upload a picture from my computer? or do i have to go through photobucket?

i will check that sticky out in the meantime.

Eric B 125 · 03/29/2011, 12:30 PM

bump

windowlicker916 · 03/29/2011, 01:09 PM

You can share pictures by using the image sharing service imgur.com

Once the picture is uploaded there should be a link on the left you can copy and paste in your post to share the picture in a forum.

This is the easiest reliable way i have found and the imgur.com service is great and free.

Eric B 125 · 03/29/2011, 03:21 PM

Broncos · 03/29/2011, 08:35 PM

I thought this was going to be about your monti consuming nudibranchs... Now that would be something!

Sorry, couldn't help myself...It's like the freakshow my cousin went to as a kid-it said "300 lb fire-breathing, man-eating, chicken" with a picture of a huge dragon like chicken eating people. He paid a buck to see a fat dude eating chicken and igniting spit-vodka like Gene Simmons. Funny.

Eric B 125 · 03/30/2011, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Broncos

I thought this was going to be about your monti consuming nudibranchs... Now that would be something!

imagine what i could charge for frags!

i've still been having problems with my chemistry here...
pH: 7.8 (a.m.) - 8.4 (p.m.)
ca: 440-460
dkh: 8

ammonia, trite, and trate are all undetectable.

do you think that the problems i'm having with the monti's are secondary to pH swings? i'd really like to hear the suggestions of more experienced aquarist on this. i've been dosing alk over the last two mornings. i'm guessing i ought to get it up to 10, eh?

sirreal63 · 03/31/2011, 07:29 AM

What is your Magnesium reading?

eja99 · 04/05/2011, 03:43 PM

From the picture, I would say that is nudi damage. Can you break off a dead piece and take a closer look or post a close up picture?

fishguy597 · 04/05/2011, 03:59 PM

I'm going through the same thing you are. Last thursday night i found them crawling on my monti. I dipped it in corol rx and waiting to see what happens. Next time I dip I'mgoing to wait until the lights are off for a while. A little trick I found is just have the actinis on and the eggs glow green cant miss them(I just have 100 watts total for actinics). Good luck.

03/28/2011, 08:49 PM	#1
Eric B 125 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 30	montipora eating nudibranch if there is a montipora eating nudibranch in the system, will they eventually die off after the system has been monti-less for a time? the reason i ask is that i've been struggling with my monti cap and now my monti digi. the cap has white spots where there used to be flesh. nearly every level of its growth has receding tissue. none of my acro's have any problems. i havent added anything new for a while now. i did have some pH swings from 7.8 to 8.4 over the last two weeks (because my alk was low) which i have resolved, and also some temp swings from 74-79, which i remedied with a new heater. these monti's were fine until i broke my tank down and changed the lights. i feel like all of this could have contributed to the monti problem, but i dont understand why only the montipora's are affected and none of my other corals (sps, lps, softies) clams, inverts, or fish seem worse for the wear. now, if you guys dont think its a nudibranch thing (i havent seen any, but i'm just trying to cover all bases) would you advise me to break off an un-affected part of this monti cap and try to re-grow it?

03/31/2011, 07:29 AM	#11
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	What is your Magnesium reading? __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

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03/28/2011, 09:54 PM	#2
Neogenocide Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Findlay, OH Posts: 851	A nudibranch won't usually just eat spots out of your coral. You will see them eat their way across a coral, methodically until there is nothing left. That is how they typically consume coral.

03/28/2011, 11:40 PM	#3
needmore-reef Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 425	have you read the pest sticky in the SPS forum? The nudis should be large enough to see. good luck.

03/29/2011, 01:02 AM	#4
eja99 HI Monk Seal Poipu Kauai Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Northern CA Posts: 224	Can you post pictures? ALK swings make my montis very unhappy which would be the lesser of 2 evils.

03/29/2011, 04:19 AM	#5
Eric B 125 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 30	how do i upload a picture from my computer? or do i have to go through photobucket? i will check that sticky out in the meantime.

03/29/2011, 12:30 PM	#6
Eric B 125 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 30	bump

03/29/2011, 01:09 PM	#7
windowlicker916 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Citrus Heights, Ca Posts: 938	You can share pictures by using the image sharing service imgur.com Once the picture is uploaded there should be a link on the left you can copy and paste in your post to share the picture in a forum. This is the easiest reliable way i have found and the imgur.com service is great and free.

03/29/2011, 03:21 PM	#8
Eric B 125 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 30

03/29/2011, 08:35 PM	#9
Broncos Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Iowa City, IA Posts: 77	I thought this was going to be about your monti consuming nudibranchs... Now that would be something! Sorry, couldn't help myself...It's like the freakshow my cousin went to as a kid-it said "300 lb fire-breathing, man-eating, chicken" with a picture of a huge dragon like chicken eating people. He paid a buck to see a fat dude eating chicken and igniting spit-vodka like Gene Simmons. Funny.

04/05/2011, 03:43 PM	#12
eja99 HI Monk Seal Poipu Kauai Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Northern CA Posts: 224	From the picture, I would say that is nudi damage. Can you break off a dead piece and take a closer look or post a close up picture?

04/05/2011, 03:59 PM	#13
fishguy597 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Minooka Il Posts: 912	I'm going through the same thing you are. Last thursday night i found them crawling on my monti. I dipped it in corol rx and waiting to see what happens. Next time I dip I'mgoing to wait until the lights are off for a while. A little trick I found is just have the actinis on and the eggs glow green cant miss them(I just have 100 watts total for actinics). Good luck.