Montipora Nudibranch
Many corals are now sold on the market as frags, or parts of coral that can be stimulated and grown to full size in reef aquarium tanks. However, with the popularity of frags and their common usage, they unfortunately carry coral eating pests that can invade your aquarium tanks.
Montipora Nudibranch A Predator
One of the main culprits is the nudibranch which mostly preys on montipora coral. They are sometimes hard to detect and can be seen when the tank lights are off for awhile. They can be 2 to 3 cm in height and attach themselves to montipora coral, which makes them hard to spot. Nudibranches tend to become almost a camouflage on the coral taking on the appearance of the montipora, or any other coral they might be preying on. Over time, if nudibranches are not removed from the tank successfully, they can discolor the corals and slowly eat all of the corals tissue.
Montipora Nudibranch Favorite Meal
Montipora, small polyp stony (SPS) coral are a favorite of the nudibranches. They also like Anacropora coral. Appearing almost transparent or pale to tan, they have branches on their backs. These pests multiply very quickly if not removed from the tank. Usually, reef aquarium owners will notice discoloration on their corals. This discoloration can be especially noticeable in the montipora capricornis, known as the vase corals, because its ridges are wide and easy to assess for discoloration. Though, unfortunately, some nudibranches are not caught until they appear at the top of the colonies after doing extensive damage to the base of corals.
Montipora Nudibranch Treatment
Fortunately, there are a few effective treatment options. Often, reef tank aquarium owners will remove the nudibranches from the montiporas and other corals with tweezers. But, there are natural predators and chemical options that also work.
Montipora Nudibranch Steps To Take
When the nudibranches are spotted, the tank owner may decide to introduce a natural predator to the tank to eat the nudibranches. Some of the natural predators that could be used are the butterflyfish (Chaetodon genus) and Thalassoma and Coris (wrasse of genus.) The most effective butterfly fish are the Red Sea Butterfly (Chaetodon semilarvatus) and the Thread Fin Butterfly (Chaetodon auriga.) Keep in mind these natural predators also eat worms and feather dusters that may live in the sand of your aquarium.
Montipora Nudibranch Chemical Warfare
Using a chemical treatment, like an iodine dip and concentrated Lugols, may also be effective in ridding nudibranches from your montipora coral. However, users of this method have found that while the mix may kill the nudibranches, it doesnt get rid of all the eggs. Basically, it will only kill the active nudibranches on the corals. Some reef aquarium owners took out the affected montipora and ancropora corals and treated them in a separate tank for several months with the iodine dip and then reintroduced them to the tank. To avoid a nudibranch outbreak, be careful about where you buy frags and be sure to properly quarantine your livestock before introducing them into the reef aquarium tank.
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