Hmmm... I think somethings eating my montis...

[Vincerama2]

I'm not sure, but it seems like some of my montis are being eaten or something, from the base to the tips. The "dead" areas seem a bit pinkish. Could it be those red bug things?

What can I do to get rid of them, if that seems to be the case?

Thanks!

V

 

[Mr. Ugly]

Could be monti nudibranchs

I don't think red bugs go for montis.

 

[Thales]

Could be monti eating nudis.

What kind of montis? Look for little white frilly things, sometimes tan, just after lights on or in the middle of the night. Frags or colonies? If frags pull them and look for nudis.

The treatment will not make you happy, so take a look before you go nutty.

Hope you don't have them.

 

[Mr. Ugly]

Here's a quickie link. Probably are better ones out there.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/general/general.cfm?general_pagesid=351

 

[Elite]

Can cap STN?? I have a red cap I brough from westly reef long time ago. Lately it starting to die. I can't find any nudis at all.

 

[Mr. Ugly]

I think that caps can do that sometimes. I have an orange cap and a tan cap that did that at differernt times. A bare patch shows up and spreads. On mine, the patches stopped spreading on their own, and the coral grew back over the bare spots. My orange is doing super well, and the bare spot is all grown back over now. Dudley was telling me that he's seen that happen as well.

If there are nudis, they're supposed to be hard to see due to hiding underneath caps and stuff.

 

[Elite]

I took my out and inspect it carefully but couldn't find it either. If I dip is in FW will it help?

 

[Vincerama2]

Seems like the local solution for both bugs and nudis is some kind of iodine dip? (Lugols in particular).

Most of my coral comes from trading and frag swaps. (The result of one trade is about a million flatworms).

Lesson learned? Quarantine and dip! Flatworm Exit and Lugols dips?

Could it be hermit crabs are nigbbling on my coral? Would they do that? I've not caught them in the act, but I did notice a nice colony of pink/yellow zoos I have is now significantly smaller.


V

 

[Vincerama2]

Hmm... I did a "flatworm vaccuming" a week ago, including a suspiciously red flatworm (maybe not a flatworm?) that was the only one that consistently sat in the "dead" part of the monti. The dying part seems to have halted. Not sure if it really has. Maybe it was this red flatworm thing? I mean, all my flatworms are red or brown, but this guy had just sat on the dead part of the coral. In fact, the coral is a little out of the way so I couldn't really see it well.

Maybe it was that thing, I'll see if, in the coming weeks, the monti continues to die.

V

 

[Mr. Ugly]

The flatworms can cover up your corals kill the tissue in spots, no?

 

[Vincerama2]

I've found that the flatworms generally DON'T cover my corals. Sometimes I'll find a few sitting on the "trunks" of softies, but in general they don't sit on sps or lps. Possibly the stingers on those corals' polyps keep the flatworms off.

"Flatworm Smothering" isn't a problem. Large flatworm populations are just annoying. Possibly dangerous in the case of a large die-off.


V

 

[jimsar]

Lost all my montis last year, including a bowl sized orange cap and the weed-like purple leftytata, I mean digitata. (original frag compliments of Lefty)

It's been about 8 months of monti-free tank. Hope whatever killed them has passed. I'll be on the prowl at the swap for nice caps. Brine 'em on!