So Monti Nudis eat Porites too

Reeferhead · 12/27/2010, 11:31 AM

So two years ago I saw the first MEN in my tank. They quickly killed about half my Montipora stock. I was able to save the rest with the typical treatment of dips, wrasses, and the good old turkey baster. I figured I had them under control and after about two years of not ever seeing another I naively thought I had them licked. I’m currently moving corals into a new bigger tank and a few weeks ago transferred all my montis and wrasses. However, I have yet to transfer a five year old, softball size colony of blue branching porites. Last night I came home after the holiday to find a 2” bare spot on the porites colony and a fat and happy MEN sitting right smack dab in the middle.

I was shocked. Everything I’ve read in the past cited than MENs as most nudibranches are species or at least genera specific to their diets. After sucking out the nudi I saw and vigorously blowing off the rest of the coral I went to search RC to see if anyone else has witnessed this. I didn’t find much, which is why I’m posting.

My assumption is that while kept in check by the wrasses, I never did rid the tank of MENs. Once the wrasses were out of the tank the nudis were once again allowed free reign. However, since I also removed the all montipora at about the same time the MENs had to search out new but less favorable fare and settled on the similar porites.

I currently plan to just pitch the montis, as they’re all fairly common, and let the new tank go fallow of Montis and Porites for several months. I’m still undecided on what to do with the porites colony. I’ve given frags away in the past so I’m sure I can get one back but it took so long to grow that I would like to try and save it. I plan on setting up a QT tank anyway with the new tank so perhaps I can treat it and a smaller green porites while the lil’ bastage MENs starve in the new tank.

preef · 12/27/2010, 03:37 PM

Are you sure the Porites are really Porites and not a Monti? They can look very similar and are often confused with each other. Perhaps they taste similar too?

Reeferhead · 12/27/2010, 04:00 PM

Looks like porites to me and everyone who has ever seen it. If its a monti its news to me

12/27/2010, 11:31 AM	#1
Reeferhead Recovering Reef Addict Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii Posts: 4,856	So Monti Nudis eat Porites too So two years ago I saw the first MEN in my tank. They quickly killed about half my Montipora stock. I was able to save the rest with the typical treatment of dips, wrasses, and the good old turkey baster. I figured I had them under control and after about two years of not ever seeing another I naively thought I had them licked. I’m currently moving corals into a new bigger tank and a few weeks ago transferred all my montis and wrasses. However, I have yet to transfer a five year old, softball size colony of blue branching porites. Last night I came home after the holiday to find a 2” bare spot on the porites colony and a fat and happy MEN sitting right smack dab in the middle. I was shocked. Everything I’ve read in the past cited than MENs as most nudibranches are species or at least genera specific to their diets. After sucking out the nudi I saw and vigorously blowing off the rest of the coral I went to search RC to see if anyone else has witnessed this. I didn’t find much, which is why I’m posting. My assumption is that while kept in check by the wrasses, I never did rid the tank of MENs. Once the wrasses were out of the tank the nudis were once again allowed free reign. However, since I also removed the all montipora at about the same time the MENs had to search out new but less favorable fare and settled on the similar porites. I currently plan to just pitch the montis, as they’re all fairly common, and let the new tank go fallow of Montis and Porites for several months. I’m still undecided on what to do with the porites colony. I’ve given frags away in the past so I’m sure I can get one back but it took so long to grow that I would like to try and save it. I plan on setting up a QT tank anyway with the new tank so perhaps I can treat it and a smaller green porites while the lil’ bastage MENs starve in the new tank. __________________ Nick St. Louis Area Saltwater Hobbyists' (SLASH) Coral Donor Program (CDP) Because, "Friends don't let friends pay $50 a polyp!" Over 200 different corals and counting... Current Tank Info: 352 Quintillion Gallon

12/27/2010, 03:37 PM	#2
preef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Algonquin, IL Posts: 809	Are you sure the Porites are really Porites and not a Monti? They can look very similar and are often confused with each other. Perhaps they taste similar too? __________________ 72 gal bowfront mixed reef. Tank born 10/14/2007

12/27/2010, 04:00 PM	#3
Reeferhead Recovering Reef Addict Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii Posts: 4,856	Looks like porites to me and everyone who has ever seen it. If its a monti its news to me __________________ Nick St. Louis Area Saltwater Hobbyists' (SLASH) Coral Donor Program (CDP) Because, "Friends don't let friends pay $50 a polyp!" Over 200 different corals and counting... Current Tank Info: 352 Quintillion Gallon

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
monti eating nudis eat acros?	rsantangelo3@co	Reef Discussion	6	09/29/2009 05:53 PM
WTB: Digitata Montis or Digi Porites	SuperNerd	Southern California Reefers	0	02/29/2008 06:37 PM
Help with nudi eating monti	reef1977	Reef Discussion	1	04/24/2007 09:25 PM
Melanarus for Monti Nudis?	ostrow	SPS Keepers	8	03/13/2007 06:56 PM
nudis eating monti	lowbudget	Southern California Reefers	5	03/12/2007 10:33 AM