Captive Aquatics: An Aquarium and Ecology Blog

A Montipora Eating Nudibranch Primer

 

Some of the most difficult pests to deal with in reef keeping are Montipora eating nudibranch.  Their tiny size beguiles the enormous headaches they'll cause if you end up in the unfortunate position of having them in your tank.  The most unfortunate thing about dealing with these nudibranch is that by the time you spot them it's already too late.  Gauging the extent of the infestation is very important, and these pictures should help to give an accurate idea of where your tank stands once you come across them as well as some telltale signs of their presence.  So how do you prevent and cure montipora eating nudibranch?  Read on.

"Saving" Fish: Don't Do it

Ever since I started in the hobby, I have been "saving" fish or invertebrates.  When I "saved" a fish, I would purchase a fish that was in poor health (clearly going to die at the store) and nurse it back to health at my home.  This may seem heroic, but it is not.  In reality the act of saving a fish hurts more than it helps.

 

5 tips for picking healthy fish

No one wants to buy a sick fish, but how can you tell for sure if the fish you want is healthy, and has a good chance of survival?  Here are five ways to help you choose a healthy animal that will stay healthy, the first time!

1)  Check for healthy fins that aren't torn or bitten, and make sure the body of the fish is smooth, with no missing scales, bite marks, or injury
2)  Look for obvious signs of disease, including white spots (ich or crypt, more on curing this annoying parasite soon to be posted!), gold 'dusting' (Oodinium, aka velvet disease), white or black "mold" indicative of a bacterial or fungal infection
3) Less obvious signs of disease, such as breathing hard and/or fast, 'flashing' (quick scratching against the rock or tank), general listlessness, fin clamping, or unusual behavior for the species you're observing
4) Make sure the fish you're interested in is eating!  If you're buying a known finicky fish online, ask the reseller if it is eating.  If you're buying it from an LFS, ask an employee to feed it. 
5)  Quarantine the new fish for at least two weeks!  Introducing diseases into your display tank is a nightmare no one wants!

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© Captive Aquatics / CA Blog

Tip: Surviving Brooklynellosis

(The author's Picasso breed A. percula in quarantine)

I recently ordered a pair of ORA's 'picasso' breed of percula clownfish (from a vendor who shall remain nameless) that arrived heavily infested with brooklynellosis.  After a week in the quaraintine tank and lots of medication, my clownfish managed to pulled through.  However, this led me to thinking "how often does the average hobbyist see this disease?  Will they be able to identify and treat it quickly enough to prevent mortality?  I should write a post about this!"  Because brooklynellosis can kill very fast, quick diagnosis and treatment is essential.   

What is brooklynellosis, you ask?