Checkitout
Active Member
Anyone using these to control their aiptasia. Do they work or not?
Aiptasia eating Berghia Nudibranch
- Thread starter Checkitout
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One of the R2R sponsors, Salty Underground , specializes in these and has some videos posted showing them at work. I have never used them, but what I have read seems to indicate they work. They only eat aiptasia, so once they take care of your problem, you need to pass them on to someone else or they will starve.
saltyg135er
Community Member
From my own experience in my 135g aiptasia infested tank, they worked like a charm. They worked so good that I breed over a hundred of them, and in 2 months all my aiptasia were gone. I put in 20 of them in there and prayed.
OP
OP
Checkitout
Active Member
Well the only thing I'm worried about is if they do work and they eat all off the aiptasia, will the turn to corals for food. I have alot of high dollar corals and do not want to hurt them.
CoralBandit
Well-Known Member
If you have a wrasse your going to throw a lot of money away. I used a copperband and he worked like a charm. The little nudis disappeared before they did anything for me but a lot of others have had success.
OP
OP
Checkitout
Active Member
Well my copperband does not seem to like the aiptasia, and no I don't have a wrasse. Why do you ask? Do they eat the nudibranch's?
Stray32
Valuable Member
These guys only eat Aiptasia, so once they clean your tank out, they will actually starve to death unless they are removed and placed in another tank withj Aiptasia.
OP
OP
Checkitout
Active Member
I have a 105. What do you mean done right.
OP
OP
Checkitout
Active Member
O ok thanks, I just dont want anything messing with my coral.
Stray32
Valuable Member
Same here...I think my Sixline took care of them.
Berghia are fairly delicate and always seem to find a way to die in a display system. Whether they get eaten by a fish, sucked into powerheads, etc. I have been breeding them for a couple years now and have never had a problem completely ridding a tank of aiptasia with them. One trick I have learned to minimize cost and death of the berghia is to buy several nudies, remove a few smaller pieces of rock with some aips, put the rock in a 5 gallon bucket with the berghia(no heat or filtration). Let them lay some egg sacks. Once you can raise one of the egg sacks place all of them into the display except for a few. That way if something happens to them you still have the option to raise another sack to replace them. If any one has questions shoot me a pm.
OP
OP
Checkitout
Active Member
I also heard joe's juice work's good as well. Any thought's about it
saltyunderground
New Member
HI guys. Thought I would answer a couple of the questions you are asking.
Copperbanded butterflys and aiptasia... If you get one to live more than a few weeks you are doing well. Only about half of them that live will touch the aiptasia. Half may also go for some of your corals, etc. All will clean your tank out of the small feather dusters and worms growing on your rocks.
There is a general rule that says if the creature might eat aiptasia it might also eat berghia. This includes butterflyfish and peppermint shrimp. It is not recommended to have both berghia and one of these together in a tank, especially a smaller tank.
Some wrasses, and really any nocturnal aggreessive carnivore, might also eat berghia. This includes some larger coris wrasses, arrow crabs, sally lightfoot crabs, etc. Berghia do not taste good to fish since they taste like aiptasia. But just the act of placing them in their mouth and spitting them out can injure the berghia.
Not all wrasses will bother with berghia. I have successfully had berghia in my own display tank with a Christmas wrasse, mystery wrasse and possum wrasses. The coris wrasses and some of the lined wrasses seem to be the most aggressive rock pickers.
Berghia life span in a display tank is about 6-8 months. They are typically about 2 months old when we ship them.
If you want to set up a tank just for the berghia and your aiptasia rock, you should keep the temp around 78 degrees, with just a little water movement. An airline hose with no stone is perfect. Mind the water quality just like you would your display tank. Keep the tank clean. The better the tank maintenance the more likely your berghia are to thrive.
We have plenty of customers who are successful with berghia. They are not the perfect solution for all tanks. But they are a great solution in the right tanks. I hope this info helps you identify if you need to make any changes before you buy berghia.
Please feel free to post more questions, PM or call us to talk more.
Copperbanded butterflys and aiptasia... If you get one to live more than a few weeks you are doing well. Only about half of them that live will touch the aiptasia. Half may also go for some of your corals, etc. All will clean your tank out of the small feather dusters and worms growing on your rocks.
There is a general rule that says if the creature might eat aiptasia it might also eat berghia. This includes butterflyfish and peppermint shrimp. It is not recommended to have both berghia and one of these together in a tank, especially a smaller tank.
Some wrasses, and really any nocturnal aggreessive carnivore, might also eat berghia. This includes some larger coris wrasses, arrow crabs, sally lightfoot crabs, etc. Berghia do not taste good to fish since they taste like aiptasia. But just the act of placing them in their mouth and spitting them out can injure the berghia.
Not all wrasses will bother with berghia. I have successfully had berghia in my own display tank with a Christmas wrasse, mystery wrasse and possum wrasses. The coris wrasses and some of the lined wrasses seem to be the most aggressive rock pickers.
Berghia life span in a display tank is about 6-8 months. They are typically about 2 months old when we ship them.
If you want to set up a tank just for the berghia and your aiptasia rock, you should keep the temp around 78 degrees, with just a little water movement. An airline hose with no stone is perfect. Mind the water quality just like you would your display tank. Keep the tank clean. The better the tank maintenance the more likely your berghia are to thrive.
We have plenty of customers who are successful with berghia. They are not the perfect solution for all tanks. But they are a great solution in the right tanks. I hope this info helps you identify if you need to make any changes before you buy berghia.
Please feel free to post more questions, PM or call us to talk more.
Wbrian
Active Member
Question, I have a yellow eyed kole tang and 2 clowns in a 65 mixed, a 20 gallon frag tank with a yellow tail damsel. Both tanks are loaded with aiptasia. Any idea how long it'll take 8 of these Berghias to make a dent? Thanks!
Brian
Brian
Branespikin
Valuable Member
I have a 65 gallon tank and i put 6 in there. Did some damage but few months later not much movement. I just purchased 30 some berghia and stuck them in my tank overkill but I wanted this aptasia gone. One week later 75% of aptasia is gone. Ill try and pull them out later if i see them and pass them along
