Berghia nudibranch problem.

[1979fishgeek]

hi

I bought four Berghia and they arrived today, only tiny at 3mm in size. I am not sure if they are difficult travellers? No heat pack and they were not moving and looked like they might be falling apart while I was drip acclimating them.

I carefully used a pipette to move them onto rocks but they just fell off and as they are similar size to grains of sand and colour I can't see them now.

There are no fish in the tank, plenty of Aiptasia what are the chances they will survive?

Really wanted these guys to live so what did I do wrong? Gutted!

Ph 8
Salinity 1.025
KH/Alk 7.7/2.73
Calc 420
Ph 8
Magnesium 1200
Phosphate is 0
Nitrate 0.3
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Temp 26C

 

[Tahoe61]

I have never used them but it does not sound like you did nothing wrong, from your details it sounds like shipping stress.

They are typically very small and do disappear into the rock work. Other hobbyist have reported rarely seeing them. Your experience sounds typical per other hobbyist.

Try some Peppermint Shrimp if you can get them, do not feed them so they go after the Aiptasia more aggressively. I have had good and bad experiences with Peppermint, currently I have 5 and have not seen an Aiptasia in over 6 months.

 

[1979fishgeek]

Been struggling to find something reef safe to go with my Zoa, which I have a growing collection along with sps and lps. Will Peppermints be ok with them?
Aiptasia are a complete nightmare.

 

[Tahoe61]

My issue with Peppermint in the past was they ate my Maxi-Mini anemones, and they did bother my Duncan coral after feedings to the coral. They were true Peppermint shrimp(not Camel Shrimp) and they were feed daily.
I had a small problem with Aiptasia in my current tank and added 6 Peppermints, have not seen an Aiptasia since then, the Peppermint eat each day when the fish are feed.

 

[1979fishgeek]

I have a maxi mini anemone so that might be a issue.

Has anyone else received Berghia via Internet and had them travel without a heat pack or in styrofoam?

 

[mattvisocky2003]

Berghias are pretty temp sensitive IME. I don't buy the tiny ones. They should be constantly moving and I've seen them get blown all over the reef tank and immediately grab hold of rock when they touch.

 

[Sabellafella]

Wish i couldve seen a picture of them, they melt when they die

 

[Sabellafella]

They usually come in smaller and white because they starve and shrink

 

[Sabellafella]

The people who sell berghia dont give a proper acclimation guide for them, they need to be weened onto your tanks water for about a week with a chance to feed as much as you can supply them. There not much sensitive to temp, unless it is a severe drop or raise very quickly, they are sensitive to sg. Also you will not see them, only at night, and sometimes before the lights go out or comeon. 3mm is really really small. You could also damage them using a pipette, and for a 20$ risk, i would just put the container in the tank and let them walk out

Never got them in the summer, i assume hotter temps can harm them. But colder maybe wont, i keep a brood stock with some babys i hatched in Tupperware in my room with nothing in the container

 

[Robink]

I would contact the seller and see what kind of guarantee they have. They should have had an arrive alive clause. Always take pics. I don't know who you purchased from but I've gotten them from Reeftown before and had no problems. Good luck.
and Sabellafella is right. they come in clean water and you should just be able to temperature acclimate and then put container in tank and let them crawl out on their own.
And you should get the medium size ones like the ones in the photo previously posted.
those look healthy.

 

[1979fishgeek]

I have contacted seller hopefully he is going to be helpful. He just said they are nocturnal and he measured them at .5cm, maybe they strank in the 24hour transit? I always like to give benefit of the doubt, never bought them before and think that was just near £50 down the drain, I acclimated exactly as instructed, don't won't to buy anymore till I can work out where it when wrong.

The temp last night was about 13C without a heat pack they may have got chilled?

 

[Chris Adams]

Aiptasia eating file fish from ORA sold on LA

Wanted to try these myself but have a couple year old favia corals that I worry about.

Sorry missed your comment about lps... Guess thats out

 

[Sabellafella]

I have contacted seller hopefully he is going to be helpful. He just said they are nocturnal and he measured them at .5cm, maybe they strank in the 24hour transit? I always like to give benefit of the doubt, never bought them before and think that was just near £50 down the drain, I acclimated exactly as instructed, don't won't to buy anymore till I can work out where it when wrong.

The temp last night was about 13C without a heat pack they may have got chilled?

When you first got them, were they moving around?

 

[1979fishgeek]

There are some truly honest and lovely people in this world because the seller said he would refund me.

 

[1979fishgeek]

When you first got them, were they moving around?

No, they never did. but the water was very cool so thought could have been a factor and the sellers instructions said they might be like this.

 

[adestafi]

I have a maxi mini anemone so that might be a issue.

Has anyone else received Berghia via Internet and had them travel without a heat pack or in styrofoam?

They're pretty hardy. Check at dusk when your lights power down. You'll see them climbing the rocks or in the sand

 

[650-IS350]

I've bred them before using a small tank, I personally won't purchase berghia online unless they're 1/2" or bigger as they can easily cope with our stronger water currents. The biggest ones mine grew were about 1". I would put 50-100 various sized aiptasia, some where about 2" large or bigger fully inflated and several 1/2-1" berghs will easily eat that to the rock with no remaining pieces to regrow. I actually had a hard time breeding them ( due to providing ample food supply ). You can always turn off all the pumps and water movement for a couple mins to help them get acclimatized to your tank then can slowly ramp up water movement ( had MP10s). I only dripped acclimate mine for 30mins or so.

I had a couple hundred in my main tank, a dozen various sized took them all out within a few weeks. Must not have any fish or ornamental inverts that would feed on them. Heck even fireworms/good worms go after them, seen it in my breeder tank before, didn't know some bristle worms hithchicked into my tiny rocks. They tried eating the smaller nudis.

 

[nrhk]

Were they moving before you placed in the tank?? What was your acclimation process/time??

I placed them in my tank after 24 hours of drip acclimation, and they did vanish within few mins of placing in the tank. Within 4weeks all the aptisia is gone. The only way to get them out is, put some extra power heads and blow your tank, you will find them in your sock the next morning.

 

[1979fishgeek]

I drip acclimated them 0ver the morning, but sadly they never moved even then, the seller was really nice guy and gave a refund.

They are not easy to breed so I respect the price you have to pay for something so tiny, think I will try to buy them locally in future.