Will Nudibranchs spread aiptasia?

[djs4him]

I know Nudibranchs eat aiptasia. I also know aiptasia will release spores as soon as they feel distressed or threatened, which is why you can’t just physically remove them without them reproducing.

So a Nudibranch crawls up to an aiptasia and begins munching on it. Wouldn’t that distress the aiptasia and cause it to release spores?? I mean .. it’s being eaten alive. Pretty distressing I’d think lol.

I guess my main question is .. how do Nudibranchs eat aiptasia without allowing it to spread? Or DOES it spread and they just continually eat the spawn? Maybe I don’t understand how they do their magic.

 

[Jmp998]

I know Nudibranchs eat aiptasia. I also know aiptasia will release spores as soon as they feel distressed or threatened, which is why you can’t just physically remove them without them reproducing.

So a Nudibranch crawls up to an aiptasia and begins munching on it. Wouldn’t that distress the aiptasia and cause it to release spores?? I mean .. it’s being eaten alive. Pretty distressing I’d think lol.

I guess my main question is .. how do Nudibranchs eat aiptasia without allowing it to spread? Or DOES it spread and they just continually eat the spawn? Maybe I don’t understand how they do their magic.

The is a very interesting question. I don't believe the details are well understood, but the basic answer is that Berghia are able consume the Aiptasia without inducing the same survival/defensive mechanisms that a less nuanced attack would cause. If you significantly damage an Aiptasia by cutting etc, you see an immediate and dramatic response (retraction, deflation, etc). You don't see the same response when Berghia begin feeding on an Aiptasia (search youtube-there are multiple videos showing an Aiptasia that is half eaten with the other half still looking unperturbed). Also if you abruptly force/drop a Berghia into an Aiptasia's tentacles, the Aiptasia will sting and potentially eat the Berghia. However if the Berghia approaches the Aiptasia in a controlled fashion, the Berghia will happily eat the Aiptasia tentacles and all. There are probably both mechanical and chemical factors that Berghia have mastered to let them get away with this. Maybe there is more information on the details of the mechanism that I am not aware of.

Also I do not know if there is direct evidence that in aquaria release of 'spores' is the main means by which Aiptasia spread when manually disturbed vs. pedal fragments; the latter are very efficient at regenerating and relocating.

I do like the idea of a Berghia munching on an Aiptasia, then looking around for any crumbs, like when I dig around in an empty Doritos bag.

 

[The Ginga Ninja]

I know Nudibranchs eat aiptasia. I also know aiptasia will release spores as soon as they feel distressed or threatened, which is why you can’t just physically remove them without them reproducing.

So a Nudibranch crawls up to an aiptasia and begins munching on it. Wouldn’t that distress the aiptasia and cause it to release spores?? I mean .. it’s being eaten alive. Pretty distressing I’d think lol.

I guess my main question is .. how do Nudibranchs eat aiptasia without allowing it to spread? Or DOES it spread and they just continually eat the spawn? Maybe I don’t understand how they do their magic.

It's my understanding that Bhergias have evolved in a way where the aptasia is eaten without realizing it's being eaten. You shouldn't deal with spores of Aptasias. Tanks where Behrgias feed and breed always require new aptasias because the aptasias don't reproduce quickly enough on their own in those environments:

 

[Fredinva]

Aiptasia do not release spores.

 

[Stephen Glover]

Interesting question. If I were a Bhergia I would want them to spread. More food for me!

 

[Jmp998]

Interesting idea, but as far as I know there is no evidence that Berghia defend a territory, which would probably be an important prerequisite for any sort of ‘farming’ of Aiptasia to be productive. Instead they eat as much as they can before someone else finds it.

 

[Stomatopods17]

Aiptasia do not release spores.

I'm thinking this too.

I don't see much evidence of 'spores' from anemones. Anemones can clone via splitting, which is why physical removal can be bad if you're just ripping them apart and they seed somewhere else. The way they spawn might be similar but its unlikely their spawn survives filtration, especially UV, large pieces on the other hand yes.

Bhergia just chews them away until there's nothing left, they're not violent shredding them into the water column.