Chem Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Hey guys, So like many I'm having trouble with Aiptasias, and am looking for a fix. I've read over possible solutions and I think I want to stay away from chemicals, because from what I've read it's fairly annoying if there are more that 10+, and often times they will come back. I know certain things eat them as well, like butterfly fish and peppermint shrimps, but they aren't a sure thing. I recently have been reading alot about Berghia Nudibranchs, and it sounds like the way to go, especially if you have a moderate infestation. What I find odd, is if these slugs are such a godsend from nature for these annoying aiptasia nems, why does no body sell them, or suggestion them as a possible solution? Most people I see suggest chemicals or peppermint shrimps, but the testimony from those who have used these slugs to control their aiptasias sounds amazing..and second to none. These guys seem to be the leader in information and sales about these. I'm just wondering what you all think, cause I've gotten a lot of really solid info here before. Thanks Link to comment
FishBrawler Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 People don't suggest them because they're expensive you need quite a lot of them to control your problem if you have more than 10 and you'll never find them. They'll starve once all the ataxia is gone if you can't get the out! Unique corals sells them Link to comment
patback Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Most places won't sell them because aiptasia is ALL they eat. They multiply while munching on aiptasia a for a while, devour all of them, then die when it's all gone. They are also toxic when the expire and that is not good for the tank when a few of them go all at once. Berghia will eat down to the rock and leave nothing left, while a peppermint will leave some behind to grow back. Link to comment
Chem Posted November 25, 2012 Author Share Posted November 25, 2012 People don't suggest them because they're expensive you need quite a lot of them to control your problem if you have more than 10 and you'll never find them. They'll starve once all the ataxia is gone if you can't get the out! Unique corals sells them I wouldn't say I have a problem with Aiptasias, yet. But I want to get it under control before there is one.. I guess I can try a couple peppermints, but I've read they might not touch your aiptasias. But I also wouldn't mind buying two or three Berghias and passing them on to a friend before they starve, I only have a 30gallon tank, but I can see atleast 10 nems, and know more will come. A lot of them are very small and would be hard to dose with chemicals Link to comment
FishBrawler Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Hurry! I have over 100 in my 55! I've tried everything! The copperbanded butterfly did the best job! But if you want something that will eat it for sure as a fish, aptasia eating file fish! Make sure you don't get any zoas in the tank though! Slow easy to catch fish! The fish store will usually buy them back too! Link to comment
Swip Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 I breed them. I've got a 50g tank just for breeding aiptasia and the berghias eat so much that i can only keep around 20 of them alive once they reach a certain size. Its probably just to much work for a store to have an extra system to grow aiptasia for the berghia to feed. In my opinion there is nothing better than berghias for aiptasia control. If there is no aiptasia left they will start to crawl around on the glass so you can just pick them up and give them to someone else. Link to comment
Caronte Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Wher are you located Chem? A friend who owns a LFS suggested me that if we got enough people he can get some of those to rented to the people around Link to comment
Chem Posted November 25, 2012 Author Share Posted November 25, 2012 I breed them. I've got a 50g tank just for breeding aiptasia and the berghias eat so much that i can only keep around 20 of them alive once they reach a certain size. Its probably just to much work for a store to have an extra system to grow aiptasia for the berghia to feed. In my opinion there is nothing better than berghias for aiptasia control. If there is no aiptasia left they will start to crawl around on the glass so you can just pick them up and give them to someone else. Thanks for the info, I can see why it would be a lot for a fish store to maintain, especially my lfs. Do you recommend buying adults or smaller ones? I've read they breed a lot, and have been known to reproduce in home displays. How many would you recommend for 10-15 aiptasias (and counting!) in a 29gallon Biocube, all various sizes and locations (Im sure 10+nems I can't even see) I don't mind spending the money, because I have a lot more invested in corals, and would do a lot to protect them..lol.. I would also be able to pass them along to someone with no problems, assuming they do their job:) and can recommend their work. Wher are you located Chem?A friend who owns a LFS suggested me that if we got enough people he can get some of those to rented to the people around Hey, I live in Southern Cal. Santa Barbara to be more specific. If you want to post or pm me more information about this, if it could work, I'd like to hear Link to comment
Belac Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 I have been reading on these lately too. I have tried shrimp and am to the point I give up on them. (I have had several in the past year.) They only seem to eat some of the aiptasias, and leave others compleatly alone. I built a zapper and that works, IF you can get the needle to them. Most of them seem to retreate into the rock work where I can't reach them. I have corals that the file fish would eat. I have tried injecting a few things into the aiptasias with the basic same problem as the zapper. (Besides the zapper gives me the pleasure of a fast painful death in the part of the aiptasia....) So I really want to look into getting hold of one of these Berghia. I was going to talk to several of the LFSs who all order from different whole sale sources. I am hopeing to find a few fairly cheap. Swip Do they really eat that much? I was thinking of trying to breed a few of them and selling them back to some of the LFS to recoop the inital cost of aquireing the Berghia. I have a small colony going right now in one pickel jar and I am going to try and start up another here tomorrow. If I can find the time to scrap them off some of the live rock I can remove from the rock work. I know a LFS that basicly grows aiptasia.... lots of nice coral but they have amies of aptasia in the sumps and over flows... I wonder if they would give me a massive colony to breed. Link to comment
Caronte Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Hey, I live in Southern Cal. Santa Barbara to be more specific. If you want to post or pm me more information about this, if it could work, I'd like to hear I think you're a little too far. My friend lives in Manteca and he serves the central valley, something between Stockton to Modesto. Unless you're willing to drive that far Link to comment
Arkayology Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 There is a store in Ventura called Extreme Marine that had one or two Berghia Nudibranches in stock as of Saturday. Maybe give them a call and see if they still have them? Link to comment
Chem Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 There is a store in Ventura called Extreme Marine that had one or two Berghia Nudibranches in stock as of Saturday. Maybe give them a call and see if they still have them? Thanks for the tip, might just look into that. I talked to my LFS today and they might be able to get some aswell. Link to comment
basser1 Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Just for the record..... I have used saltyunderground in the past and they are great folks to deal with. And Chem, like you, I wanted to use berghia and they completely got rid of every last aiptasia! Nothin' like watchin' those things shrink while the bergies are munchin' away on them! BTW, I only needed 3 for my BC29. As far as toxicity when they die off, I've never had a problem with it. Of coarse stayin' on top of water changes helps a lot too! Link to comment
xerophyte_nyc Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Salty Underground is great. They send healthy specimens. If you indeed only have "10" aiptasia, one nudibranch is plenty but as babies they start with small aiptasia and only devour large ones as they get bigger. The berghia hang out in groups and you will see several eating the same aiptasia, like teamwork. The hard part is getting them to survive the first few weeks when they are most vulnerable. They come out a few hours after the lights are off, but are not always easy to find. I had a crazy aiptasia problem this summer, they exploded in numbers after I tried Aiptasia-X. There were easily hundreds. I got a dozen Berghia and slowly but surely the aiptasia were disappearing. Then hurricane Sandy took care of the problem, no power for 2 weeks killed everything - except the Berghia which were still out and about in 50F dirty water. They are tough to say the least. I picked out about 10 nice sized nudibranches and gave them to a LFS. Them, and a few bristle worms, were the only survivors other than some coral that I removed in time and are still housed at a pet store until my new tank is ready. Bottom line: Berghia will absolutely work, but be patient. When they run out of aiptasia you will probably spot them easily as they will be looking for food. At that point, pick them out (very gently, they are quite delicate) and hopefully find them a new home. Link to comment
lakshwadeep Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 I've also used Salty Underground, but in my case the aiptasia were just too numerous, and so the nudibranchs died out before they got all the anemones. There was no toxicity issue; IMO, that's probably conflating these nudibranchs with some truly toxic hitchhiker species (e.g. Dorid nudibranchs). Link to comment
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