Can I kill aptasia with 3 1/2 inch nudi branches in a 20 gallon

[nano reef]

Hello fellow reefers! I just bought 9 1/4 inch nudi's and I am pretty sure they but one died! They were so small and impossible to suck into the pipette without breaking them! Not to mention they were hard core stuck to the walls of container (hopefully that means they were still alive just not moving) I put most of them in but doubt if I I will be succesful! There is a local person with only 3 1/2 ones so I am wondering if that would work in a 20 gallon. I used 4 1/2 inch before in my 36 and was successful. I ordered 5 but one died! I probably should give it sometime but I am sure he will sell out! What do you guys think?

 

[Peace River]

They often do their work in stealth mode so I expect that the original ones are still in the tank unless you have a predator that is picking them off. On the other hand, it would hurt to add a few more. You can always pass them along if they have wiped out the Aiptasia and you spot white ones on the glass that are searching for food. Good luck whatever you decide!

 

[Reefering1]

They are delicate creatures. I very gently tried to touch one and it just smeared across the container. I suggest to put the container in the tank, lights off, and let them crawl out on their own. They seem to form a line and leave together

 

[Sticker shock]

As mention above, if there aren’t any predators, they’ll breed and clear up your tank. If you just squirt them with the pipette until they release then you can just suck em up.

 

[Jmp998]

As mention above, if there aren’t any predators, they’ll breed and clear up your tank. If you just squirt them with the pipette until they release then you can just suck em up.

Correct-do not suck them off the sides of a container, blow them off.

Or just put the container in your tank behind your rock and they will crawl out once it is dark and they are hungry.

 

[Paullawr]

Maybe, keep nutrients low. Feed sparingly. Lower light intensity. Nems love food!

I've bought them in the past, some died just by trying to encourage them out of the bag. As someone said, very delicate. Quite the opposite to the ones that like to eat montis. Swear sledgehammers bounce off those!

Good luck!

 

[edd59]

if you put them in, their in. was the advice i got when i was looking to buy more. he was right, took a long time but they cleaned up an infested 120 and from 10 i had about 30-40.

 

[nano reef]

yes they are extremely delicate when so small! I just couldnt find anyone offering free shipping on 129 oreder plus they owed ma a 10 dollar credi! Now Just not sure what to do because this local person only has 3. I am sure he will sell out before I know if mine were a success. I remember last time waiting forever to know. The problem is I only have one live rock in the tank and all others are man made and painted purple with no crevices just holes I drilled that only go down long enough to hold frag plugs. I read you need to place them in the holes or crevices around baby aptasia. The only rock thats natural is very tiny. I keep checking daily to see if they ate the ones close to where I released them! I dont see a differenece and its been at least 5 days. I read they will die if they dont eat within one week. Not to mention. I think most of them were dead since they werent moving! One thing I know is next time I order these expensive little bugers I will cut the lights off as soon as its dark because waiting for them to cut off on their own is t omuch time for them to be in that little container!

 

[Sticker shock]

They aren’t as delicate as you think. As long as you have no predators they will get the job done. Give it at least 2 months before you start to really see any big difference in your tank. The first ones you add are there to spawn and start a growing population that’ll eventually wipe your tank clean.

 

[nano reef]

Well, the guy locally sold the last 3 I put 8 in a 20 gallon because they were so small. Originally the plan was 4 in the 20 gallon and 5 in the 36 gallon! Luckily they gave me back all my money! No one should sell 1/4 in my opinion! Just to small and delicate! After arrival and the condition they were in I choose to put them all in the 20 my plan was after they killed the aptasia and got big I was going to move some big ones to 36 gallon! Pretty sure they were all dead but the one that was moving!

I sure wish that Salty underground would wait and not sell untill they are 1/2 but they wont and I know better to try again and do both tanks after last time. I am going to reeftown that charges more but they are 1/2 inch and reverse the plan and get 4 or 5 for the 36 gallon and once they are big enough that I can see them and grab some I will move them to the 20. Sucks I couldnt do both at the same time like origanal plan. At least I got my money back though but spent so much extra there on corals and fish that were much pricier then my lfs!

The same thing happened last year! They came in on a bunch of frags I guess and I bought 5 and one died so I was succesful with 4 of the 1/2 just took along time!

 

[Jmp998]

I agree egg-laying adults are preferable to add to a display, absolutely. However 1/4" berghia are not that hard to handle, and given an environment free of predators and hazards have excellent survival to adulthood. If all you can source are smaller Berghia, just start out with twice as many to account for losses prior to reproduction. If you are worried about handling, just put the whole jar in your tank and let them crawl out once they get hungry.

If you do need to handle them, don't try to suck them off a surface. Blow underneath them with a pipette until they detach and then suck them up while they are floating. If you try to suck them up while they are well attached, you just stretch and tear their tissue.