Its been pretty well documented that Berghia do in fact work against Aiptasia. Of course you need to get a good amount to start with to make sure they reproduce and the population increases. And you also need to get ones on the larger side in order to be at the reproductive age. Despite knowing all these facts there's still some apprehension about dropping $100 plus bucks on a critter that you may or may not see ever again. However when you assess what a true apitasia outbreak could cost you in terms of coral loss, the cost/benefit becomes more apparent.
But what happens when you have a tank full of pest predators i.e. a "school" of wrasses? I have a Reefer 525XL with the following wrasse species: yellow coris, neon, melanurus, checkerboard, sea grass, and a christmas. All of these guys are constantly on the hunt picking at the rockwork and sand. So to say I was apprehensive about purchasing berghia would be an understatement. When all other methods failed I decided the beghia were my last resort. I purchased 2 x .25 inch and 5 .5 inch berghia from saltyunderground. They arrived in the morning and I acclimated them for a good portion of the day. About an hour before release I turned off all the lights and got the room nice and dark. I also made sure all the wrasses were burried or in the rock work. I got the berghia into a glass baby food jar and tipped the jar so the opening was directly up on a rock. The next morning only one was still in the jar, so I sucked him out and got him on a rock.
First 3 weeks.... Nothing. Then at about week 4 I noticed a small patch in the front rock work close to where they were released was totally gone. For the next 4 weeks no real change in the aiptasia population. I would check out the tank at 2-3AM.... nothing. About 2 months in I finally saw one at night. Must have been over an inch long so I know at least one was getting food. The next night I saw two more and the aiptasia is definitely starting to take a hit now. At this point I'm about 2.5 months in and looking like this battle will be won.
So for those questioning if berghia will work in a tank full of wrasses, it would appear as though I've got some positive results so far. I would recommend anyone on the fence should probably take the plunge if all other avenues for aiptasia removal have failed.
But what happens when you have a tank full of pest predators i.e. a "school" of wrasses? I have a Reefer 525XL with the following wrasse species: yellow coris, neon, melanurus, checkerboard, sea grass, and a christmas. All of these guys are constantly on the hunt picking at the rockwork and sand. So to say I was apprehensive about purchasing berghia would be an understatement. When all other methods failed I decided the beghia were my last resort. I purchased 2 x .25 inch and 5 .5 inch berghia from saltyunderground. They arrived in the morning and I acclimated them for a good portion of the day. About an hour before release I turned off all the lights and got the room nice and dark. I also made sure all the wrasses were burried or in the rock work. I got the berghia into a glass baby food jar and tipped the jar so the opening was directly up on a rock. The next morning only one was still in the jar, so I sucked him out and got him on a rock.
First 3 weeks.... Nothing. Then at about week 4 I noticed a small patch in the front rock work close to where they were released was totally gone. For the next 4 weeks no real change in the aiptasia population. I would check out the tank at 2-3AM.... nothing. About 2 months in I finally saw one at night. Must have been over an inch long so I know at least one was getting food. The next night I saw two more and the aiptasia is definitely starting to take a hit now. At this point I'm about 2.5 months in and looking like this battle will be won.
So for those questioning if berghia will work in a tank full of wrasses, it would appear as though I've got some positive results so far. I would recommend anyone on the fence should probably take the plunge if all other avenues for aiptasia removal have failed.
Last edited:
