Berghia Nudibranch Experiences

[guylaga]

Hello Everyone

Seeking peoples experiences with Berghia when they have Wrasse + Pep Shrimp already in the tank.

I had a pretty bad infestation of Aptasia, went nuclear with Kalk and killed all of the big ones that I could reach but there are tons of little ones in the crevasses of the rock and also several that I cannot reach.

The 5 Peppermint Shrimp I have are very content hanging upside down in the rock work and do not seem to be making a difference.

Obviously the only real solution is to get some Berghia. However I am concerned that they will turn into an expensive snack for my Redline Wrasse and Cherub that pick at the rocks all day. Any that escape my fish I'm worried the peppermints will just get at night when the lights go out.

So if you have or had a similar situation please share your experiences.

 

[JayLu]

Mine quickly became a “very“ expensive snack. in my experience, a lot of things love to eat them. I guess they are just too delicious!

 

[jradishness]

I put a few in the sump, and after about a month, I have them all throughout the tank. Every time I do a water change, they’re all through the water column afterwards.

 

[guylaga]

I put a few in the sump, and after about a month, I have them all throughout the tank. Every time I do a water change, they’re all through the water column afterwards.

Interesting....

Are you saying that they dont get chopped up in the return pump?

Do you have them before or after skimmer / media reactor pumps?

I suppose I could have them in the sump and place a rock in there for them to eat off of and get established.

 

[jradishness]

Yeah, they seem to make it through the return pump fine. My fuge is after my protein skimmer. I already had a rock down there with some chaeto and a thriving mass of dragon’s breath. I wanted to move some dragon’s breath to the Fowlr, but found it full of aptasia. Put a handful of berghias down there, and now I can’t find aptasia anywhere in the tank.

What nudibranchs eat bubble algae?!?! Lol

 

[SPS2020]

Mine were an expensive snack as well...Aiptasia stayed, Berghia no where to be found. No idea what got them. FWIW, I got mine from Salty Underground.

 

[guylaga]

Alright sounds like having them in the sump might be the best strategy.

I'm going to have to re-arrange things however since my sump is only a 29g split down the middle.
My fuge is 1st stage, and then my skimmer + reactor pump + return are in the 2nd compartment

Maybe move the skimmer in with the fuge temporarily and put one of my rocks in the sump to get them started.

I'm lucky that an LFS gets them semi-regularly albeit marked up from online vendors.

 

[smca3]

We got 3 medium Berghia in Feb. for our 100 gallon tank. We didn’t see them for quite a while and didn’t notice any immediate reduction in aiptasia. Then all of a sudden all of the aiptasia were gone. Then they went after the tiny feather duster colony that had exploded. I finally took a coral frag out with with a few feather dusters to try to save them. Looks like the berghia multiplied and now we are out of food for them. Would welcome any suggestions re: feeding them. Would also take some Aiptasia in the NJ area if someone wants to get rid of them. Probably would’ve gone with a different solution if I’d known they’d go after the dusters but the Berghia nudibranches are beautiful little creatures.