rja
Well-Known Member
Hey all,
I wanted to share my experience I have had with Berghia Nudibranchs.
So my tank has had an aiptasia infestation since its beginning about a year ago. It got so bad to the point where the entire backside of my rockwork was a reddish velvet texture, an entire lawn of aiptasia. There were some that were absolutely massive, like 2.5” in diameter and terrifying to look at. You'd see little baby aiptasia floating around the tank waiting to latch onto the rockwork.
Anyway, I decided to skip the chemical options for alleviation all together. I wanted a natural solution. I decided to avoid peppermint shrimp, filefish, and copperbands because of the coral eating issue. So I went with a dozen Berghia Nudibranch. I had seen success and not-success stories with these guys. I figured they were worth the gamble.
I purchased 12 1/4” specimens off of Salty Underground. This set me back $140. Quite frankly, when they arrived I felt remorse for how much money I had spent on these little fruit fly sized creatures. I added them into the tank using their instructions.
About 2 months went by and I had really been kicking myself for buying those expensive Nudibranch because the aiptasia population simply just kept growing.
I began to sell off my coral and mentally prepare to exit the hobby for a while because I just couldn’t really deal with another tank which I am battling more pests. My previous tanks all fell victim to dinos, planaria, etc. until I ultimately “upgraded” tanks.
This morning, 3 months after the addition of the nudibranchs, I realized something. Every single aiptasia in the tank was gone. I could not locate a single aiptasia. Literally gone completely. The back of my rocks are clean. There is none on the overflow like there always was. The sump is totally clear. I cannot even find evidence of them. Even the really upsetting ones that would plant themselves in my monti caps and bleach little spots were all gone.
Perhaps I did not realize this since I was so disconnected from the tank lately? Regardless, Berghia Nudibranch do work. But it takes a pretty long time for them to really make a noticeable difference.
I wanted to share my experience I have had with Berghia Nudibranchs.
So my tank has had an aiptasia infestation since its beginning about a year ago. It got so bad to the point where the entire backside of my rockwork was a reddish velvet texture, an entire lawn of aiptasia. There were some that were absolutely massive, like 2.5” in diameter and terrifying to look at. You'd see little baby aiptasia floating around the tank waiting to latch onto the rockwork.
Anyway, I decided to skip the chemical options for alleviation all together. I wanted a natural solution. I decided to avoid peppermint shrimp, filefish, and copperbands because of the coral eating issue. So I went with a dozen Berghia Nudibranch. I had seen success and not-success stories with these guys. I figured they were worth the gamble.
I purchased 12 1/4” specimens off of Salty Underground. This set me back $140. Quite frankly, when they arrived I felt remorse for how much money I had spent on these little fruit fly sized creatures. I added them into the tank using their instructions.
About 2 months went by and I had really been kicking myself for buying those expensive Nudibranch because the aiptasia population simply just kept growing.
I began to sell off my coral and mentally prepare to exit the hobby for a while because I just couldn’t really deal with another tank which I am battling more pests. My previous tanks all fell victim to dinos, planaria, etc. until I ultimately “upgraded” tanks.
This morning, 3 months after the addition of the nudibranchs, I realized something. Every single aiptasia in the tank was gone. I could not locate a single aiptasia. Literally gone completely. The back of my rocks are clean. There is none on the overflow like there always was. The sump is totally clear. I cannot even find evidence of them. Even the really upsetting ones that would plant themselves in my monti caps and bleach little spots were all gone.
Perhaps I did not realize this since I was so disconnected from the tank lately? Regardless, Berghia Nudibranch do work. But it takes a pretty long time for them to really make a noticeable difference.
