Breeding berghia (Aeolidiella stephanieae)

[kilnakorr]

I just started three days ago with 5 nudis in a small acrylic tank, heater and airstone.

I was wondering if anyone could share some tips and tricks to succesfully breed these?
It seems straight forward, but often someone has some valuable experiences to share.

Currently counted 5 egg spirals.

A few pics:
Day after arrival - eggs already.

Nice brown color after devouring a large aptasia during the night.

 

[keatonmjenkins]

You’ll need a large stock pile of aptasia as you get more and more. If you don’t have that you may get to many and not be able to feed them fast enough.

 

[kilnakorr]

You’ll need a large stock pile of aptasia as you get more and more. If you don’t have that you may get to many and not be able to feed them fast enough.

True.
Unfortunately aptasia doesn't propogate that fast. I'm currently researching ways and ideas to increase the aptasia production.
I guess I can remove the eggs if I get low on aptasia so I just need to feed a few.

 

[dedragon]

I think you really need a second small tank for the aiptasia, keep it nice and well fed with some light and thats it. Just shred a couple aiptasia into a tank with rock and they will populate pretty fast. Any small tank or even bucket can work for this. If you need anymore take a couple and shred them again and more will pop up. The more you feed the faster they will split and grow as well. Good luck

 

[flabydab123]

Check out this article on aiptasia propagation:

How to Propagate Aiptasia...

A uncommon subject from an uncommon reefer, you may wonder why do we want to culture aiptasia wend this is one of the primary pests in our hobby since the very beginning . The answer is fairly easy. By understanding aiptasia propagation we can a)...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[kilnakorr]

I think you really need a second small tank for the aiptasia, keep it nice and well fed with some light and thats it. Just shred a couple aiptasia into a tank with rock and they will populate pretty fast. Any small tank or even bucket can work for this. If you need anymore take a couple and shred them again and more will pop up. The more you feed the faster they will split and grow as well. Good luck

I already started an aptasia tank, before the berghias arrived.
I've read people cutting them in half, but have been wondering if you'd get more of them by cutting some into small pieces.

 

[kilnakorr]

Check out this article on aiptasia propagation:

How to Propagate Aiptasia...

A uncommon subject from an uncommon reefer, you may wonder why do we want to culture aiptasia wend this is one of the primary pests in our hobby since the very beginning . The answer is fairly easy. By understanding aiptasia propagation we can a)...

www.reef2reef.com

Read that a few times.
Seems very ineffective cutting them in half, and the wait a weeks time. I might resort to this but hopefully there's a better and less time consuming way to do this.

 

[sixty_reefer]

Read that a few times.
Seems very ineffective cutting them in half, and the wait a weeks time. I might resort to this but hopefully there's a better and less time consuming way to do this.

I wouldn’t say ineffective, it’s labour intensive with plenty of benefits for berguia propagation.
by only feeding half the Aipatasia and leaving the stalk behind to regrow, it reduces the time needed to regrow a Aipatasia from a baby.
By feeding only the cuttings to the berguia you are also reducing the risk of introducing amphipods to the culture in comparison to add small pieces of rock that may introduce that pest to your breeding tanks.
Having a small shallow tray facilitates the work on the Aipatasia culture tall tanks won’t be so easily done.
madding fish to the Aipatasia culture also improves the growth in the Aipatasia as with all corals they also require nutrients from the water column.
I used to feed up to 50 nudibranch at a time and never run out of food using that method although it may not be for everyone as it’s fairly labour intensive (10-15 minutes a day)

 

[kilnakorr]

I wouldn’t say ineffective, it’s labour intensive with plenty of benefits for berguia propagation.
by only feeding half the Aipatasia and leaving the stalk behind to regrow, it reduces the time needed to regrow a Aipatasia from a baby.
By feeding only the cuttings to the berguia you are also reducing the risk of introducing amphipods to the culture in comparison to add small pieces of rock that may introduce that pest to your breeding tanks.
Having a small shallow tray facilitates the work on the Aipatasia culture tall tanks won’t be so easily done.
madding fish to the Aipatasia culture also improves the growth in the Aipatasia as with all corals they also require nutrients from the water column.
I used to feed up to 50 nudibranch at a time and never run out of food using that method although it may not be for everyone as it’s fairly labour intensive (10-15 minutes a day)

I like the idea of just feeding the top of the aptasia. I'm just wondering, if cutting one aptasia into several pieces wouldn't provide plenty of new ones? Throw an aptasia into a blender maybe?
If the aptasia tank isn't a part of another system, i find the chances of adding pests very low, although always possible.

 

[sixty_reefer]

I like the idea of just feeding the top of the aptasia. I'm just wondering, if cutting one aptasia into several pieces wouldn't provide plenty of new ones? Throw an aptasia into a blender maybe?
If the aptasia tank isn't a part of another system, i find the chances of adding pests very low, although always possible.

In the end of the day it’s still a living organism reducing it to small particles may not have the effects that you desire although I can’t comment as I haven’t done it. Just make sure that blender is properly tagged as not safe.

 

[kilnakorr]

In the end of the day it’s still a living organism reducing it to small particles may not have the effects that you desire although I can’t comment as I haven’t done it. Just make sure that blender is properly tagged as not safe.

Yes. It might just foul the water.
At this time I'm thinking of just setting up an extra aptasia tank. Might use a smaller tank for various tests, but a more proven setup is required to be on the safe side.