Have any of you used Berghia Nudibranches before?

DannoOMG · Apr 6, 2023

Before I came here and understood what aiptasia are I made the rookie mistakes of using chemicals to remove them. (Aiptasia X/F/Joes Juice)

So by the time I understood to chisel and gouge them out of the rocks outside of the tank I had already done the damage. Tank is outbreak mode.

Little over two weeks ago I put some berghia nudirbanches in my 25 gallon tank. I ordered 4 at .25 inches and they gave me 8. They said you have to wait up to 3 weeks to see the results. I think after 3 days I saw one nudibranch hanging out on the rocks but he vanished after that. I feel like I have seen some aiptasia go missing but I am not sure if I am imagining it.

I have no predators in the tank that will hurt them and gave them a tad longer acclimation process. I am sort of desperate that they get the job done. I had a peppermint shrimp once but my skunk cleaner shrimp would lunge at him and freak him out. I was going to remove the skunk and bring him to the work tank but the peppermint got stressed and died. Too bad cause he was eating aiptasia.

I am now anticipating how many people here tell me the nudibranches were a waste of money.

DannoOMG · Apr 7, 2023

After two plus weeks I caught one roaming around. They were all .25 inches when I got them and this one is well over an inch. That is somewhat encouraging news.

Acroconut · Apr 7, 2023

I did breed Berghia many years ago, and was very successful. The thing I tried to make sure people understood is that they are very good at eliminating aips, but they are easily pulled into powerheads. Also when the aiptasia are nearly gone, the Berghia will begin to starve.

Jmp998 · Apr 7, 2023

If you purchased 0.25" juveniles, it will be a month or so before they start laying eggs, and a month or two after that before their offspring are big enough to make any noticeable contribution to the aiptasia eradication. With eight starting in a 25 gallon, you should see the aiptasia disappearing pretty quickly at that time. As long as there is plenty of food, the Berghia will hide. Give it some more time.

billyocean · Apr 7, 2023

It was 2 or 3 months after I put mine in and the aptasia just dissapeared one day. They will multiply..eat all the aptasia..then just sell them or give them away to someone who needs them. I sold mine locally and made my money back plus some. Free aptasia removal.

j.falk · Apr 7, 2023

Mine took 2-3 months to clear out my tank. I would only see them at nighttime after the lights went off. They did the job though, all aiptasia were eradicated. I highly recommend using berghia when possible.

DannoOMG · Apr 8, 2023

I know you guys are saying pull them out of the tank once the aiptasia is gone but how will I find them? They really don't show their faces when the lights are on.

Dr. Reef · Apr 8, 2023

If you have no corals in your tank. Buy a Klein butterfly. It will clean your tank in 24 hrs.

bushdoc · Apr 8, 2023

I didn't have much luck with them. I suspect flow in my tank was too high and washed them away, even that I turn powerheads off for an hour or so after I introduced them to DT. Perhaps larger ones are more resilient.

DannoOMG · Apr 8, 2023

Dr. Reef said:
If you have no corals in your tank. Buy a Klein butterfly. It will clean your tank in 24 hrs.

It is a 25 gallon nano tank mixed reef. I got Softies, LPS and SPS in it.

@bushdoc

My flow is pretty moderate in the tank. Like I said I have no idea if it is working or if the rest of them are alive. I have noticed some aiptasia go missing. But I don't know enough about aiptasia if they will go off on their own for fun.

DannoOMG · Apr 16, 2023

Nudibranch sighting #2.

However I can't help but wonder if I only have 1 in the tank. They gave me 8 .25" ones and I have only seen this 1.25" incher. I wonder if the rest died and he is the lone survivor.

ilikefish69 · Apr 16, 2023

Dr. Reef said:
If you have no corals in your tank. Buy a Klein butterfly. It will clean your tank in 24 hrs.

I have 2 kleini , aiptasia was gone in 2 days, haven’t touched coral

besskurz · Apr 16, 2023

Hey one question, I got a hermit crab and emerald crab for bubble algae control.

Would them predate nudibranches?

And btw where are you located? Don't you wanna sell some?

Sleeping Giant · Apr 16, 2023

they go on the glass to place eggs. usually looking for a hiding spot. if you wanted to, you could suck it off with a turkey baster and rehome in the the rocks or somewhere close to the aipstatia.

LPS Bum · Apr 16, 2023

I put 9 of them in my 164 gal reef a couple of months ago. I’ve never seen them and I honestly can’t tell if my aiptasia population has been reduced. I still see plenty of them in the rocks.

Not saying it was a failure at this point, but I certainly wouldn’t call it a success either.

DannoOMG · Apr 16, 2023

besskurz said:
Hey one question, I got a hermit crab and emerald crab for bubble algae control.

Would them predate nudibranches?

And btw where are you located? Don't you wanna sell some?

I'd give them away once I (A) think the job is close to done and (B) if I can find them when it is done.

If you are in Greenville NH my parents grew up there and I visit my dads grave there.

besskurz · Apr 16, 2023

DannoOMG said:
I'd give them away once I (A) think the job is close to done and (B) if I can find them when it is done.

If you are in Greenville NH my parents grew up there and I visit my dads grave there.

Sure! No worries! If is possible, great. If not it's also fine.

I'm in greenville SC!

DannoOMG · Apr 16, 2023

besskurz said:
Sure! No worries! If is possible, great. If not it's also fine.

I'm in greenville SC!

Oh nm. I thought thats why you were asking where I was located. Lels.

I tried to suck him up and put him near some aiptasia and some of those frilly things came off his back...

I damaged the only nudibranch in my tank... Should have just left him alone. Aiptasia is everywhere in the tank.