In Search of Nudibranchs

[Serge Medvedev]

Hi Everyone. Serge from MSMHS again. Another thing i'm looking for is some nudibranchs for aptaisia control. I know that there are chemical means of getting rid of these nasty pests, but i've heard nudibranchs do a nice job. Please let me know if you have some information on this. Thank you!

 

[Triggreef]

I just bought a half dozen from salty underground. Only been about 2 weeks but so far for me as useless as every other attempt. Just more expensive.

 

[Serge Medvedev]

Oh Wow. Ive heard about boiling water out of a syringe?

 

[Collinslice]

There are a lot of different methods. My personal favorite being copperband butterflies with a close second being the filefish. It may take a couple months for them to start chowing, but they will.
In my experience, manual removal of any type against them without extreme caution can just spread them

 

[Serge Medvedev]

Thanks for the tip. Unfortunately, copperheads are pretty expensive. Maybe I can find some cheap somewhere.

 

[Triggreef]

What else in there tank? There are cheaper butterflies that will destroy aptasias but will also eat other corals

 

[betelgeuse]

Peppermint shrimp

 

[Brewman1987]

I've had luck with a insulin syringe filled with white vinegar, stab the anemone and squirt.

 

[RossTheReefer1]

Peppermint shrimp

I second that

 

[icemanalex]

I fought the little bast***s for years tried everything. Hot water, Joes' juice , copper butterflies, peppermint shrimp, I mean tried it all. Bought a matted filefish and within one month NO repeat NO more aptaisia. My only advice is the file fish. He is the king

 

[icemanalex]

I did also try the Berghia nudibranch . Put them in my tank and never saw them again, I looked too, every night with a red light, Like Houdini they just vanished.

 

[kgstei]

I put a black lip butterfly and 3 peppermint shrimp in never saw the peppermint shrimp again and of the aptsisia are gone except for one in the overflow

 

[FintasticAquariums]

I bought 4 adult Nudis, and did not notice any aptaisia being eaten by them. Than about a month later, I noticed a big decrease in them, and now they are all gone. I started to look in the tank under the live rock and I removed 26 Bulgeria from the system and gave them away to others and put some in a tank of live rock that had some. It takes time for them to reproduce but they work.

 

[Bubbabobobbrain]

I've used berghias several times in tanks that I've had with great success. You just need to remember that a lot of things will eat them including aiptasia. Peppermint shrimp, crabs, wrasses and other pest eating fish will eat them given the chance also so if you decide to try them just keep your current livestock in mind. And if you do get them don't expect to see them, really ever until the aiptasia is all gone and they really have to hunt for a food source.

 

[Triggreef]

So when I got the berghia I put them in my overflows where the majority of aptasias are in my system. Watch the berghia for several days after. Never really saw them go near the aptasias. And when they did, they quickly slithered of in the opposite direction. After a few days I never saw the berghia but still have all my aptasias and a bunch of new one.

Those with positive luck on the peppermint shrimp, where did you get them from? I tried liveaquaria and all the local fish stores with no luck from any of them.

My copperband butterfly eats them but not the tiny ones, or the really big ones. He did a much better job at it when he was in my quarantine than he does lately.

 

[Collinslice]

Gotta try one of them filefish Dave

 

[kgstei]

So when I got the berghia I put them in my overflows where the majority of aptasias are in my system. Watch the berghia for several days after. Never really saw them go near the aptasias. And when they did, they quickly slithered of in the opposite direction. After a few days I never saw the berghia but still have all my aptasias and a bunch of new one.

Those with positive luck on the peppermint shrimp, where did you get them from? I tried liveaquaria and all the local fish stores with no luck from any of them.

My copperband butterfly eats them but not the tiny ones, or the really big ones. He did a much better job at it when he was in my quarantine than he does lately.

Hi

Hi A little off topic but I was considering adding a copperband to my tank wondering if I could get some insight from you on how yours has been doing. My two biggest concerns are getting it enough to eat, (my blacklip butterfly is a real active eater) and whether it bothers BTAs another thing I'm thinking of adding. Thanks Kurt

 

[nbagnardi]

stick with the berghia man, i had a HUUUUGE outbreak and picked up a dozen mediums from the guys at www.reeftown.com, just over a month later, i couldn't pay you to find a single aptasia. the nudi's stared showing up in my filter socks so i worked out a deal with my las for trade on some corals for them. win win

 

[Triggreef]

stick with the berghia man, i had a HUUUUGE outbreak and picked up a dozen mediums from the guys at www.reeftown.com, just over a month later, i couldn't pay you to find a single aptasia. the nudi's stared showing up in my filter socks so i worked out a deal with my las for trade on some corals for them. win win

I actually looked again last night, and I found one. So must be eating them to still be alive this long. But I notice no nems missing that I can tell, and have yet to see a nudi actually touching one. Hopefully more than one survived so they can multiply. I have doubts.

 

[Triggreef]

Hi

Hi A little off topic but I was considering adding a copperband to my tank wondering if I could get some insight from you on how yours has been doing. My two biggest concerns are getting it enough to eat, (my blacklip butterfly is a real active eater) and whether it bothers BTAs another thing I'm thinking of adding. Thanks Kurt

Search for my live black worm thread, I have some pics, and imo those are the secret weapon to keeping butterflies. There's also quite a few Copperband threads worth looking for with great info. I'd be doing you a dis-service by just giving you my opinions