Aiptasia control with Berghia nudibranchs

I ordered the berghia from www.berghia.net and was very pleased with their customer service and professional packaging. They have been very helpful when I have asked questions plus their website has lots of valuable information.
I don't think that any of the local stores carry them. You will be surprised how "small" they actually are. They would get lost in a retail store's system.
James
 
salty underground sold mine to me but I dont know where they went.

Honestly I have to say from personal exp the Klien is the wat to go. I had one in my 50 and it destroyed the aptasia within a few days.

I have seen them eat zoos and xenia too so you might want to watch out for that.

Also they are hardier than copperbands for sure.

I havent seen them eat other anemones except ap's

Berghia eat aptasia only however if they get overzealous they can also be eaten by aptasia too.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8009071#post8009071 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by supaboy1981
salty underground sold mine to me but I dont know where they went.

Honestly I have to say from personal exp the Klien is the wat to go. I had one in my 50 and it destroyed the aptasia within a few days.

I have seen them eat zoos and xenia too so you might want to watch out for that.

Also they are hardier than copperbands for sure.

I havent seen them eat other anemones except ap's

Berghia eat aptasia only however if they get overzealous they can also be eaten by aptasia too.
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Glad to hear from somebody else who has used a Klein's butterfly!
 
I have a lot of zoos in a mixed reef tank, with some mushrooms, a small toadstool leather, a candycane, and a couple blastomussa merlettis I'm fond of, in addition to all my SPS. I wouldn't mind the leather getting chewed on (it doesn't really fit with what I'm keeping anyway), but wouldn't want to lose much more than that. I was leaning toward the Klein's, but Supaboy, could you give a little more info on what you meant about what you've seen the Kleins eat?
 
it can be any nudibranch. they all feed on anemones, thats what makes them toxic. they arent born toxic.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8010857#post8010857 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jiggy
it can be any nudibranch. they all feed on anemones, thats what makes them toxic. they arent born toxic.
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:confused:Huh?

-Justin
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8010857#post8010857 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jiggy
it can be any nudibranch.
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No it can't! Lots of nudibranchs come from cold water, and would die very quickly in a tropical reef tank.
they all feed on anemones,
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Good lord man, where are you getting this stuff? Nudibranchs feed on a wide variety of invertebrate prey, including corals, anemones, hydroids, sponges, and even other nudibranchs.
thats what makes them toxic.
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Eh, sorta true, if it wasn't attached to the first part of this sentence. Many aeolid nudibranchs put the unfired nematocysts from their cnidarian prey in the cerrata along their backs. There is some evidence that some nudibranchs are toxic all on their own though. I read a study on Hermissenda crassicornis (a temperate water aeolid that feeds mostly on hydroids) that showed seagulls will spit them out even when the slugs are fed a diet of shrimp and clam meat. Apparently they have a very low stomach pH, which may help explain the apparent distaste.
they arent born toxic.
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See above.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8010718#post8010718 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JahReefster
I have a lot of zoos in a mixed reef tank, with some mushrooms, a small toadstool leather, a candycane, and a couple blastomussa merlettis I'm fond of, in addition to all my SPS. I wouldn't mind the leather getting chewed on (it doesn't really fit with what I'm keeping anyway), but wouldn't want to lose much more than that. I was leaning toward the Klein's, but Supaboy, could you give a little more info on what you meant about what you've seen the Kleins eat?
Click to expand...

I had a fully stoked reef tank. My corals included
Leathers
Xenia
Zoas
frogspawn
torches
hammer
anemones
Candy canes
Galaxia
Mushrooms
and some SPS

I had a huge outbreak of aptasia and if done incorrectly joes juice and Kalk will aid in the spread of aptasia rather than the eradication of them.

I got a Kleins butterfly from some fellow reefer out here in San Diego and as soon as I was done acclimating him I dumped him in the tank and the first thing he went for was tha aptasia and I mean he went after them like there was no tomorrow. a few days later and a ton of aptasia less I was noticing a few of my others we being pecked at.

it wasnt such a big deal since the corals he was eating were brown and grew like wild fire.

He never touched my LTA but he did eat some of my Zoas and my xenia along with the aptasia.

He ate them in this order

APtasia
zoas
Xenia

and I would say he preffered the aptasia tremendously over any of the other corals.

Hope this helps
 
Thanks, Supaboy, it does. I might just risk it... the zoas are spreading like crazy anyway and look like they might start to reach pest proportions themselves. Now if I can just find a Klein locally or if James' berghias multiply like rats so he can spare to farm some out.
 
I am getting impatient! I saw two of them together last week but haven't seen any of them since that time. They usually are not out when the lights are on. I will give them 4-6 weeks to do some damage. If I can't see a change by that time, I will try the Klein also.
If they do reproduce like rats, I will let you know.
James
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8026365#post8026365 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JahReefster
Thanks, Supaboy, it does. I might just risk it... the zoas are spreading like crazy anyway and look like they might start to reach pest proportions themselves. Now if I can just find a Klein locally ...
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I saw one at Coral Reef on Madison Ave. (much improved from the previous "Aquaworld") for $18 on Thursday.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8026608#post8026608 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Photon
I am getting impatient! I saw two of them together last week but haven't seen any of them since that time. They usually are not out when the lights are on. I will give them 4-6 weeks to do some damage. If I can't see a change by that time, I will try the Klein also.
If they do reproduce like rats, I will let you know.
James
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You wont see them ever again. They dissapear fast and stay hidden. they are nocturnal feeders and they wont make a instant impact on your tank. Sorry to burst the bubble but thats the way it goes. If you are impatient then Berghia are not for you
 
Yes, I know they are slow workers and knew that when I bought them. I am just impatient and want rid of the aiptasia, but I am willing to give them a chance.
Justin, I have one Christmas wrasse and I was worried about him and the berghia.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8027445#post8027445 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Photon

Justin, I have one Christmas wrasse and I was worried about him and the berghia.
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Hmmm. Id imagine he would see them before you do too. I wonder how he would react after nipping at one, if he'd keep goin or if the nemotocysts in the berghia from eating aiptasia will repel him, or if it would be toxic to him if he didnt bother to stop.Equiring minds want to know ;)

-Justin
 
Thanks, Warren, I just went down and picked him up for $19. They also had a bunch of peppermints for $10/per, if anybody's interested.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8044991#post8044991 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JahReefster
Thanks, Warren, I just went down and picked him up for $19. They also had a bunch of peppermints for $10/per, if anybody's interested.
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He's been marking alot of stuff down for quick sales, went in yesterday and the peppermints were 8.99, so I picked up 2 on trade to put in my 30g.Nice big ones too.

-Justin
 
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