Berghia nudibranch vs. Richmond Wrasse?

[navychief]

Hey, crew. I have an outbreak of Aiptasia that I thought I had taken care of with Aiptasia-X. I do believe they're back with a vengeance.

Was thinking of going to Salty Underground to get some Berghia nudibranchs.

If I might receive some feedback on these questions, I'd buy ya a :beer: :beer: if I met ya in a bar!

1. Salty Underground? A good store for livestock? How about Reeftown?
2. Richmond Wrasse? Do they like Berghia nudibranch?
3. How can one keep them from finding an overflow for a 60Gal Solona which has its drain flow center, back of tank? Nowhere to attach pre filter screening.

See picture (...and I wish my tank looked that good. Credit goes to aquarist and photographer!)

Chief out

 

[Half Vaped]

Sorry, I have no experience with the Berghia Nudibranchs, but I might have a better suggestion.

How about a Matted Filefish? Captive bred ones are almost guaranteed to do damage to your aiptasia population. And a handful of Peppermint Shrimps could help eliminate the smaller heads.

 

[navychief]

good suggestion

good suggestion

Sorry, I have no experience with the Berghia Nudibranchs, but I might have a better suggestion.

How about a Matted Filefish? Captive bred ones are almost guaranteed to do damage to your aiptasia population. And a handful of Peppermint Shrimps could help eliminate the smaller heads.

I think I looked into the filefish, but there was something in my tank that was not compatible (Coral?)...or so I think. Anyhow, I have a red fire shrimp in my tank. I had added two peps about 4-5 months ago. Now they're nowhere to be found. Not sure if the Fire shrimp didn't like his new guests...probably not the cause.

Yeah. And the nudi's are expensive for how many one would need.

Any suggestion of an online store for the filefish?

 

[ManEatingGuppy]

I just had an outbreak of aiptasia and added some berghias. They did the job well but will get eaten by your wrasse. Have you considered a copperband?

 

[GQuinn]

Salty Underground is a good online store. Good communication and product.

 

[risin]

Berghia work, the wrasse will eat them, but won't get them all. Also the berghia likely won't get every single aiptasia. I bought 5, breed them, and place a few near each aiptasia I see. I'm going months now between aiptasia sitings but I've probably introduced 100+ berghia now. When I started, I had 200+ visible aiptasia.

Getting rid of the extras is easy as I like to trade and a lot of people have aiptasia.

 

[Half Vaped]

I think I looked into the filefish, but there was something in my tank that was not compatible (Coral?)...or so I think. Anyhow, I have a red fire shrimp in my tank. I had added two peps about 4-5 months ago. Now they're nowhere to be found. Not sure if the Fire shrimp didn't like his new guests...probably not the cause.

Yeah. And the nudi's are expensive for how many one would need.

Any suggestion of an online store for the filefish?

ORA Captive Bred Matted Filefish from LiveAquaria

LA has some in stock at the moment. If you don't get it from LA, I suggest only going for a captive bred specimen. People tend to have more problems with wild caught ones eating coral and ignoring Aiptasia. I think a lot of the wild caught ones are often incorrectly labeled species other than Acreichthys tomentosus.

I have all kinds of LPS, SPS, clams and softies and my Filefish has been a model citizen. Also a great eater and cleared up a nasty Aiptasia infestation in my 150 G in about three weeks or so.

 

[navychief]

Filefish purchased

Filefish purchased

So thanks for the advice everyone. My LFS just so happened to have a Filefish. It was labeled as an Aiptasia Eating Filefish, so hopefully it is. After researching online, this is exactly what it looks like...

http://www.orafarm.com/product/aiptasia-eating-filefish/

So far it is well received with the rest of my tank inhabitants. I've not seen it actually eating aiptasia yet, but it has been busy picking at the reef rock in my tank (maybe the smaller aiptasia not visible by the eye?). The aiptasia range in size from a dime and smaller. I'm thinking it will not touch the large aiptasia.

I'm hoping for the best. Should I allow him to continue to graze, or should I make it a point to feed him mysis?

Oh and by the way. Aiptasia-X sucks IMO. It does kill, but they've come back worse than they were...and I followed the directions!

 

[Half Vaped]

Good luck with the Filefish. I almost never saw mine pick at Aiptasia, but they just started disappearing over time. After adding mine, I never made any change in my feeding regime of three meals a day of a mix of Mysis, Spirulina Brine, Cyclop-eeze, etc. It would pig out along with the other fish and still snack on the Aiptasia.

 

[navychief]

Good luck with the Filefish. I almost never saw mine pick at Aiptasia, but they just started disappearing over time. After adding mine, I never made any change in my feeding regime of three meals a day of a mix of Mysis, Spirulina Brine, Cyclop-eeze, etc. It would pig out along with the other fish and still snack on the Aiptasia.

Man let's hope this works. If not, looking to try another route like copper banded

 

[Half Vaped]

Man let's hope this works. If not, looking to try another route like copper banded

Just give it a few weeks. If it ignores Aiptasia, it might not be the right species. A bunch of Filefish look very similar to the true Aiptasia-eating Filefish.

 

[navychief]

copperband probaby not

copperband probaby not

Apparently the Copperband needs a pretty large tank. Some sites call for double the capacity of my 60gal. Looks more and more like nudis. That's if the Filefish doesn't do his job after a couple weeks. And the thanks I get for saving it from my crappy LFS.

 

[navychief]

Matte Filefish

Matte Filefish

Well it's been about two weeks, and the filefish doesn't seem to be going after the aiptasia. :mad2: At least from what I've noticed with its grazing habits during the day. At night it has its favorite spot to rest, but could it be possible that it hunts at night? Does anyone know if this fish type tends to nocturnal hunting for aiptasia?

Thanks

 

[steallife904]

I have used berghia 2 times, on the 2nd time now. The first time I put in about 5 (75 gal tank with medium aiptasia problem) didn't seem to do anything for about 2 months then one day I just kinda noticed they where all gone. Now in my 150 gal tank I started to get aiptasia again. I just put 5 with some egg whirls in 2 weeks ago and so far can only tell about 3 are gone from the area I put them in... so we will see.

I do have a few wrasses but keep them well fed so hope they will leave them be. It seems there are some wrasse that go after them more than others (none I have) so we will see. Also berghia are night hunters so if the wrasse is sleeping at night shouldn't be a problem.

You have to be patient with them the berghia.

 

[BeanMachine]

So thanks for the advice everyone. My LFS just so happened to have a Filefish. It was labeled as an Aiptasia Eating Filefish, so hopefully it is. After researching online, this is exactly what it looks like...

http://www.orafarm.com/product/aiptasia-eating-filefish/

So far it is well received with the rest of my tank inhabitants. I've not seen it actually eating aiptasia yet, but it has been busy picking at the reef rock in my tank (maybe the smaller aiptasia not visible by the eye?). The aiptasia range in size from a dime and smaller. I'm thinking it will not touch the large aiptasia.

I'm hoping for the best. Should I allow him to continue to graze, or should I make it a point to feed him mysis?

Oh and by the way. Aiptasia-X sucks IMO. It does kill, but they've come back worse than they were...and I followed the directions!

The filefish may take to your corals so make sure to keep a close watch on it.

 

[dendrite]

I have the ORA aptasia eating filefish from LA. It took him about six weeks to clean up the tank and keep it clean. My sump and overflow have large aptasia but none survive in the display tank. I never saw him eating the aptasia. He leaves the corals alone but made short work of two rock flowers anemones and a mini carpet anemone. Live and learn.

 

[navychief]

I have the ORA aptasia eating filefish from LA. It took him about six weeks to clean up the tank and keep it clean. My sump and overflow have large aptasia but none survive in the display tank. I never saw him eating the aptasia. He leaves the corals alone but made short work of two rock flowers anemones and a mini carpet anemone. Live and learn.

I remain hopeful.

You mention the overflow having large aiptasia. Would that explain why when I feed, I hear an increase in water flow down to my sump? Maybe the aiptasia are eating (closing up) allowing the water to flow more freely? Rather weird that the flow to my basement sump increases during those times.

 

[dendrite]

probably not, you would need a large amount of aptasia at the mouth of the overflow blocking the outlet to have an effect like that. Most of my aptasia in the overflow concentrate near the bottom, on the bottom and side walls and away from the very high flow at the top and outlet. You could visually check or mark the level of the water in the overflow and compare the levels before and after feeding to see if there is indeed a difference in outflow from the tank just to satisfy your own curiosity. I've tried putting peppermint shrimp in the overflow but they all wind up in the filter sock in the sump, so I just tolerate the aptasia knowing that if any make it to the display the filefish will dispatch them.

 

[Joe's Coral Reef]

Well Ive tried Berghia a few times. Purchased from both salty and reeftown. They work, well sort of. The aiptasia always seem to return months and months later. The last time I waited until my tank was packed with them, then unleashed the Berghia, My tank remained aiptasia free for maybe 6 months, but just recently I spotted one. I think its impossible for the Berghia to eliminate every last one.

 

[dendrite]

The problem with Berghia is that they starve after the last accessible aptasia is gone. If one remains in the system, sump, overflow, then the aptasia will come back. The nudibranchs are also quite expensive unless you have a friend in the business. My preference remains a CBB, peppermint shrimp or my bristletail filefish; pleasures which endure