That's pretty interesting. I thought they were able to utilize the whole aptasia. That gives me another thought. What about culturing some wild aptasia for better zooxanthellae? A dock that we launch my friends boat from is loaded with aptasia. They are so thick that I didn't recognise them. They are as thick as a shag carpet. The next time we are there, I can get you some (we are in a mini monsoon season right now, so it may be a while). I know of a shipping method that should make it pretty inexpensive.
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Thanks!
I'm actually having some success I think. I've tried so many different culture methods with very little success that I have nearly given up. Trying to think of all the possible variables regarding the culture process, I decided to significantly alter SG and see what happens. I first tried SG of 1.024 - no difference. Next batch was at 1.020 - no luck. Then then 1.016 and 1.014 - all no luck. The final batch was kept and cultured in water with a SG of 1.010 and I've gotten some juveniles to grow out. I'm not sure why they would do better at such a drastically low salinity, but I've exhausted all other experiments and variable factors so this was a last shot idea. That's a pretty drastic difference in salinity from a reef tank but after acclimating the juveniles back to a SG of 1.026 in one of my holding tanks they seem to be doing great.
In this experiment I also utilized a handful of live sand with each batch and all the fauna that comes with it. It's thought that amphipods could prey on egg strands and newly hatched juveniles, but that doesn't seem to be the case with my experimentation. The containers are literally covered in a reproductive bloom of copepods, amphipods, bristle worms, spaghetti worms, and the full gammet of other reef dwelling critters. In past experiments I had tried various different methods to manage the organic nutrient stability (preventing a spike in ammonia and nitrite). I had kept the culture containers filled with water inside my sump for several weeks to allow for the colonization of bacteria as well as using water from my display and in other "matured and colonized" containers I tried freshly mixed water.
Let me give you all a bit of background about what culture methods I've tried. In my full gammet of experimentation I have tried all of these variables in combination with each other. I've tried many combinations of the following factors:
-matured/cycled tank water vs freshly mixed water vs 1/2 tank water and 1/2 freshly mixed water
-new clean container vs containers that have been in my sump for several weeks to allow for bacterial colonization
-2 inches of sand with the full array of reef fauna vs no sand
- using containers in which the adults have laid the eggs directly in vs moving the egg strands from the adult breeder container to the culture containers
-aeration vs no aeration
- breeders kept in an entirely dedicated system in which there was no other living fauna or flora prior to their addition. I set up a whole system fully dedicated to the living space of the adult breeders and there was never any exposure to fauna or flora that could be detrimental to the health of the berghia or the egg strands. No worms, no copepods, no amphipods, no algae, etc....
- breeders kept in my refugium and egg strands harvested and moved to culture containers
- light 8 hrs per day vs no light
-25% - 50% water changes every day vs MWF vs no water changes until the egg strands grow opaque and appear ready to artificially hatch vs water changes every MWF after the artificial hatch
- artificial hatch vs no artifical hatch
-adding aiptasia to the culture containers the same time as the eggs are added vs waiting to add aiptasia until the egg strands are ready to hatch out (12 days after they've been laid)
- adding GAC to each container vs no GAC.
- the full range of SG from reef salinity all the way down to a SG of 1.010
- I've used a full range of sizes of aiptasia. All the way from tiny 2-3 mm aiptasia up to full grown 1/2 dollar size aiptasia.
-using 1/2 gallon containers vs 1 gallon containers vs 5 gal pails
- a range of temperature from 72-84
There has been no less than at least 500 different variables and combinations of variables that I've tried. I've spent countless hours and at least a full year trying to determine the right combination of variable factors to get the most viable cultures.
This recent "seemingly" successful batch came from a combination of the following factors.
1) I used a 1 gallon container that has been sitting in my sump for a few weeks (allowed to be colonized with bacteria).
2) It was aerated to the level of a hard boil.
3) I used 1 tbs of BRS ROX carbon.
4) The salinity was 1.010 and kept without any significant SG fluctuation.
5) It has a 2 inch sand bed with all kinds of reef fauna (all batches that I've ever had grow out any viable berghia have all contained at least a 2 inch sand bed using sand from my refugium containing the full array of reef fauna).
6) Aiptasia weren't added until 12 days after the eggs have been laid and the aiptasia were about half the size of a pencil eraser.
7) There was an artificial hatch at day 12.
8) all initial water was freshly mixed water and after day one I did 50% water changes every day using exclusively freshly mixed and aerated water.
9) water temp kept at a constant temp of 84 degrees.
10) container was kept under relatively high light for 10 hours per day
This specific batch contained only one large egg strand laid by one of my largest berghia.
If anyone is interested in culturing berghia this is the most successful combination of factors I have come across. Not easy to meet those specific needs but these guys obviously aren't easily cultured. 500+ nearly complete failures and finally I've got a bit of success.
Jeremy
