What type of Nudibranch???

[hpasternak]

What type of Nudibranch is best for Aiptasia? Also will it be ok with zoos, Mushrooms, leathers, polyps and will it pick at a RBTA?????


Best place to find one???
Harvey

 

[®eefer]

Berghia is best. You can do a search for them here on the forums. They only eat aiptasia and I believe they are 100% reef safe. Berghia.net sells them but you may have to get on their waiting list. I almost bought a set (they work best as juveniles in pairs of 3), but I realized my problem was hydriods. Just be thankful there is something that eats aiptasia. Apparently, nothing eats hyrdoids...nothing you can feasibly get at least.

 

[hpasternak]

Any available locally???

 

[GTR]

They can be hard to impossible to keep in the tank and not in your sump and pump. Expensive way to cure the problems IMO. If you search back in this forum a couple weeks back someone had some to sell local.
I bought I think 3 of them once but by the time my reserve order was filled I used peppermint shrimp to clean them up. I think the cost with shipping was around $100?
I think they suggest raising some first not in your display tank and feed them the pests by placing small rocks with them on it to feed the nudi while they grow and reproduce. That sounds like a lot of work to me.

SteveU

 

[hpasternak]

Will peppermint shrimp eat mushrooms, leathers , zoos etc.. also???

 

[GTR]

Lysmata wurdemanni is known as the true peppermint shrimp.
...
Be sure to purchase this species if you seek Peppermint Shrimp for Aiptasia control. There are more than a few Lysmata that resemble this creature, none control cnidarians as well, and some do not eat Aiptasia at all. In turn, it must be conceded that it's willingness to eat one cnidarian (the anemones) can be directed towards other desirable species (other corals). Although considered reef-safe, keep a close eye on corals and clams with all Lysmata in the aquarium.

Extracted from:
Reef Invertebrates, An Essential Guide to Selection, Care and Compatibility
Anthony Calfo & Robert Fenner, p. 265, 2003

All that aside I've never seen them take anything other than food from a coral like when feeding an LPS or maybe a BTA. The food can be captured by the coral and the Lysmata might attempt to pull it from the coral.

I seem to remember that Sprung and Delbeek recommend a very high number of Lysmata per gallon for effective control. Their numbers might need to be reduced once they take control of the situation or they may take a liking to other corals or worse yet just starve. I've never seen them eating any other corals in my tanks or evidence of it happening.

I'd suggest you purchase a copy of a book with an accurate picture for comparisons before buying the shrimp. There are slight differences in color patterns that are difficult to notice without reference. Most stores don't really know what they have except by the generic name.

SteveU

 

[®eefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7424559#post7424559 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gtrestoration
All that aside I've never seen them take anything other than food from a coral like when feeding an LPS or maybe a BTA. The food can be captured by the coral and the Lysmata might attempt to pull it from the coral.

I seem to remember that Sprung and Delbeek recommend a very high number of Lysmata per gallon for effective control. Their numbers might need to be reduced once they take control of the situation or they may take a liking to other corals or worse yet just starve. I've never seen them eating any other corals in my tanks or evidence of it happening.

I'd suggest you purchase a copy of a book with an accurate picture for comparisons before buying the shrimp. There are slight differences in color patterns that are difficult to notice without reference. Most stores don't really know what they have except by the generic name.

SteveU

Peppermint shrimp are what $20 each? A high number to gallon ratio doesnt seem like it would save you much money. berghia.net is basically 3 for $75 including shipping. Plus I have heard of many people getting peppermints that dont eat aiptasia...but maybe they didnt have the true species, I'm not sure.

The best deal for the berghias is to buy two treo packs (you also get one free nudibranch) and sell them for $20 each locally (someone will buy them) This way you only pay less than $40 for your set of three and you might just be able to sell your three before they die off, after they eat your aiptasia. Then you make $20 and you get to hook someone up locally.

 

[GTR]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7426295#post7426295 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cooltank
Peppermint shrimp are what $20 each?

Lysmata wurdemanni shoul;d cost half that.

First... price for the B. verrucicornis

WHAT DO WE DO?
We offer this Nudibranch ( Berghia Verrucicornis ) at very low price, our competitors sell them for $24, we just charge $17, We sell adult animals only, juveniles are cheaper but they are not very effective.
......
and we just charge $24 flat rate for overnight service anywhere in USA.

Now how many will you need and how long will it take...

To calculate how many berghias you need to get rid of all your aiptasia... you need one Berghia for every 10 aiptasias, you can buy less than that but it's going to take longer for them to "clean" your tank, usually it takes a couple months.

From....
http://www.seaslugs.com/

SteveU