Berghia Nudibranchs

[Samper]

I just can't get rid of all my aiptasia. It's getting ridiculous. I noticed that coralsandbar has some Berghia Nudibranchs in stock right now. I've done a little reading and found that it's best to keep them in their own tank and to transfer pieces of rock to it so they have a safe place to eat the aiptasia and also breed. This isn't possible for me and I'm just wondering if it's worth it to try and have 3-4 of them shipped here. What do you guys think?

[Poseidon]

Do you have room for one of these?



Mine has virtually eliminated the aiptasia, which was a symptom of my bad husbandry. I have that under control now, and the fish took care of the symptom!

[Samper]

Unfortunately this problem is in my 20 gallon so I don't have room for a Chaetodon auriga. Too small a tank and aren't they not reef safe? My husbandry IMO is pretty dang good but I can't ever get them all. With my flow being so crazy I think they send off pieces of tentacles or something and they settle and grow everywhere. Most of them are out of sight but I'm constantly injecting them.

[Poseidon]

Bummer! If it was in your 75...

So far he has been great in my reef, but then I do have a trigger in there to keep him in line!

[Ninong]

Peppermint shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni) would be a much cheaper solution and they would fit in a 20-gal tank.

The problem with Berghia verrucicornis is that you need a bunch of them to make an impact and they are not likely to eat all of the Aiptasia.

[110galreef]

2nd on pepermint shrimp.

[Samper]

What about the Neocirrhites armatus though? My last one consumed shrimp instantly...this is a different fish cause my first one jumped but I'm afraid to just throw the money down the drain as a snack.

[Ninong]

What about the Neocirrhites armatus though? My last one consumed shrimp instantly...this is a different fish cause my first one jumped but I'm afraid to just throw the money down the drain as a snack.

If you have a Flame Hawkfish, then peppermint shrimp would end up as hors d'oeuvres.

[Samper]

I wonder if I could breed the Berghia Nudibranchs in my 5 gallon nano and transfer them over to the 20 gallon from time to time. The 5 gallon has 2 rather large aiptasia anemones in it but I don't know how long I could keep them alive with that limited of a food source.

[Poseidon]

Yup flame hawks LOVE to eat shrimp!

I think you need to just inject 'em Kalk paste style, unless you move the hawk to the 75. (if that is possible)

[CSeaSee]

Is it possible to transfer rock from your 20 to your 75, and back again? Could you then isolate the rock in your 75, somehow (like a breeder net, or something) and institute some sort of biological control there?

[Samper]

It's not possible to rotate this rock around to the two tanks for a few reasons. 1. There is way more rock in this 75 gallon that I don't wanna infest. 2. They are seperate systems and the chemistry is different. 3. I don't want to disturb my LR structure in either tank and 4. Almost all the rocks in my 20 have sps on them and the 75 isn't suited for sps in any way.

I have thought about moving the hawk to the 75 but I can't catch him. I've tried injecting but you know how they are....you just can't ever get them all and it turns into a never ending battle.

[CSeaSee]

What about baiting the hawk into a (2-part) container with a shrimp?

[Reefland]

It sounds like moving the Hawk is going to be your best option since this will allow you to go for some shrimp and give them a chance to eradicate the Aiptasia.

[Samper]

does anyone have any suggestions on catching a very fast, elusive and shy hawkfish?

[Reefland]

Have you tried to put a net in the tank to see if you can get the fish used to it? I feed our tank with a net (used to strain the thawed food) and I could garb any fish in our tank with it without a problem, except for our Basslett who never comes out of hiding.

[Samper]

I do vary their diets but most of the food I feed will just sit in the net. The prime reef pellets are what the hawk really loves but he'll only grab them when they are falling. When a net, hand or baster is in the tank he's hiding. I know it takes time but I really don't know how to do this net feeding method.

[Reefland]

We just place the food into the net and please the net into the tank and swish it back and forth so the food exits. The fish come right up and often times into the net going after the food.

[Toni217]

I am new at this but does anyone have a pictures and info. I keep hearing about Aiptasia but never saw pics. Just want to be aware of it. if i see it
Toni

[Ninong]

I am new at this but does anyone have a pictures and info. I keep hearing about Aiptasia but never saw pics. Just want to be aware of it. if i see it
Toni

If you image-google Aiptasia, you get 501 hits: http://images.google.com/images?svnu...a+&btnG=Search