Anyone have sucess with Berghia verrucicornis?

[ReefHobbyist]

I have an apitasia problem, and the usual methods of control are not working. Before I go and by a CBB or Racoon Butterfly I would like to know if anyone has had sucess with the Berghia nudibranch?

Do they handle high current tanks well?
Did they reproduce?
Do you want to sell any? :)

Thanks,
Scott

[ostrow]

Scott:

I've got the same problems and have issued identical posts.

Coral Reef Pet Shop is supposed to get some in for me Wednesday. Jim said there was someone else who asked him to get some (you?). Right now, nobody has them ... not inland, not customaquatics, not seaslugs.com. Nobody that I can tell.

If Jim can't get them I'd be willing to split the cost of mail order with you to get some. I need about 4-5 I suppose.

Let me know if you find anyone too!!

[ReefHobbyist]

It wasn't me. I'm not sure where Coral Reef Pet Shop is. I may be interested in ordering with you but not until I here some possitive experiences from others. It's pricey for an experiment.

Like I mentioned, I'm really concerned about their ability to handle a high flow sps tank. And I don't think my tank has as much flow as it should. But I havn't saved enough for some Tunze Streams yet :)

Between the apitasia farm, a recent cyno outbreak, and a mantis shrimp I just discovered I've been quite busy.

Scott

<-- Post count almost there! Time to start thinking about a new Avatar :strooper:

[ostrow]

I've got aiptasia and cyano too. Drag. What are Tunze streams? Not familiar with those.

Anyway, I did a ton of reading here about them (just search on berghia) and seen no negatives about them or on high flow.

Coral Reef is on Lawrence just East of Cumberland.

[ReefHobbyist]

Here is a link to Premium Aquatics for the streams (http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PA&Product_Code=T6000.000&Category_Code=Tunze_pumps). Basically, It's a high flow pump with a wide dispersal pattern.

How much does Coral Reef want for Berghia?

[ostrow]

Thanks for the link.

He's supposed to get them Wednesday if the wholesaler (who I found!) delivers with them as promised. Somewhere in the $15 range.

[oz]

Here's a good read link on Beghia.

http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1999/aug/features/1/default.asp

Let me know where you're getting your berghia, I need some too.

[ReefHobbyist]

Originally posted by ostrow
Thanks for the link.

He's supposed to get them Wednesday if the wholesaler (who I found!) delivers with them as promised. Somewhere in the $15 range.

$15 is a pretty good price. I would probaby get 4 of them at that price. However, I am in the far NW suburbs and don't know the area you referred to.

Scott

[ostrow]

It's about two miles (tops) due east of O'Hare.

Lawrence is just, and I mean just, south of the Kennedy Expy, so from there you'd take the Cumberland Exit (1st exit East of O'Hare) South about 2 blocks to Lawrence, then East like 1/4 mile to the store (on South side of street in a little strip mall).

[ostrow]

Oz:

The date on that article is 1998. My understanding is there has been a lot more research done/knowledge gathered on berghia since then. They are, if anything, even more sought after, which given the price one would think is an indicator of success. Certainly a search on berghia here indicates many people had a lot of success with it.

[ReefHobbyist]

Originally posted by ostrow
Thanks for the link.

He's supposed to get them Wednesday if the wholesaler (who I found!) delivers with them as promised. Somewhere in the $15 range.

Did they come in? Please give us progress updates if you buy any.

Scott

[ostrow]

Here's the deal:

Coral Reef didn't get them yesterday. I called the supplier I had found and they told me Coral Reef never contacted them. Drag as he had a dozen or so that he sent elsewhere. Now they won't carry them anymore as he said the berghia have a less than 60% survival rate from their source.

Coral Reef then told me that they didn't get those because their regular suppleir had them, and they'll be in the store today. Only problem is Jim sounded a bit unsure of whether they will, in fact, be berghia as opposed to regular nudibranchs. So we'll see.

The one hope is that that first supplier, the one I found, promised to try and special order some and take the unusual step of getting them to me directly. This would be a one-shot deal, so if anyone is interested it would be a good idea to decide and let me know how many you want. When I talk to him I'm going to have to give him a number right away. I assume they will cost less than $12 from him, as he's a wholesaler.

That's all I know until later today.

[ReefHobbyist]

I'll take 4 of them at that price if the shipping is reasonable.

Scott

[coralsandbar]

Here's a pic of them, if you want to know what they look like. Sounds like pet place had some doubts.

Robhttp://www.coralsandbar.com/files/berghiaegg.jpg

[coralsandbar]

Or even better.

[ostrow]

Just sent you another email.

The shop never got them in as far as I can tell. Guy never called back, so if they did come in I'm guessing they are dead by now as I know there's not much aiptasia in his store!

My hopes keep getting up then get squashed.

You never got a hold of your guy I assume?

[coralsandbar]

I haven't got a hold of him yet. They were moving their operations, so it could be a while.... I may be getting in a new breeding pair in 1-2 weeks or was told I was.

I'm trying to get a bunch mainly for everyone that's been waiting for them.

It wouldn't be too hard to get rid of them either. I'll let you know when I hear something


Rob

[ostrow]

by the way things are going, i'll be surprised if i find any before you have some available. thanks!

[jbash]

I _think_ Harbor Aq had berghias but I may be remembering wrong (I know they had lettuce nudibranchs). I didn't pay to much attention as I've heard that they don't handle strong currents well. The one time I tried nudibranchs they were in the overflow in no time.

jim b

[ostrow]

I tried them. They told me they don't and never have. You may be thinking Premium or Inland, but the former no longer has them and the latter is out and has been for a while.

Thanks tho!

I need a hobbyist breeder but no luck.

[jbash]

I knew about Inland but didn't mention it as Morgan is generally pricey (but worth it!). I didn't know they were out as I thought they were breeding them.

Good Luck.

[oz]

$16 online here (http://www.seaslugs.com/)

[ostrow]

Oz, they haven't had them since mid-June when I first checked.

Not only that, they haven't responded to a single email message.

I don't think seaslugs.com exists anymore.

[oz]

Really? thanks for the headsup. And I was gonna order from them. :(

[ostrow]

One way or another I'm gonna have these things, I expect by the end of the first week of September. At least that's my hope. Have 3 different leads working on them, and I'll inform the others after the first lead comes through.

So anyone who wants them (or who no longer does) just keep me updated so I know how many to get.

[coralsandbar]

If the price is good enough I could definitely use 30 to help out fellow reefers that have been waiting on them. I'd even take as many as 60.

But heck, even a breeding pair would suffice. I already have the aiptasia tank up and going. Lol!

Rob

[ostrow]

Rob:

My guess is it's a toss-up whether you'll get them first (or, have you given up on your alternate supplier?) or the guy I'm talking to will. He just told me -- he's a wholesaler who is going to try and get them directly for me -- that his supplier won't ship them until the hot weather recedes, probably early Sept.

But last you emailed me you seemed to think you'd have some before then.

[coralsandbar]

I'm hoping too....It may only be a few. I do need to touch base again with the one area I thought might come through.

I will also try the other place and see if they are done moving, etc. The guy I talked to works in the back and doesn't use the computer but they did have berghia. By the time he was supposed to get back to me they moved.

I've got a business license if he needs my info.

hopefully soon.

Rob

[cybershark]

ostrow
I havent forgotten about this I have been looking and stopped by every lfs that I passed on my vacation - to no luck.
I would be interested in 4 if you can get them let me know thanks.

cybershark (Russ)

[ostrow]

Russ: yeah, noone in the country seems to have them. I 'm thinking this doesn't bode well for their effectiveness/survivability. But if I hear anything I'll let you know.

[pkolenda]

For Cyno

Maracyn (for freshwater!!!!)
It is erythromycin phosphate
12 or 24 tab size
1 tab / 25 gal (crush them and dissolve first)
Do not use the skimmer for a couple of days. Then do a big water change and turn on the skimmer. If there is still bacteria - repeat.

This works well. Just remember to use freshwater not maracyn 2 or saltwater maracyn.


For Aptasia
Best method.
Inject Muriatic Acid. Get it at a local hardware store. Use a syringe with a needle (clean the needle after) Only inject a couple syringes full for the whole tank. Try to get the aptasia by the base. You will have to guess how much you need to inject. You should be able to do a dozen with two syringes. If you are patient you might be able to get the bugger to let go when you inject him.

Other method.
I have even heard of using hydrogen peroxide. Supposedly it won't kill them but after you fill them up they will let go and you can pull them up.

Least favorite
Make a paste with calcium powder. Same stuff you use for calcwater. Suck it up with a dropper and put a couple of drops on the aptasia. Works well but you get some growth.

Good luck.

[ostrow]

I now have berghia coming!!! I need to know Wednesday how many people want as I will be finalizing my order. Wednesday noon is my deadline to know. Price will be $17 per berghia tops and if enough reply then it will go lower.

Email me with quantity, and only if you would be available to pick up Friday (hoping they'll ship Thursday).