Aiptasia control with Berghia nudibranchs - Page 2

jiggy · #26 08/25/2006, 11:30 AM

it can be any nudibranch. they all feed on anemones, thats what makes them toxic. they arent born toxic.

Justin74 · #27 08/25/2006, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jiggy
it can be any nudibranch. they all feed on anemones, thats what makes them toxic. they arent born toxic.

Huh?

-Justin

wombat2 · #28 08/25/2006, 12:17 PM

I don't think a more untrue statement has ever been written here.

wombat2 · #29 08/25/2006, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jiggy
it can be any nudibranch.

No it can't! Lots of nudibranchs come from cold water, and would die very quickly in a tropical reef tank.

Quote:

they all feed on anemones,

Good lord man, where are you getting this stuff? Nudibranchs feed on a wide variety of invertebrate prey, including corals, anemones, hydroids, sponges, and even other nudibranchs.

Quote:

thats what makes them toxic.

Eh, sorta true, if it wasn't attached to the first part of this sentence. Many aeolid nudibranchs put the unfired nematocysts from their cnidarian prey in the cerrata along their backs. There is some evidence that some nudibranchs are toxic all on their own though. I read a study on Hermissenda crassicornis (a temperate water aeolid that feeds mostly on hydroids) that showed seagulls will spit them out even when the slugs are fed a diet of shrimp and clam meat. Apparently they have a very low stomach pH, which may help explain the apparent distaste.

Quote:

they arent born toxic.

See above.

supaboy1981 · #30 08/27/2006, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JahReefster
I have a lot of zoos in a mixed reef tank, with some mushrooms, a small toadstool leather, a candycane, and a couple blastomussa merlettis I'm fond of, in addition to all my SPS. I wouldn't mind the leather getting chewed on (it doesn't really fit with what I'm keeping anyway), but wouldn't want to lose much more than that. I was leaning toward the Klein's, but Supaboy, could you give a little more info on what you meant about what you've seen the Kleins eat?

I had a fully stoked reef tank. My corals included
Leathers
Xenia
Zoas
frogspawn
torches
hammer
anemones
Candy canes
Galaxia
Mushrooms
and some SPS

I had a huge outbreak of aptasia and if done incorrectly joes juice and Kalk will aid in the spread of aptasia rather than the eradication of them.

I got a Kleins butterfly from some fellow reefer out here in San Diego and as soon as I was done acclimating him I dumped him in the tank and the first thing he went for was tha aptasia and I mean he went after them like there was no tomorrow. a few days later and a ton of aptasia less I was noticing a few of my others we being pecked at.

it wasnt such a big deal since the corals he was eating were brown and grew like wild fire.

He never touched my LTA but he did eat some of my Zoas and my xenia along with the aptasia.

He ate them in this order

APtasia
zoas
Xenia

and I would say he preffered the aptasia tremendously over any of the other corals.

Hope this helps

JahReefster · #31 08/27/2006, 10:04 PM

Thanks, Supaboy, it does. I might just risk it... the zoas are spreading like crazy anyway and look like they might start to reach pest proportions themselves. Now if I can just find a Klein locally or if James' berghias multiply like rats so he can spare to farm some out.

Photon · #32 08/27/2006, 10:32 PM

I am getting impatient! I saw two of them together last week but haven't seen any of them since that time. They usually are not out when the lights are on. I will give them 4-6 weeks to do some damage. If I can't see a change by that time, I will try the Klein also.
If they do reproduce like rats, I will let you know.
James

Justin74 · #33 08/27/2006, 10:51 PM

Hey James do you have any wrasse in the tank?

-Justin

WarrenG · #34 08/27/2006, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JahReefster
Thanks, Supaboy, it does. I might just risk it... the zoas are spreading like crazy anyway and look like they might start to reach pest proportions themselves. Now if I can just find a Klein locally ...

I saw one at Coral Reef on Madison Ave. (much improved from the previous "Aquaworld") for $18 on Thursday.

supaboy1981 · #35 08/27/2006, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Photon
I am getting impatient! I saw two of them together last week but haven't seen any of them since that time. They usually are not out when the lights are on. I will give them 4-6 weeks to do some damage. If I can't see a change by that time, I will try the Klein also.
If they do reproduce like rats, I will let you know.
James

You wont see them ever again. They dissapear fast and stay hidden. they are nocturnal feeders and they wont make a instant impact on your tank. Sorry to burst the bubble but thats the way it goes. If you are impatient then Berghia are not for you

Photon · #36 08/28/2006, 01:24 AM

Yes, I know they are slow workers and knew that when I bought them. I am just impatient and want rid of the aiptasia, but I am willing to give them a chance.
Justin, I have one Christmas wrasse and I was worried about him and the berghia.

Justin74 · #37 08/28/2006, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Photon

Justin, I have one Christmas wrasse and I was worried about him and the berghia.

Hmmm. Id imagine he would see them before you do too. I wonder how he would react after nipping at one, if he'd keep goin or if the nemotocysts in the berghia from eating aiptasia will repel him, or if it would be toxic to him if he didnt bother to stop.Equiring minds want to know

-Justin

JahReefster · #38 08/30/2006, 03:26 PM

Thanks, Warren, I just went down and picked him up for $19. They also had a bunch of peppermints for $10/per, if anybody's interested.

Wee-Reef Master · #39 08/31/2006, 03:19 PM

HI James,

Any updates?

Justin74 · #40 08/31/2006, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JahReefster
Thanks, Warren, I just went down and picked him up for $19. They also had a bunch of peppermints for $10/per, if anybody's interested.

He's been marking alot of stuff down for quick sales, went in yesterday and the peppermints were 8.99, so I picked up 2 on trade to put in my 30g.Nice big ones too.

-Justin

Photon · #41 08/31/2006, 03:50 PM

Mike,
I have been waiting to post, but I have been holding my breath waiting to see if some of the aiptasia are actually gone or just in hiding. I can actually say that they are disappearing slowly! The area that I put them in had a large quantity and some large specimens. Some of the largest ones are totally gone!
They appear to be working! I will continue to keep you posted.
James

Justin74 · #42 08/31/2006, 04:14 PM

-Justin

Wee-Reef Master · #43 08/31/2006, 06:42 PM

Hey James,

Thanks for the update! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, but it sounds like so far so good!

saltyunderground · #44 09/18/2006, 10:29 AM

Here's my thought on a Christmas wrasse and berghia... Berghia are noctural eaters. Christmas wrasses bury themselves in sand at night. Mine goes into the sand at about 5 or 6 PM. It comes out at about 7AM. So in theory, berghia and Christmas wrasses conveniently keep opposite hours. If a berghia is out during the day searching for food, as they may do as the aiptasia in the tank dwindles, the wrasse might try to take a taste, but that's iffy.

JahReefster · #45 09/18/2006, 12:12 PM

Well, the Klein's worked great. No more aiptasia that I can see. My toadstool leather is toast too, but I think that's a rather small price to pay.

Photon · #46 09/18/2006, 01:11 PM

Fred,
Where did you find the Klein's? Did it bother anything other than the toadstool? What about ricordia?
The berghia are working, but it is a slow process. While some aiptasia are disappearing, others are growing and growing.
James

WarrenG · #47 09/18/2006, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Photon
Fred,
Where did you find the Klein's?

Mentioned on this page a few posts up...

For those who have tried the peppermint shrimp, how have they worked?

ReefRian · #48 09/18/2006, 05:12 PM

I have used many peppermints for aptasia control and they have all worked wonders, frankly I don't understand how some people have problems with them not taking care of the aptasias. Once the shrimp get use to the tank and stop hiding 24/7 the aptasias disappear within a week. I do recommend if you have large aptasias to cut off the head so it can't eat your shrimp. I know some of you don't like this idea since it will spread their body parts all over the tank and cause new ones to grow, but the babies are the easiest for them to eat and if your peppermints are eating them, you will never see them come up. Just be sure you don't have anything that will eat the peppermints. We had to stop using them for a while because our sixline wrasse kept eating them, and the aptasias grew. Once the fish passed away we were able to get them again and the aptasias were gone quickly. If you don't have peppermint eaters I would recommend this route before trying any more expensive means.

Rian

wombat2 · #49 09/19/2006, 06:59 PM

Great point Rian. The only reason I've had to resort to a Klein's was in a tank containing a flame hawk and neon dottyback that like to tag team peppermints.

ReefRian · #50 09/19/2006, 07:56 PM

An extremely important point. Make sure you get peppermit shrimp, don't confuse them with camel shrimp or other Lysmata (sp?) relatives. Often times stores have them mislabelled.

Rian