Berghia nudi advice? And my culturing journal!!

[Reef UP]

Hey everyone what's up? Haha
Hey my friend just cultured some Berghia and I'm grabbing 10 off of him for my main display as I have had an outbreak due to me working a ton don't worry grow out guys it's all under the under laying rocks not up around any of my sps lol back to subject at hand I know that ten will not be enough for my tank as it's a 125 g aga tank and there are quite a few of these little aptasia on the bottom rocks and undersides of the rocks so I was just curious if anyone here had any incite as to culturing these little guys to make the most effective #'s
I already have a 10g tank with tons of aptasia in it for them to call home until their numbers multiply and also so I can keep a future culture going for anyone else that may need them or if I have such events as this occurring again
I will also be using this thread as a culturing journal to document my successes and failures, but as for now all tips to get me going will be a big plus and hey if ya need some burghia I may just have some for ya in the future and will be able to pass on what I've learned so you can be successful too!

 

[Reef keeper]

sounds cool following count me in for some i wen u culture them!

 

[Reef UP]

Bump for knowledge

 

[Reef UP]

Well have a great update for everyone I just checked on my Berghia and I just counted 6 egg strands that was quick anyone know how long before they hatch?

 

[Reef keeper]

hey man heres a book on raising and breedin em
Breeding Berghia Nudibranches- Learn About Berghia Nudibranches

 

[Reef UP]

hey man heres a book on raising and breedin em
Breeding Berghia Nudibranches- Learn About Berghia Nudibranches

You must really want some lol thanks man!

 

[Reef keeper]

lol yeah and welcome! (need these nems gone b4 they go into the new tank!)

 

[Reef UP]

lol yeah and welcome! (need these nems gone b4 they go into the new tank!)

Haha I hear ya there
For anyone interested here's a great read if you're planning on getting berghias
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-01/ac/feature/index.php

 

[Curtie44]

I had a depressingly huge outbreak of aiptasia in my 120 several months ago. It was my own fault, they had colonized in my overflows and I thought I could scrape them off and catch them in my filter sock down in the sump before they got into the main display. Well, that didn't work. Before I knew it my whole tank was infested. They were EVERYWHERE. They were so bad that I was doubting weather I was going to be able to save the tank. I tried the usual stuff with limited success, Kalk paste, Aiptasia x etc... The Aiptasia X probably worked the best of everything I tried, but there were just way to many to keep on top of. After all that frustration I finally decided to try the Berghia. I initially started with just 5. I know, only 5 Berghia in a fully infested 120G reef....what was I thinking. After a month or so of seeing no reduction in aiptasia, not to mention never seeing the Berghia again, I started to wonder if I wasted my $. I decided to give it another shot and bought another 10 (cheapskate, I know). I watched and waited....being the impatient person that I am I was also treating with Aiptasia X while I waited. Slowly but surely the aiptasia began to disappear! You know how there are those certain aiptasia that are right next to your prize coral...the ones that drive you crazy because every time you try to get it it just comes back? Well, I had a bunch of those and after a while they would just be gone one morning. Then a few days later another one would no longer be there. It took about 4-5 months but just about all of my aiptasia are gone now (there are still some in my overflows). I'm super happy with the results...and with only 15 Berghia. I wish I would have taken some pictures of how bad the tank had gotten so I could show the before and after. Just remember, patience is the key. Pretty soon you will start to notice the aiptasia disappearing, one by one.

 

[returnofsid]

It'll take between 10-14 days for the egg strands to hatch. After hatching, it'll still be a week or two, before the baby berghia are even large enough to see, with the naked eye. Keep in mind, teeny tiny berghia need teeny tiny aiptasia to eat.

I'm on my 3rd Berghia rearing attempt, the first two were bitter disappointments. This time around, things are going quite well and I'm up to my 3rd generation, hatching out.

The largest problem you'll have, even though you think you're overrun with Aiptasia, will be providing the Berghia with enough Aiptasia...lol.

Recently, I've had to get aiptasia from fellow local reefers, and a local LFS, in order to feed my Berghia.

 

[Reef UP]

Hey thanks for the reply!
As of today I counted 12 egg strands if these all hatch I'll have a plague of Berghia and a plague of aptasia lol!
Hey another question for fellow people i was wondering if it'd be ok to hook people up with egg strands have a few people that would like some and I was just wondering if they'd make it either through new acclimation or shipment or what have you thanks!

 

[returnofsid]

The egg strands actually can be shipped easily. Removing them from the glass is also a lot easier than you'd think. Each strand is only attached, to the glass, at one end. You can gently slide a razor blade under the egg strand and remove it. Place egg strands in a specimen container, with tank water, and you're good to go. Berghia can be shipped this same way and will often lay eggs, during shipping.

 

[Reef UP]

The egg strands actually can be shipped easily. Removing them from the glass is also a lot easier than you'd think. Each strand is only attached, to the glass, at one end. You can gently slide a razor blade under the egg strand and remove it. Place egg strands in a specimen container, with tank water, and you're good to go. Berghia can be shipped this same way and will often lay eggs, during shipping.

Great to know thank you!

 

[fraggardner]

Any so cal reefers in need I have a ton and can trade for some aptasia as I'm have the same issue with not enough food for the lil guys there are tons in my tanks and I want to lower the population count before they all starve. Here is the scoop i started with 3 yes 3 in 250g of frag tanks I placed them in the fuge but they made their way everywhere now I'm feeding the aptasia.

 

[Reefpestsolutions]

Yep the tuff part food. It only takes berghia 5 days to starve to death.

 

[Reefpestsolutions]

Great to know thank you!

There is no acclimation the eggs are protected by the caseing. Just temp should be the same

 

[Reefpestsolutions]

O snap what's up sid? Can you explain the food it takes to culture berghia?

 

[Reef UP]

Oh totally forgot abot this thread after non of my egg strands hatched and I put all my berg in the DT so I'm waiting till I see a few more numbers in the DT and then I grab some out and try culturing them again!

 

[mobyreef]

I have recently learned that Peppermint shrimp will eat berghia. I made the mistake of trying Joe's juice, shooting with Kalk, other recipes & finally peppermint shrimp before I learned of berghias. Now I have to remove the peppermint shrimp before I get an order of berghias.
Just wanted to share the knowledge so that others may not make the mistake I made.

 

[Reef UP]

I found out a Sally light foot crab will die from consuming a Berghia insaw my Sally lightfoot eating one and a couple hours later he was dead upside down on the bottom!!