Aiptasia: taking care of business
- Thread starter BigSurplusRon
- Start date
moze229
Member
Sorry that you had that happen.
Some people don't have luck with them, but I bought two that wiped out my entire tank of aiptasia many years back. I didn't have anything else but some crabs and clownfish at the time though, so they lived long prosperous lives.
Injecting them does work, Got a syringe from the Vet I use and injecting them. Trouble is it was so long ago I don't remember what I used. Want to say a little bit of vinegar (white). Didn't need much... I like Snid's post use natural it always the best method..
I know if you injecting me with vinegar I'd shrivel up
I know if you injecting me with vinegar I'd shrivel up
BigSurplusRon
Member
Well some more progress on this.... decided it was time to take action and got some freshly squeezed lemon into a syringe (without needle) and squirted 5ml of it into the mouth of the anemone. He did not like this.
Immediately he turned black and shrunk to about an inch and was all twisted. Was like that when I went to bed and I'll have to check when I get home how he is looking.
Question for the team is: what is gonna happen now? Will he fall off the rock or will I need to still prise him off?
Immediately he turned black and shrunk to about an inch and was all twisted. Was like that when I went to bed and I'll have to check when I get home how he is looking.
Question for the team is: what is gonna happen now? Will he fall off the rock or will I need to still prise him off?
BigSurplusRon
Member
Oh yes.... and as he had reduced in size I was able to look into the cave where the foot is and found that some of the peppermint shrimp have survived!!!
Counted two so far but will keep on checking.
Counted two so far but will keep on checking.
Paul Taylor
New Member
Good news on finding the shrimp!
I mysteriously lost a tropical fish once, just disappeared, no evidence of a death. Three weeks later he mysteriously reappeared when I took out the internal filter and replaced it with an external one... he must have somehow jumped over the top into the filter area, lord knows what he survived on, but it's always nice when they come back like that ;-)
I mysteriously lost a tropical fish once, just disappeared, no evidence of a death. Three weeks later he mysteriously reappeared when I took out the internal filter and replaced it with an external one... he must have somehow jumped over the top into the filter area, lord knows what he survived on, but it's always nice when they come back like that ;-)
Snid
Active Member
Shrimps, crabs, and some fish can disappear for weeks or sometimes even months! I thought I lost my Peppermint Shrimp almost as soon as I moved him from my QT to my DT. I started thinking that he didn't make the transition, but he's plenty alive and doesn't really hide at all anymore.
Dracko
Well-Known Member
Q: Will Berghia nudibranchs eat my corals or other inhabitants in my aquarium?
A: NO. Berghia have a highly specialized diet consisting solely on Aiptasia. If Berghia cannot find aiptasia to eat within 5-7 days they will die. They are therefore, the most perfect, highly desirable solution for aquarist.
Q: How long does it take for the Berghia to rid my aquarium of aiptasia?
A: Patience “Is A Must” for best results! Nature must be able to take it’s course on it’s own time frame. Like Aiptasia, Berghia reproduce exponentially. It is necessary to have sufficient quantities of Berghia to keep up with the reproduction of aiptasia. If you want to pay, you can purchase hundreds of Berghia for immediate results; or you can wait for them to create a “voracious aiptasia eliminating nudi colony,” If you introduce the recommended quantity of Berghia it should take about 3 months to achieve a 2nd egg laying population of Berghia. This is when the aiptasia don’t stand a chance. At this point, the time frame is relative to the extent of the aiptasia problem and the number of predators present that eat Berghia.
Q: Why not just “Inject” or “Feed” the aiptasia chemicals or Calcium solutions to kill them?
A: Many times when you use these methods, the treatment does kill the aiptasia treated. One problem, is finding, reaching and treating every aiptasia present. Secondly, there is a very good chance the treatment will cause the aiptasia to release thousands of planulae larvae in the water to repopulate itself. Therefore, within 3-6 weeks you risk having hundreds of little aiptasia, for each aiptasia treated, beginning to develop all over your aquarium, and I mean everywhere…….aaaahhhhhh !!!!!!
Q: How many Berghia should I put into my tank?
A: Here are a few rules of thumb
At least one Berghia per 10 gallons for a moderate to heavy infestation.
Or, 2 Berghia per 10 Aiptasia plus one or more per each additional 10 Aiptasia present.
If you have several groups of more than 10 Aiptasia, you’ll want to put in several groups of 6 or more Berghia. Berghia Nudibranchs multiply quickly; it can take several generations to build a large enough colony to completely eradicate an Aiptasia infestation. The more Berghia you start with the faster they find each other to lay eggs and the larger the colony becomes. Thus, the faster the Aiptasia infestation declines leaving your aquarium “Aiptasia Free!”
“It is not recommended to put less than 6 nudibranchs in any size aquarium as it may be too difficult for them to find a mate in order to breed.”
For more information about the number of Berghia to buy, visit our Estimating Needs page.
Q: What eats Berghia?
A: There are several common inhabitants found in aquariums that can feed on your Berghia population. It is best not to have any, but having a predator doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t have Berghia, but they will impact them. The more predators you have, the greater the risk of not achieving a viable Berghia population. Aggressive shrimp, such as, Peppermint shrimp, and Camel shrimp pose some of the largest threats. Many wrasses, as well will seek out Berghia. Most fish, however, don’t care for the taste of the Berghia because they incorporate the aiptasia’s nematocysts within their tissues. Some crabs (the Sally Lightfoot) and Bristle Worms can do damage as well.
Q: After putting the Berghia in my aquarium I haven’t seen them since. Did they die?
A: As long as the Berghia were acclimated correctly, it is quite normal not to ever see the Berghia again, as they are nocturnal and seek their food at night. If you do see them during the daylight hours, chances are they are having a hard time finding aiptasia to eat and are starving, usually seen when most aiptasia are gone.
Q: How long does it take?
A: Patience A Must for Results! Nudibranchs are very small organisms reaching only up to 1 -1 ½ inches when fully mature. When reaching ¼ to ½ inch the young adults are very active and begin laying eggs. Each egg coil can have 100 to 300 eggs. Depending on the infestation of Aiptasia it can take 3-9 weeks for Berghia to start showing any decrease in anemones. Around 3 months the baby Berghia of the original colony will become visible, and in 4-5 months the young Berghia should be as large as the original colony.
If after 4-6 months there is no decline of aiptasia then reinforcements are needed to increase. LARGER COLONIES are a NECESSITY to gain control over massive growth or explosion!
The lifespan of the Berghia is 9 months to one year as long as there is enough food supply. Eventually the colony of Berghia will disappear naturally over time once the Aiptasia is eradicated! Great job!
Ready to eliminate nuisance Aiptasia? Click here to purchase Berghia.
A: NO. Berghia have a highly specialized diet consisting solely on Aiptasia. If Berghia cannot find aiptasia to eat within 5-7 days they will die. They are therefore, the most perfect, highly desirable solution for aquarist.
Q: How long does it take for the Berghia to rid my aquarium of aiptasia?
A: Patience “Is A Must” for best results! Nature must be able to take it’s course on it’s own time frame. Like Aiptasia, Berghia reproduce exponentially. It is necessary to have sufficient quantities of Berghia to keep up with the reproduction of aiptasia. If you want to pay, you can purchase hundreds of Berghia for immediate results; or you can wait for them to create a “voracious aiptasia eliminating nudi colony,” If you introduce the recommended quantity of Berghia it should take about 3 months to achieve a 2nd egg laying population of Berghia. This is when the aiptasia don’t stand a chance. At this point, the time frame is relative to the extent of the aiptasia problem and the number of predators present that eat Berghia.
Q: Why not just “Inject” or “Feed” the aiptasia chemicals or Calcium solutions to kill them?
A: Many times when you use these methods, the treatment does kill the aiptasia treated. One problem, is finding, reaching and treating every aiptasia present. Secondly, there is a very good chance the treatment will cause the aiptasia to release thousands of planulae larvae in the water to repopulate itself. Therefore, within 3-6 weeks you risk having hundreds of little aiptasia, for each aiptasia treated, beginning to develop all over your aquarium, and I mean everywhere…….aaaahhhhhh !!!!!!
Q: How many Berghia should I put into my tank?
A: Here are a few rules of thumb
At least one Berghia per 10 gallons for a moderate to heavy infestation.
Or, 2 Berghia per 10 Aiptasia plus one or more per each additional 10 Aiptasia present.
If you have several groups of more than 10 Aiptasia, you’ll want to put in several groups of 6 or more Berghia. Berghia Nudibranchs multiply quickly; it can take several generations to build a large enough colony to completely eradicate an Aiptasia infestation. The more Berghia you start with the faster they find each other to lay eggs and the larger the colony becomes. Thus, the faster the Aiptasia infestation declines leaving your aquarium “Aiptasia Free!”
“It is not recommended to put less than 6 nudibranchs in any size aquarium as it may be too difficult for them to find a mate in order to breed.”
For more information about the number of Berghia to buy, visit our Estimating Needs page.
Q: What eats Berghia?
A: There are several common inhabitants found in aquariums that can feed on your Berghia population. It is best not to have any, but having a predator doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t have Berghia, but they will impact them. The more predators you have, the greater the risk of not achieving a viable Berghia population. Aggressive shrimp, such as, Peppermint shrimp, and Camel shrimp pose some of the largest threats. Many wrasses, as well will seek out Berghia. Most fish, however, don’t care for the taste of the Berghia because they incorporate the aiptasia’s nematocysts within their tissues. Some crabs (the Sally Lightfoot) and Bristle Worms can do damage as well.
Q: After putting the Berghia in my aquarium I haven’t seen them since. Did they die?
A: As long as the Berghia were acclimated correctly, it is quite normal not to ever see the Berghia again, as they are nocturnal and seek their food at night. If you do see them during the daylight hours, chances are they are having a hard time finding aiptasia to eat and are starving, usually seen when most aiptasia are gone.
Q: How long does it take?
A: Patience A Must for Results! Nudibranchs are very small organisms reaching only up to 1 -1 ½ inches when fully mature. When reaching ¼ to ½ inch the young adults are very active and begin laying eggs. Each egg coil can have 100 to 300 eggs. Depending on the infestation of Aiptasia it can take 3-9 weeks for Berghia to start showing any decrease in anemones. Around 3 months the baby Berghia of the original colony will become visible, and in 4-5 months the young Berghia should be as large as the original colony.
If after 4-6 months there is no decline of aiptasia then reinforcements are needed to increase. LARGER COLONIES are a NECESSITY to gain control over massive growth or explosion!
The lifespan of the Berghia is 9 months to one year as long as there is enough food supply. Eventually the colony of Berghia will disappear naturally over time once the Aiptasia is eradicated! Great job!
Ready to eliminate nuisance Aiptasia? Click here to purchase Berghia.
Dracko
Well-Known Member
Q: Will Berghia nudibranchs eat my corals or other inhabitants in my aquarium?
A: NO. Berghia have a highly specialized diet consisting solely on Aiptasia. If Berghia cannot find aiptasia to eat within 5-7 days they will die. They are therefore, the most perfect, highly desirable solution for aquarist.
Q: How long does it take for the Berghia to rid my aquarium of aiptasia?
A: Patience “Is A Must” for best results! Nature must be able to take it’s course on it’s own time frame. Like Aiptasia, Berghia reproduce exponentially. It is necessary to have sufficient quantities of Berghia to keep up with the reproduction of aiptasia. If you want to pay, you can purchase hundreds of Berghia for immediate results; or you can wait for them to create a “voracious aiptasia eliminating nudi colony,” If you introduce the recommended quantity of Berghia it should take about 3 months to achieve a 2nd egg laying population of Berghia. This is when the aiptasia don’t stand a chance. At this point, the time frame is relative to the extent of the aiptasia problem and the number of predators present that eat Berghia.
Q: Why not just “Inject” or “Feed” the aiptasia chemicals or Calcium solutions to kill them?
A: Many times when you use these methods, the treatment does kill the aiptasia treated. One problem, is finding, reaching and treating every aiptasia present. Secondly, there is a very good chance the treatment will cause the aiptasia to release thousands of planulae larvae in the water to repopulate itself. Therefore, within 3-6 weeks you risk having hundreds of little aiptasia, for each aiptasia treated, beginning to develop all over your aquarium, and I mean everywhere…….aaaahhhhhh !!!!!!
Q: How many Berghia should I put into my tank?
A: Here are a few rules of thumb
At least one Berghia per 10 gallons for a moderate to heavy infestation.
Or, 2 Berghia per 10 Aiptasia plus one or more per each additional 10 Aiptasia present.
If you have several groups of more than 10 Aiptasia, you’ll want to put in several groups of 6 or more Berghia. Berghia Nudibranchs multiply quickly; it can take several generations to build a large enough colony to completely eradicate an Aiptasia infestation. The more Berghia you start with the faster they find each other to lay eggs and the larger the colony becomes. Thus, the faster the Aiptasia infestation declines leaving your aquarium “Aiptasia Free!”
“It is not recommended to put less than 6 nudibranchs in any size aquarium as it may be too difficult for them to find a mate in order to breed.”
For more information about the number of Berghia to buy, visit our Estimating Needs page.
Q: What eats Berghia?
A: There are several common inhabitants found in aquariums that can feed on your Berghia population. It is best not to have any, but having a predator doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t have Berghia, but they will impact them. The more predators you have, the greater the risk of not achieving a viable Berghia population. Aggressive shrimp, such as, Peppermint shrimp, and Camel shrimp pose some of the largest threats. Many wrasses, as well will seek out Berghia. Most fish, however, don’t care for the taste of the Berghia because they incorporate the aiptasia’s nematocysts within their tissues. Some crabs (the Sally Lightfoot) and Bristle Worms can do damage as well.
Q: After putting the Berghia in my aquarium I haven’t seen them since. Did they die?
A: As long as the Berghia were acclimated correctly, it is quite normal not to ever see the Berghia again, as they are nocturnal and seek their food at night. If you do see them during the daylight hours, chances are they are having a hard time finding aiptasia to eat and are starving, usually seen when most aiptasia are gone.
Q: How long does it take?
A: Patience A Must for Results! Nudibranchs are very small organisms reaching only up to 1 -1 ½ inches when fully mature. When reaching ¼ to ½ inch the young adults are very active and begin laying eggs. Each egg coil can have 100 to 300 eggs. Depending on the infestation of Aiptasia it can take 3-9 weeks for Berghia to start showing any decrease in anemones. Around 3 months the baby Berghia of the original colony will become visible, and in 4-5 months the young Berghia should be as large as the original colony.
If after 4-6 months there is no decline of aiptasia then reinforcements are needed to increase. LARGER COLONIES are a NECESSITY to gain control over massive growth or explosion!
The lifespan of the Berghia is 9 months to one year as long as there is enough food supply. Eventually the colony of Berghia will disappear naturally over time once the Aiptasia is eradicated! Great job!
A: NO. Berghia have a highly specialized diet consisting solely on Aiptasia. If Berghia cannot find aiptasia to eat within 5-7 days they will die. They are therefore, the most perfect, highly desirable solution for aquarist.
Q: How long does it take for the Berghia to rid my aquarium of aiptasia?
A: Patience “Is A Must” for best results! Nature must be able to take it’s course on it’s own time frame. Like Aiptasia, Berghia reproduce exponentially. It is necessary to have sufficient quantities of Berghia to keep up with the reproduction of aiptasia. If you want to pay, you can purchase hundreds of Berghia for immediate results; or you can wait for them to create a “voracious aiptasia eliminating nudi colony,” If you introduce the recommended quantity of Berghia it should take about 3 months to achieve a 2nd egg laying population of Berghia. This is when the aiptasia don’t stand a chance. At this point, the time frame is relative to the extent of the aiptasia problem and the number of predators present that eat Berghia.
Q: Why not just “Inject” or “Feed” the aiptasia chemicals or Calcium solutions to kill them?
A: Many times when you use these methods, the treatment does kill the aiptasia treated. One problem, is finding, reaching and treating every aiptasia present. Secondly, there is a very good chance the treatment will cause the aiptasia to release thousands of planulae larvae in the water to repopulate itself. Therefore, within 3-6 weeks you risk having hundreds of little aiptasia, for each aiptasia treated, beginning to develop all over your aquarium, and I mean everywhere…….aaaahhhhhh !!!!!!
Q: How many Berghia should I put into my tank?
A: Here are a few rules of thumb
At least one Berghia per 10 gallons for a moderate to heavy infestation.
Or, 2 Berghia per 10 Aiptasia plus one or more per each additional 10 Aiptasia present.
If you have several groups of more than 10 Aiptasia, you’ll want to put in several groups of 6 or more Berghia. Berghia Nudibranchs multiply quickly; it can take several generations to build a large enough colony to completely eradicate an Aiptasia infestation. The more Berghia you start with the faster they find each other to lay eggs and the larger the colony becomes. Thus, the faster the Aiptasia infestation declines leaving your aquarium “Aiptasia Free!”
“It is not recommended to put less than 6 nudibranchs in any size aquarium as it may be too difficult for them to find a mate in order to breed.”
For more information about the number of Berghia to buy, visit our Estimating Needs page.
Q: What eats Berghia?
A: There are several common inhabitants found in aquariums that can feed on your Berghia population. It is best not to have any, but having a predator doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t have Berghia, but they will impact them. The more predators you have, the greater the risk of not achieving a viable Berghia population. Aggressive shrimp, such as, Peppermint shrimp, and Camel shrimp pose some of the largest threats. Many wrasses, as well will seek out Berghia. Most fish, however, don’t care for the taste of the Berghia because they incorporate the aiptasia’s nematocysts within their tissues. Some crabs (the Sally Lightfoot) and Bristle Worms can do damage as well.
Q: After putting the Berghia in my aquarium I haven’t seen them since. Did they die?
A: As long as the Berghia were acclimated correctly, it is quite normal not to ever see the Berghia again, as they are nocturnal and seek their food at night. If you do see them during the daylight hours, chances are they are having a hard time finding aiptasia to eat and are starving, usually seen when most aiptasia are gone.
Q: How long does it take?
A: Patience A Must for Results! Nudibranchs are very small organisms reaching only up to 1 -1 ½ inches when fully mature. When reaching ¼ to ½ inch the young adults are very active and begin laying eggs. Each egg coil can have 100 to 300 eggs. Depending on the infestation of Aiptasia it can take 3-9 weeks for Berghia to start showing any decrease in anemones. Around 3 months the baby Berghia of the original colony will become visible, and in 4-5 months the young Berghia should be as large as the original colony.
If after 4-6 months there is no decline of aiptasia then reinforcements are needed to increase. LARGER COLONIES are a NECESSITY to gain control over massive growth or explosion!
The lifespan of the Berghia is 9 months to one year as long as there is enough food supply. Eventually the colony of Berghia will disappear naturally over time once the Aiptasia is eradicated! Great job!
StirCrayzy
Well-Known Member
Berghias are perfect in these situations, they will form a colony and reproduce as long as there is a.food source.
Wish I could.get a hold of some. My Aips are taking over.
Wish I could.get a hold of some. My Aips are taking over.
StirCrayzy
Well-Known Member
I' meant locally.
I''ve just grabbed another peppermint in hopes he won't go rogue and attack my hammer like the last one did.
I''ve just grabbed another peppermint in hopes he won't go rogue and attack my hammer like the last one did.
Roy Page
Active Member
HELP NEEDED!!!
Have been using Aiptasia X for a while, yes it kills them but others grow and multiply.
So now started using Lysmata wurdemanni. Put in 5 about a month ago and have now added another 4.
They all arrived very small. maybe an inch long.
The Aiptasia are thriving now throughout the tank, mostly very small ones but one or two maybe an inch long. No sign of the Shrimps eating them.
Got very small Aiptasia on every rock in the Max C-250.
To dose them all with boiling water and or lemon juice would be rather hard.
I do know it is important to kill them quickly so that they don't throw out a million spores but so far my attempts to eradicate them have achieved ZERO!
So lets have some experienced help please?
StirCrayzy
Well-Known Member
Don't panic, and don't be in a rush, they will multiply, but any form of natural control will eliminate them eventually.
Unfortunately not every pep will eat them, but a bristle tail Filefish or berghia nudibranches, will eat them almost 100% of the time. If you have capacity to add one, I would recommend the filefish. I've had excellent success using one years ago, and may have to get another soon, my apps are getting bad again since my peps disappeared.
You must be cautious, it's reported they can also have a taste for coral polyps.
Unfortunately not every pep will eat them, but a bristle tail Filefish or berghia nudibranches, will eat them almost 100% of the time. If you have capacity to add one, I would recommend the filefish. I've had excellent success using one years ago, and may have to get another soon, my apps are getting bad again since my peps disappeared.
You must be cautious, it's reported they can also have a taste for coral polyps.
Roy Page
Active Member
Thanks Josh,
It seems that the Filefish is a good option, I can't try Berghia at the moment because the Peppermint Shrimps eat them I have just read.