discuspro Posted April 30, 2006 Share Posted April 30, 2006 Unless some of you know where I can get velvet and berghia nudibranchs dependably, in Austin, I think we should all start calling the shops and pushing them to carry some. If they start carrying them then newbies would have maybe less of a problem with getting them in thier tanks by buying from local LFS, and I've pretty much seen aiptasia or brown nudibranchs at all of our local shops so they need these guys as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedude Posted April 30, 2006 Share Posted April 30, 2006 They aren't readily available and die often in captivity. We've had berghia's before and they almost always sit in our tanks as I feed them every aptasia I can find, while they slowly starve to death. The velvet nudibranch only eats flatworms and we don't stock them because they also have a horrible death rate in captivity with no lasting food supply. The velvet nudibranch is definitely something that needs to be left in the ocean IMO and there is a local guy who raises berghia. His handle is Instar on MAAST. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ACampbell Posted April 30, 2006 Share Posted April 30, 2006 I've gotten a velvet nudi before. It was by request only and you had to pick em up the day they came in. They stayed in the bag from the wholeseller. They do good as long as you have a ton of flatworms. After they eat them all its time to give it to someone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discuspro Posted April 30, 2006 Author Share Posted April 30, 2006 What store are you referring to when you say we? Is Instar genuinely local, like Austin, or in Texas requiring a drive by either party? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedude Posted April 30, 2006 Share Posted April 30, 2006 When I say we, I mean Austin Aquariums. Instar is south texas requiring a drive but UPS ground shipping would get them to you easy and cheap. A specialized predator like these nudibranchs are out of reach for most aquarists to keep. It just isn't feasible to keep them alive for long. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discuspro Posted April 30, 2006 Author Share Posted April 30, 2006 Well I did have a velvet nudi and it was eating well but made me extremely mad when I found it sucked into one of my tiny,tiny pumps that would never be able to suck something up but some how did. It seems like the most natural option to me at the moment for eradicating those orange nudi's. I know there is flatworm exit but I just don't feel myself trusting a chemical that will kill these guys and be reef-safe. I think my main focus for bringing this up is because I'm trying to wiggle out of buying a $$$ organism that doesn't ship well and may cost $40 to get shipped. Having it local is ideal for the buyer but I know it is not always possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedude Posted April 30, 2006 Share Posted April 30, 2006 Just to clarify, they are not orange nudibranchs you're dealing with I believe. I think what you are referring to is the reddish orange flatworm. They are a predator and can smother a coral with their numbers jumping into the thousands. Flatworm Exit is reef safe but the chemicals the flatworms release are very dangerous. The best method is to actively suck them out of your reef daily for clost to 2 weeks then follow the directions on the chemical. The chemical praziquantel is another viable option to eradicate them. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ACampbell Posted April 30, 2006 Share Posted April 30, 2006 6 line wrasse is a better natural option. Plus it is a beautiful fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ACampbell Posted April 30, 2006 Share Posted April 30, 2006 Some people have had sucess with target manderins although this can be a hit a miss, just depends on if the fish likes them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnG Posted April 30, 2006 Share Posted April 30, 2006 Dustin - Here is the link to the Berghia's. You have to buy them by the pairs and release them in your tank next to each with no water movenet. I bought 6 pre-egglaying and they eliminated my aptasia problem. I havent seen any of the Nudi's around anymore but now have started seeing a couple aptasia. My refugium was totally loaded (around 2 thousand or more) with aptasia at christmas time but I cant find a single aptasia today. If you want to place an order let me know. I might go in with you. We can take a poll to see who wants to get in. The pre-egglaying are good enough. It only takes a week or more to become egglaying. http://www.berghia.net/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discuspro Posted April 30, 2006 Author Share Posted April 30, 2006 Good idea I might have to go in on a group order with you. I knew about that site and I believe Instar the guy we are talking about is affliated with them. By the way did you have to have all of your powerheads/etc off while you had them or were they smart and stay away from the pumps? That's not good that you've seen more aiptasia, that means the berghia were not entirely efficient unless you've gotten new pieces of rock that may have had them once your berghia population died off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedude Posted April 30, 2006 Share Posted April 30, 2006 If a single CELL of aptasia remains on the rock, they will come back. There is no way to completely git rid of them permanantly but with the addition of berghia and peppermint shrimp we can keep them to an almost zero number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishypets Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 John, Can I keep a peperment shrimp in my tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedude Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 I don't see why not? Except that your large fish (rabbit, green coris, etc...) might find them tasty. As long as you added them at night they should be absolutely fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKarshens Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 I have 2 peppermint shrimp in my tank and I haven't seen an aptasia since the day after I bought them. I have even put rocks or coral in that have aptasia on them and the next morning they are clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammondegge Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 another vote for the pepperment shrimp. sump is full of aiptasia, display is free of aiptasia. i have kept peppermint shrimp in there for about a year. sometimes i think they have all died but they show up again. bonus, they are always producing eggs that their tank mates find very tasty. i finally added one to the seahorse tank as i tired of aiptasia hunting and surprise! no aiptasia. get'em. I have heard that the Golden Coris Wrasse, (which is not really a coris) will eat the flat worms. clint - get 2-3 of the peppermints, they are great night time scavengers and will keep the tank really clean. i read only one account of them hassling clams, i have never seen this repeated anywhere though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discuspro Posted May 1, 2006 Author Share Posted May 1, 2006 What about peppermints hassling Christmas tree worms? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammondegge Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 dont know. i have a lot of fan worms in the sump and none in the display, but i have always thought the Coral Beauty has kept those mowed down. could be the peppermints though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKarshens Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 My peppermints don't mess with my feather dusters. Don't know if that helps or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ACampbell Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 TalkingReef ep48 has a good breakdown on the berghia (if your into podcast) www.talkingreef.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discuspro Posted May 5, 2006 Author Share Posted May 5, 2006 That looks like some good stuff I will have to listen to, especially the power outage prep, if you know what I mean today and last night! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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