The best way to get rid of aiptasia is to introduce an aiptasia eating nudibranch in your reef tank.
The Aiptasia anemone is a notorious aquarium pest that is hard to get rid of once it gets in the tank.
There are many different ways to get rid of aiptasia, but natural removal remains the best.
In this article, you will get familiar with the Berghia nudibranch, a tiny organism that effectively eliminates the aiptasia in your reef tank.
Without furder ado, let’s get started!
Contents
What is Berghia nudibranch?
Berghia are tiny organisms that belong to the genus of sea slugs, aeolid nudibranchs.
These small animals are found in the warm waters of the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, and the Caribbean. They are hermaphroditic, which means each individual has both male and female reproductive organs.
As long as the conditions in your reef tank are good, the Berghia nudibranch will reproduce. They lay eggs that hatch after two weeks of fertilization. The newborns can start laying eggs when they are 28 days old, and the life cycle continues.
Why would you choose Berghia nudibranch when there are other better-looking natural aiptasia predators?
The Berghia nudibranch feeds exclusively on aiptasia anemone. It is its superpower.
Unlike other natural aiptasia predators, such as peppermint shrimp, filefish, or Ccopperband butterflyfish, the Berghia nudibranch will never nip on corals.
See Also: What is the best aiptasia removal method
How fast do Berghia nudibranch eat Aiptasia?
How fast the Berghia nudibranch eats the aiptasia will depend on the magnitude of the aiptasia infestation and the number of nudibranchs you introduce in the tank.
Be patient and let nature take its course. No good things happen overnight. It will usually take over a month to start noticing aiptasia missing and more than three months to eradicate all the aiptasia.
When you introduce aiptasia eating nudibranchs into your tank, don’t worry if you don’t see them afterward. They are nocturnal animals, which means they hunt during the night hours and hide during the day.
If you see them during the day, they can’t find any aiptasia, which means they soon will starve to death.
One way to find whether your nudibranch has eaten an aiptasia is to check their body color. If the Berghia nudibranch has eaten an aiptasia, it will have a brown color, and if not, it will have a white color.
Are Berghia nudibranch reef safe?
The best thing about the Berghia nudibranch is that it is completely reef safe. That’s right, you heard me. Completely reef safe.
Unlike other natural aiptasia predators, the Berghia nudibranch will eat only the aiptasia anemone. However, the only downside is that it will starve to death when the aiptasia is gone.
If you notice that there is no longer aiptasia anemone in your reef tank, and there are still Berghia nudibranchs, do a good deed and share them with a fellow reefer. Don’t let these awesome creatures die of starvation.
See Also: What is aiptasia eating filefish
How many Berghia nudibranchs do I need?
Buying the correct number of Berghia nudibranchs is important to have success in eliminating aiptasia anemones.
The rule of thumb is to get 1 to 2 Berghia nudibranchs per 10 gallons for a moderate to heavy aiptasia infestation. The more nudibranch you get, the better the chances are for Berghia to outcompete the aiptasia.
If you have a smaller tank, you probably think you can get away with purchasing several Berghia nudibranchs.
However, I would not recommend getting less than six nudibranchs because they will have a hard time finding a mate to reproduce.
What fish will eat Berghia nudibranch?
Before you purchase Berghia nudibranchs, you need to know if any predators in your reef tank may eat them.
There are a lot of predators in a reef tank that may eat nudibranchs, but if you have bought a large number of nudibranchs and your tank conditions are good, they will reproduce and reestablish the population again.
However, be aware of wrasses, butterflyfish, peppermint shrimps, and all the species that scavenge and actively hunt on the rocks.
Final Thoughts
The Berghia nudibranch is the best natural way for aiptasia removal.
These tiny organisms will help you get rid of this notorious pest and eliminate one of the most unpleasant sights in the saltwater aquarium hobby.
What are you waiting? Get your Berghia nudibranch and say goodbye forever to the aiptasia anemone.