Thinking of getting in on the group Berghia buy, but don't know much about them. Anybody know if a mandarin goby or peppermint shrimp would eat it? I've never seen one in person, and don't know much about them except that they eat aiptasia. How big are they? Once they eat all the aiptasia, do they die, or do they move on as an opportunistic eater? Would hate to spend that much on a snack for something else, or just to have it eat my corals later.
Berghia Nudi questions
- Thread starter Faciosity
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windwaterwaves
Aquaholic
I LOVE my file fish.. he it's it all and quick.. and he is actually eating fish food as well..
I had a square foot of aptasia, he ate them all in 3 days..
I had a square foot of aptasia, he ate them all in 3 days..
File fish? never heard of it.
tyson256031
Well-known member
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like almost all fish you take a risk by putting them into your tank, i have had a file fish in my full coral reef for about 4 months now i don't have one aptasia in my display tank and he eats fish food as well. he doesn't pick or eat any of my corals either! it could be worth a try and see if he eats them all then and if he nibbles at your corals then sell him or trade him for some bergia's LOL
Berghia Nudis are Obligate feeders, meaning they have 1 food source and will die without it. Their food source is Aiptasia. They also hunt in "packs," so several are needed. They will split up, searching for food. When they find it, they send out a signal and several of them will converge on a single Aiptasia. If you don't put enough in a tank, they won't find the Aiptasia, as effectively and will die before finding and eating them all.
Peppermint shrimp are a possible predator. I highly doubt Mandarins will touch them. Some Wrasses may eat them though. Bristle worms are also a possible predator of Berghia. However, Berghia hunt at night, when fish are sleeping. During the day, they hide in cracks, holes and crevices, in your live rock.
A very effective way to utilize Berghia, AND build up their population, is to keep them in a small container and supply them with Aiptasia. They'll quickly start laying eggs. They reproduce quickly. Once you have a decent population of them, place a group of them in your display tank, in the evening, high in the rocks. One thing to be careful of is to make sure that they get a good grip on the rocks, before releasing them. Usually, you'll be supplied with a small pipette, for this purpose.
Peppermint shrimp are a possible predator. I highly doubt Mandarins will touch them. Some Wrasses may eat them though. Bristle worms are also a possible predator of Berghia. However, Berghia hunt at night, when fish are sleeping. During the day, they hide in cracks, holes and crevices, in your live rock.
A very effective way to utilize Berghia, AND build up their population, is to keep them in a small container and supply them with Aiptasia. They'll quickly start laying eggs. They reproduce quickly. Once you have a decent population of them, place a group of them in your display tank, in the evening, high in the rocks. One thing to be careful of is to make sure that they get a good grip on the rocks, before releasing them. Usually, you'll be supplied with a small pipette, for this purpose.
I have a couple peppermints and a lot of large bristleworms, so I better not try them now. Might look into a file fish. What specific kind have you had luck with?
tyson256031
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The one i have is called an aptasia eating file fish, not sure off the top of my head if they all eat them or not. maybe someone with more fish experience can chime in and answer that 
lol
lolBored4ever86
Well-known member
I've heard bad stories of a file fish ignoring the aptasia until all zoas and palys in the tank are obilterated, then finally working on the aptasia
he only managed to save 1 or 2 colonies of his zoas before the fish had eaten his way through his tank...
he only managed to save 1 or 2 colonies of his zoas before the fish had eaten his way through his tank...
tyson256031
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i have about 20 different zas and have never lost one polyp since ive had him. lol maybe im lucy but ive never heard of them eating zoas or corals if you just feed the tank often
mfinn
Surgeonfish
I've read several threads where file fish will be doing great with corals and then suddenly turn into a coral eating machine.
jrgilles
Well-known member
I'd be in on a group buy. Was thinking I could breed some of these in my small 5.5 gallon tank. I could throw a HOB filter on it or something. How sensitive are they to water quality?
Also, I have a coral banded shrimp... with the berghia just become food for him?
Also, I have a coral banded shrimp... with the berghia just become food for him?
Of all the possible predators listed, in this thread, the Coral Banded Shrimp would be my biggest concern. I've had Berghia in with Wrasses, Peppermint Shrimp and Bristleworms, with no problems at all.
TWallace
Well-known member
returnofsid, what kind of wrasses have you kept them with? I've got a berghia order coming Thursday and I have a red coris wrasse. I know that he may eat them, but he's not nocturnal. I'm hoping the berghias will just hide inside the rocks during the day and then hunt at night while the wrasse is sleeping. I have two tanks though, both with aiptasia, but only one with a wrasse. I'll put some berghia in each. If he the wrasse does kill them, I'll at least have some backups in the other tank to breed more.
I had Berghia in a tank with a 6 lined wrasse, a 4 lined wrasse and a 2 spot hog fish.
The Berghia do hide during the day, and come out at night, while Wrasses sleep. While wrasses are a possible predator, I wouldn't be too concerned.
The Berghia do hide during the day, and come out at night, while Wrasses sleep. While wrasses are a possible predator, I wouldn't be too concerned.
jrgilles
Well-known member
So, what do you guys think about putting the berghia in with the coral banded shrimp? Will it just be throwing away money? Or might they survive?
I guess I could move the shrimp to my sump temporarily.
Or, if they are easy to keep, maybe I could breed them in a 5.5 gallon tank, then put them in and accept that some of them will do their job and some will become shrimp food... then if they bread I can hook up some locals with them
I guess I could move the shrimp to my sump temporarily.
Or, if they are easy to keep, maybe I could breed them in a 5.5 gallon tank, then put them in and accept that some of them will do their job and some will become shrimp food... then if they bread I can hook up some locals with them
mfinn
Surgeonfish
IMO
It is better to house the berghias in a smaller tank and move the aptasia infected rocks/corals to the smaller berghia tank.
They will have a smaller world in which to look for their food, plus it will be easier to find and remove the berghias when they job is done.
It is better to house the berghias in a smaller tank and move the aptasia infected rocks/corals to the smaller berghia tank.
They will have a smaller world in which to look for their food, plus it will be easier to find and remove the berghias when they job is done.
Absolutely the best way to utilize Berghia!!
