Berghia

[MrSculpin]

When I got my two from Sid, I put them in a ten gallon tank in my office with one piece of rock with a few zoa on it and a ton of aptasia. The rock was covered with hair algae too.

The two laid eggs and were eating the aptaisia.
I took the two adults out two days ago and put them in my display tank.

Hopefully the eggs will hatch. I don't think there is a lot of tiny aptasia in the tank.
Do they eat anything else when small?

I plucked a bunch of the algae off the rock to give the zoa more room, now I wish I hadn't because its all over, now Im afraid to net it out or put a filter on it in case the eggs do hatch.
Has anyone had sucess in raising these or had the eggs hatch?

 

[returnofsid]

Yes, the eggs usually have a high hatch rate. You could add a sponge filter to the tank, if you wanted. The addition of even an air tube, and pump, with NO bubble stone also works well. Anything to offer a small amount of circulation.

The young Berghia do not eat anything other than Aiptasia and it needs to be tiny aiptasia. You can reach in and squish a couple of the larger ones, which will cause them to lacerate and spread...thus growing lots of tiny ones. Who'd have ever thought we'd want or need Aiptasia huh?

 

[MrSculpin]

Hmmm I do have a sponge filter.
Right now I have an air tube. Why no bubble stone?

The tank seems to need a bit more circulation.

I have been pestering the Aiptasia by poking them (sounds mean eh?) but havent squished them really.
Yeah.. funny now, I want them to spread and grow!!!

I was worried the hair algae on the rock would be a problem as in making it harder for the little guys to find their food. But I probably cant get it off without hurting any babies if they hatch.

 

[returnofsid]

i don't think the hair algae will be an issue at all. As far as the airstone, I honestly have no idea...lol. It's just what I've read on several different sites, about culturing Berghia. Might have something to do with just how tiny these guys are, when they hatch, and a bubble stone causing a bit too much turbulence for them