The Berghia Project, take 3!

[returnofsid]

Well, I've tried my hand at raising Berghia, twice before.

Attempt #1. I started with about 15 adult Berghia. Everything was going great, with lots of eggs, lots of babies, and running out of Aiptasia to feed them. Then I screwed up and crashed the whole thing! Grrr

Attempt #2. Not worth talking about, as it lasted about 4 days, before they all died. GRRRRR!!!

Attempt #3. I'm doing things different this time, hoping for more success, even though I'm only starting out with 2 adults.

My last two attempts failed because I wasn't diligent in keeping water quality up, and keeping a stable temperature. This time, I'm making it much more convenient, so I'll keep up on it easier. I'm starting out with 2 of these containers, hanging inside my 40 breeder.

The larger container holds the 2 adult Berghia and Aiptasia. The smaller container will be the egg nursery.

Some eggs will remain with the adults, some will be moved to the egg nursery. I'm doing this because the larger aiptasia will actually eat tiny Berghia. I'm allowing the eggs to mature, for a couple of days, after being laid, and then transferring them to the smaller container. Here's some eggs, in with the adults.

There are currently 4 egg strands, in with the adults and 2 egg strands, that are about a week old, in the egg nursery.

This set up will accomplish a couple of things. It'll make it very easy for me to do water changes. This tank is right next to our bathroom. I remove about 12 ounces of water, from each container, every day, dumping it down the toilet and replacing it with tank water, from the 40 breeder. I'm also topping off each container, every day, as I top off the 40. Also, with the containers hanging inside the 40, the temperature stays stable.

In the smaller container, I'm seeding baby aiptasia by collecting large ones and cutting them up. My main concern, right now, is running out of aiptasia. The only place I have any growing is in the overflows of the 200...lol. They're HUGE in there, but not spreading to the display or sump/fuge area, so I've always left them alone. They're coming in handy now! Anyone got aiptasia??

 

[justforfun]

if you are making a trip to west of the mt. i got a buddy with a 55g that has over 200+ heads of aiptasia and there almost 6-10" long

 

[crazyfish253]

When you have 2 to 300 baby's to feed you will be surprised how many aiptasia it actually takes to feed them. In 3 weeks it will grow from a spec to a breeder if well fed. A fully grown berghi can only go 5 day's without food. The setup looks good water changes are a pain. I would recommend an air stone at a slight flow just to keep water moving.

 

[returnofsid]

Actually, it typically takes juvenile Berghia about 30 days, to start developing eggs. Even at that age, the eggs aren't fertile. It takes a few more weeks for them to reach maturity, allowing for viable eggs. It's typically 6 weeks before they're regularly laying fertile, viable eggs.

I have been cutting up larger Aiptasia, to produce lots of small Aiptasia. I have plenty of large ones, growing in the overflows of the 200. However, at that size, they're capable of actually eating Berghia. I've seeded the egg nursery, with small pieces and can see several tiny Aiptasia starting to grow.

I've considered an airline tube, in the adult container, but haven't made that decision yet. In the egg nursery, I won't be using any airline. The problem is, when the eggs hatch, and after metamorphosis, which usually takes place between day 2 and 4, the tiny babies already need to eat Aiptasia. With an airline, they are kept suspended in the water, making it more difficult for them to find aptasia. If I do add an airline to the adult container, I'll probably drill it, and silicone an airline nipple into it.

Many successful breeders have been using Specimen Containers, to breed these guys, and have had long term success. From speaking with several of them, all they do is keep the temperature stable and do water changes, daily, or even every other day. I've upped my water change amount, in the adult container, to 50% daily. In the egg nursery, I'm currently doing a 25% WC daily. I currently have 6 egg strands in the adult container and 2 in the egg nursery. I'm still debating on whether I'm going to move the 6 strands, from the adult container, into the egg nursery.

Currently the adults are being given 2 Aiptasia at a time, and consuming them, over a 2-3 day period. I have more Aiptasia available, through local hobbyists, if needed. I'm also going to start cutting some of the ones, in the 200 overflows, allowing them to remain in the overflows. I'm thinking this will "encourage" them to reproduce! At first, I was concerned about doing this, and ending up with them migrating to the display tank. However, with the Matted Filefish in there, gobbling up Majanos, I'm not too concerned about that happening. It'd just give the Filefish another treat.

 

[crazyfish253]

I've seen e few fall to the aiptasia odd life cycle when your food can eat you. I just let my berghia roam around in a 30g and doo there thing.

 

[justforfun]

off subject but if i bleach that rock with all that aiptasia will it be gone!!!!! (thinking of a couple weeks in the sun....then 3 or 4 bleach baths then rinse rinse sun rinse......

 

[crazyfish253]

I've never bleached any due to harsh chemical hidden in the rock. All natural is the best way to go something eats something elts

 

[returnofsid]

Yes. That would kill them, but you don't need bleach. A few days in the sun and then a soak in RO/DI water will kill everything, just as dead as bleach.

 

[crazyfish253]

Are you artificial hatching today? I've had success at 10 day old egg strands. Eggs should be taking on a oblong shape if fertile.

 

[returnofsid]

Are you artificial hatching today? I've had success at 10 day old egg strands. Eggs should be taking on a oblong shape if fertile.

Funny you should ask that question, this morning. About 30 minutes ago, I attempted to do just that, by pumping an egg strand, inside a pipette. The eggs wouldn't separate. Maybe I wasn't being vigorous enough. I plan to try again, later today.

Meanwhile, yesterday, Angie was watching Berghia Porn. This morning, an adult is in the process of laying a huge egg strand, larger than any of the others, though I'm not sure if there's a reason it's larger. I just took some pictures of it, and also took pictures of the egg strand I attempted to artificially separate. I'll get those posted in a bit.

 

[crazyfish253]

Right on, how odd is that watching them lay eggs from more tourds the front of there body. First time I saw that I was shocked no one ever even mentioned it?

 

[returnofsid]

Odd, but not as odd as waking up, yesterday morning, coming downstairs and the first thing I hear, is Angie saying "The Berghia are 'doin' it!'" Then seeing her watching...lol. Somehow, that's just wrong! I still had to join in, on watching!

 

[hank187]

My little babes are growing up. LOL. Is the first egg strand about ready to hatch? I cant remember when they started "doing it".

 

[returnofsid]

Yes, yes they are! I don't remember when they actually laid the first 2 strands, before I set up the "nurseries." However, I'm guess they're about 14 days old. I tried to artificially hatch 1 strand, this morning, with no success. I'm actually only finding tiny pieces of the second strand, so don't know if they hatched or disintegrated. There are now 6 strands, in with the adults and 2 of those strands appear to be "maturing." As far as I remember, those 2 strands were laid, on June 8th. I really need to figure out a way to document when the eggs are laid! lol

Here's the eggs that were being laid, this morning.

Someone asked me, mighta been Hank, how many eggs are in a strand. I have NO IDEA, but this may give us a clue.

Eggs I attempted to hatch, artificially. This photo was taken, afterwards. I need to work on getting a better photo.

 

[returnofsid]

Not much change, so far. Hank did find another tiny, lil' berghia, in his Salona today and brought it over, since he doesn't have any Aiptasia. Added it to the adult container. It's SOOOO tiny, next to the adults...lol. It immediately started chowin' down on an Aiptasia though.

 

[returnofsid]

So has anyone counted the eggs, in the pictures I posted the other day?

So, yesterday morning, the 2 adult Berghia were floating on the surface, upside down. My first thought was that they were enjoying an "intimate moment." However, upon further inspection, they were eating an Aiptasia that I'd added, the night before, that had floated to the surface. Figured this may be a unique opportunity to get some different pictures. In this photo, you can clearly see the egg masses, inside the Berghia. By the way, another egg mass was laid, this morning.

 

[returnofsid]

Success!!

After thinking that the egg strands must not have been viable, but leaving them alone, last night, we discovered some visible baby Berghia. This morning, I was able to take a few pictures of them, though they aren't the best photos. I did a quick look and removed 5 babies, with a pippette, to move them to a container, for photographs. I placed a dime near them, for size comparison. The largest appears to be about 1/16"!

I believe there are probably more, that are too small to see yet.

 

[returnofsid]

Being able to provide enough Aiptasia was a large concern, as I started this project. Early on, I placed several large aptasia in the "nursery" container, allowed them to attach and then cut them in half or quarters, through the mouth, with a pair of scissors. This allowed me to cultivate very small aiptasia, which are needed to feed the babies. I've also been able to keep a supply of larger aiptasia, for the adults, by pinching the aiptasia that grow in my overflows, on the 200. However, today, I hit the Aiptasia Motherload!! I was replumbing a guys tank, who was having a plumbing leak. While doing so, I collected several Aiptasia. Also, since I replaced his Durso stand pipes, I kept his old stand pipes, which were absolutely covered with Aiptasia!! Between his tank, and his stand pipe, I must have collected 50 Aiptasia, some large, some small.

 

[hank187]

Thats cool man.

 

[returnofsid]

Yes it is. Your Berghia are parents Hank! How proud are you? !