Berghia nudibranch
Berghia stephanieae
Also known as Aiptasia Eating Nudibranch, Berghia Sea Slug, Aeolidiella stephanieae, Aiptasia Nudibranch
SaltwaterInvertebrate
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–81°F
- 24–27°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 0.8 in
- 2 cm
- Minimum tank
- 5 gal
- 20 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Easy
- Rarity
- Common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Aeolidiidae
- Origin
- Western Atlantic and Caribbean, on shallow reef and rubble where Aiptasia anemones grow.
Overview
The Berghia nudibranch is a small sea slug kept for one job, eating the pest anemone Aiptasia. It works on the rock and bottom of a reef tank and is best with a little experience.
Did you know
The Berghia nudibranch stores stinging cells from the Aiptasia it eats inside its cerata. It can even keep some working algal chloroplasts there.
Caring for the Berghia nudibranch
Add several Berghia nudibranchs to a reef tank with an Aiptasia outbreak, and they can wipe it out over a few weeks. A small group can clear a badly infested tank on its own. Even a nano of 5 gal (20 L) is big enough, but keep them clear of strong pump intakes.
Hold the water at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) and a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. They need no feeding beyond the pest anemones, because they eat only Aiptasia. Once the Aiptasia is gone they starve, so remove them or let them decline.
Berghia nudibranchs are peaceful and reef safe, and they are fine alone or in a group. Keep them out of tanks with peppermint shrimp or wrasses, which may eat them. They breed so readily in captivity that hobbyists raise and sell them in batches.
Good to know
The Berghia nudibranch, Berghia stephanieae, is a white to cream aeolid nudibranch in the family Aeolidiidae. It was once sold under the name Aeolidiella stephanieae. The feathery appendages along its back are called cerata. The trade also calls it the Aiptasia eating nudibranch or the Berghia sea slug.
In the wild
The Berghia nudibranch comes from the western Atlantic and the Caribbean. It lives on shallow reef and rubble where Aiptasia anemones grow, and it drifts over the rock at night hunting them.
Common questions
What size tank does a Berghia nudibranch need?
A Berghia nudibranch needs at least 5 gal (20 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a Berghia nudibranch need?
A Berghia nudibranch is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
What does a Berghia nudibranch eat?
A Berghia nudibranch eats only the pest anemone Aiptasia and needs no other food. It starves once the Aiptasia run out.
How big does a Berghia nudibranch get?
An adult Berghia nudibranch reaches about 0.8 in (2 cm).
How does a Berghia nudibranch breed?
Berghia nudibranchs breed so readily in captivity that hobbyists raise them and sell them in batches. Breeding them is easy.
