Berghia Nudibranch for Sale

1 live Berghia nudibranchs — captive-bred aiptasia predators, reef safe and shipped overnight

If you have aiptasia, you have already tried the other things. Kalk paste splits them. Peppermint shrimp eat some of them, sometimes, and then eat your zoas. Berghia stephanieae is the only animal that eats aiptasia and nothing else — it will hunt every pol... Read more Show less

If you have aiptasia, you have already tried the other things. Kalk paste splits them. Peppermint shrimp eat some of them, sometimes, and then eat your zoas. Berghia stephanieae is the only animal that eats aiptasia and nothing else — it will hunt every polyp in the tank, including the ones behind the rock you cannot reach, and then starve out once they are gone. These are captive-bred, size-graded, and shipped overnight with a written acclimation and stocking plan.

Watch with chapters, transcript & related products

Top picks

Featured Berghia Nudibranch

Compare the strongest options in this collection at a glance.

Berghia Nudibranch - Aiptasia Destroyers! (XL)

Berghia Nudibranch - Aiptasia Destroyers - Reef Genetics

Starting at $23.99

View details

Answers

Berghia Nudibranch FAQ: Aiptasia Control & Care

Are Berghia nudibranchs reef safe, and what do they eat?

Yes. Berghia nudibranchs (Aeolidiella stephanieae) are obligate Aiptasia predators. They eat Aiptasia anemones and do not eat coral, algae, prepared foods, or Majano anemones. Because Aiptasia is their only food source, plan to rehome surviving Berghia after the infestation is gone.

How many Berghia nudibranchs do I need?

Quantity depends on tank volume, infestation severity, rockwork, predators, and Berghia size. For standard Berghia, start around 2–3 in a 10–30 gallon tank, 4–6 in a 40–75 gallon tank, or 8–12 in a 100+ gallon tank, increasing the group for heavy infestations. Follow the product-specific recommendation for standard or XL animals.

How long does it take Berghia nudibranchs to eliminate Aiptasia?

Most aquariums need several weeks to a few months. Berghia are nocturnal and work gradually, so you may not see them during the day. The timeline depends on tank size, infestation level, group size, rockwork, and predators; Aiptasia reduction can accelerate after the Berghia settle in and reproduce.

How should I acclimate and add Berghia to my reef tank?

Follow the acclimation instructions supplied with your order, matching temperature and adjusting gradually to the aquarium’s salinity. Introduce Berghia after lights out, pause strong pumps long enough for them to attach, and place them gently on rockwork near Aiptasia. Avoid open-water release, strong flow, and unnecessary handling.

What fish and invertebrates may eat Berghia nudibranchs?

Wrasses, dottybacks, filefish, butterflyfish, puffers, triggers, and some carnivorous shrimp may eat Berghia or their eggs. Pumps and overflows can also pose a risk. Add Berghia at night near protected rockwork and reduce predator and intake hazards whenever possible.

Dive deeper

Dive Deeper: Using Berghia Nudibranchs to Eliminate Aiptasia

Berghia stephanieae is an obligate aiptasia predator. That is the entire reason it exists in this hobby. It will not touch your corals, your clams, your zoanthids or your macroalgae, because it physically cannot eat anything except Aiptasia anemones. That specificity is what makes it the most reliable aiptasia removal method available, and it is also why the population dies off once the job is done.

How Many Berghia Do I Need?

Aiptasia level	Tank size	Recommended stocking
A few visible polyps	Under 40 gal	3–4 nudibranchs
Noticeable infestation	40–90 gal	6–8 nudibranchs
Heavy infestation	90–180 gal	8–12 nudibranchs
Severe, rock-covering	180 gal+	12+ , consider a second round

Buy more than feels necessary. Berghia are nocturnal, slow, and easily eaten — stocking too few is the most common reason people conclude "Berghia don't work."

Acclimation and Release

Drip acclimate slowly, over 60–90 minutes. These are soft-bodied invertebrates with no tolerance for salinity or temperature swings.
Release after lights out. Berghia are nocturnal and will immediately seek cover if released into a lit tank.
Place them directly onto rock with visible aiptasia, using a turkey baster with the flow off. Do not drop them into the water column.
Leave the flow off for 20–30 minutes so they can attach.
Do not feed the tank heavily that night — you want fish looking for aiptasia hunters, not competing food.

What Will Eat Your Berghia

This is the part most guides skip. Wrasses, particularly the Halichoeres and Coris species, will hunt them. So will most peppermint shrimp, arrow crabs, hawkfish and larger gobies. If your tank has active hunters, add Berghia in a larger batch, release at night, and expect losses. In a heavily stocked fish tank, consider treating in a separate container or accepting a longer timeline.

What to Expect on the Timeline

Weeks 1–2: nothing visible. The nudibranchs are hidden and eating.
Weeks 3–6: aiptasia population visibly drops and Berghia begin reproducing, laying spiral egg masses on the rock.
Weeks 6–12: aiptasia is functionally eliminated and the Berghia population starves down.

You will rarely see the animals themselves. Judge success by counting aiptasia, not by counting nudibranchs.

Care Parameters

Salinity: 1.024–1.026
Temperature: 76–80 °F
Ammonia / Nitrite: 0 ppm
No copper, and no recent copper history in the system. Berghia are as sensitive to copper as any invertebrate.

Related Collections

Round out pest control and clean-up with saltwater invertebrates, keep parameters stable using water testing equipment, and browse saltwater fish for tankmates that will leave your Berghia alone.