The stenophagous nudibranch Berghia stephanieae (Á. Valdés, 2005) is commonly traded for marine aquariums to control outbreaks of pest glass anemones Exaiptasia diaphana (Rapp, 1829) that may damage or even kill highly-priced hard corals. Despite the growing scientific interest in using B. stephanieae as a model species for different research topics and its high commercial value, the breeding protocols available for this species are outdated and were unable to maximize its breeding potential under controlled conditions. Here, we present an updated and optimized protocol for large-scale rearing of both B. stephanieae and its prey E. diaphana , allowing the production of up to 10,000 juvenile nudibranchs per month by solely using five breeding pairs. This revised protocol can help to support the commercial supply of this nudibranch species, as well as to ensure a reliable source of specimens for experimental research, reinforcing its potential as an emerging model organism across multiple research fields. • The established protocol enabled production of up to 10,000 nudibranchs monthly. • Berghia stephanieae should be shipped at a maximum of one individual per 30 mL. • This protocol should standardize the breeding of B. stephanieae , while allowing inbreeding to be kept at a minimum.
Silva et al. (Thu,) studied this question.