Bumble bee snails? Anything I should be aware of?

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I'm thinking about getting some bumble bee snails. I've got some vermetid snails. They don't really bother me, but I know the snails will eat them, and hey, I think those snails look cool. However, is there anything I should be aware of before I get some?

 

[Deschutes541]

My LFS warned me they attack and kill other snails (besides vermetid). I haven't observed it though.

 

[IKD]

My LFS warned me they attack and kill other snails (besides vermetid). I haven't observed it though.

I have a few. Unless there’s a shortage of food, they leave my other snails alone.

 

[moz71]

Haven’t hurt anything in my tank and unfortunately don’t think they are eating my vermitid snails either. Have about a dozen in my 125 for about a 6 weeks and observe them doing nothing.

 

[CanuckReefer]

My vermetid population has never been an issue in 20 years, always had them, however over the last 6 months they have exploded for some reason? My nitrates and Phos are always quite low.... thinking on trying them soon if I can find a retailer that has them up here in the North ....

 

[gentlefish]

Fragbox has some

 

[blstravler]

I have a good 10 in my tank. If a snail falls over and can’t get back over - the bumblebee’s will pounce very quickly and eat the snail. They are basically vultures.

 

[code4]

Wow, I never imagined! I have some. I have never seen them attack other snails. But now I am thinking of moving them.

 

[dodgerblew]

I had mine for a few years, never bothered anything. Truthfully you never knew that they were even in there. I think they were a cool looking little snail

 

[DropoffCorals]

Other than the fact I can never find them, they will do wonders on the vermetids

 

[LardLad]

Mine are lazy. Vermetids are in no danger.

 

[woejillis]

There have been many posts regarding vermetid snail management on Reef2Reef. You will find personal experiences that run the gambit.

I too have a bit of a vermetid snail problem. I typically ignore them but they have encircled a few of heads of my hammers and their mucus nets definitely irritate them. I used mechanical means to remove the specific nuisance.

I decided to go ahead and pull the trigger on some bumblebee snails because the vermetids are increasing in numbers. I purchased 18 snails for a 120 gallon tank. I also have a smattering of astrea and margarite snails as well as hermit and mithrax crabs.

I have never seen one of the bumblebee snails anywhere near any of my other invertebrates but do find them on the vermetid snails. It does appear that the bumblebees are indeed killing the vermetids. I see a reduction in mucous nets during feeding time as well as the fleshy bits that usually protrude from the shell. In addition, I've noticed in a few cases that the shell of the vermetid disappears. I'm not sure why this is as I've read the bumblebees pierce the base of the shell but don't consume the shell. Perhaps the shell is fragile enough that it falls off in the process?

I've only had them for 3 weeks so please take my experience with a grain of salt. There's currently more than enough food for them currently. I haven't seen them go after anything in my tank except the vermetids.

If I do find them going after other critters, they're easy enough to spot and pull out that I'm not too concerned about it in the long run.

 

[CMMorgan]

I've had mine for a while. I see them now and again but they really don't do anything to the vermetids. I got annoyed a few months ago and just squirted super glue in all of the tubes.... knocked them back 95%.

 

[McPuff]

The BBs won't eat the large vermetids unless you crush them first (it's amazing how they flock to them!). They will go nuts on the smaller species though. I don't even see those in my tank anymore. They will eat your other snails but only if those snails are dead/about to die. They are good scavengers. I haven't noticed any other "downsides" to them. Get a bunch and you'll get to see them all the time. My kids love them too.

 

[davilahope]

Haven’t hurt anything in my tank and unfortunately don’t think they are eating my vermitid snails either. Have about a dozen in my 125 for about a 6 weeks and observe them doing nothing.

Same here I have 3 in my aio

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I put 3 in the 50g. We'll see how they do. At best, they'll take out the vermetids. At worst, I've got 3 more snails to look at.

 

[dodgerblew]

You probably won’t see them much

 

[Losthawk69]

vermitid snails are pretty well protected by there shell they are true survivors I found nothing that will kill them off and only heard of fairy tales of stuff that works they are true little devils I go around with a stainless steel heavy gage wire hammer I made to kind of break them open in area's I want them gone like weeding the garden with a hoe lol if you have them you will always have them some are worse then others