Completely starve out Vermitids?

[kput]

Hello all,

I currently have a 120 gallon tank that is being overrun with vermitids. It's to the point that I'm building a 400g plywood just so I can replace the 120 and start fresh. Initially, I wasn't planning on using a single item from the 120 in the 400, in order to keep from bringing the pests over to my new setup.
I was planning on using all dry rock, and seeding to ensure nothing makes its way from the rock itself either..

But then I've gotten to thinking. I want to use live rock in the new system to help with the biodiversity. I've got some pieces in the 120 that are growing sponge like crazy, and I just would love to be able to use some of the rock in the new build. My question is, is it possible to starve the vermitids out completely, while still maintining the bacteria and integrity of the LR in the 120? Can I put the rock into a tank with water, and a filter, and not feed at all for xxx days and completely eliminate all the vermitids? I would dose ammonia to keep the baxteria fed, but nothing other than that.
Can I purchase new LR and do the same?

Thoughts? How long would I need to run the tank with 0 food in order to truly kill all the pests?

 

[TriggerFinger]

I am using bone cutters and take off a little bit of the rock with it. My tank ran 9 months with zero fish and 1 hermit crab in it and the vermetids still survived somehow. I don’t think there’s a way to starve them out. If there is, it’s longer than 9 months.

 

[DothanReefer]

Hello all,

I currently have a 120 gallon tank that is being overrun with vermitids. It's to the point that I'm building a 400g plywood just so I can replace the 120 and start fresh. Initially, I wasn't planning on using a single item from the 120 in the 400, in order to keep from bringing the pests over to my new setup.
I was planning on using all dry rock, and seeding to ensure nothing makes its way from the rock itself either..

But then I've gotten to thinking. I want to use live rock in the new system to help with the biodiversity. I've got some pieces in the 120 that are growing sponge like crazy, and I just would love to be able to use some of the rock in the new build. My question is, is it possible to starve the vermitids out completely, while still maintining the bacteria and integrity of the LR in the 120? Can I put the rock into a tank with water, and a filter, and not feed at all for xxx days and completely eliminate all the vermitids? I would dose ammonia to keep the baxteria fed, but nothing other than that.
Can I purchase new LR and do the same?

Thoughts? How long would I need to run the tank with 0 food in order to truly kill all the pests?

do you have any coral crabs? they help with cleaning up the "mucus net" that these things release....maybe add a half dozen and see if it helps....

as i understand it, these snails do not actually harm the coral/rock, it's the way in which they feed that can hinder coral growth. their mucus net gets stuck on coral polyps and restricts growth which can ultimately lead to death. i've added a coral crab to see how it does...i can report back if interested. FYI - i only have a few of these snails in my 100g...

 

[DothanReefer]

also, check out this thread about bumblebee snails...

Vermetid snail killer

I had a bunch of vermetids that snuck in on some frogspawn a while back. They spread all over. Someone recommended bumblebee snails a few months ago, so I put 3 in a Nuvo 40, and now I don’t see any remnants of the vermetids snails. All are gone. Just a heads up to anyone battling them!

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Jeff Jarry reef]

Bumble bee snail got rid of my problem !

 

[TriggerFinger]

do you have any coral crabs? they help with cleaning up the "mucus net" that these things release....maybe add a half dozen and see if it helps....

as i understand it, these snails do not actually harm the coral/rock, it's the way in which they feed that can hinder coral growth. their mucus net gets stuck on coral polyps and restricts growth which can ultimately lead to death. i've added a coral crab to see how it does...i can report back if interested. FYI - i only have a few of these snails in my 100g...

I’m also interested in how this works, that’s a very interesting theory! Please report any results.

 

[Gablami]

I don't know whether it's possible. I bought 180lbs of live fiji rock from a tank breakdown in January. The only pests I saw were vermatid. I went about 5 months without feeding anything. Stored in tubs with heater and pump. I recently started putting in some pellets to try to bring up the pods as I get closer to setting it up. I guess I'll know once I setup the rock whether starving for 5 months kills vermatid.

 

[kput]

I don't know whether it's possible. I bought 180lbs of live fiji rock from a tank breakdown in January. The only pests I saw were vermatid. I went about 5 months without feeding anything. Stored in tubs with heater and pump. I recently started putting in some pellets to try to bring up the pods as I get closer to setting it up. I guess I'll know once I setup the rock whether starving for 5 months kills vermatid.

Curious to see if it did!

 

[Robertellis30]

Bumble bee snail got rid of my problem !

Did the bumble bee kill all the other snails in the tank.

 

[Gablami]

I don't know whether it's possible. I bought 180lbs of live fiji rock from a tank breakdown in January. The only pests I saw were vermatid. I went about 5 months without feeding anything. Stored in tubs with heater and pump. I recently started putting in some pellets to try to bring up the pods as I get closer to setting it up. I guess I'll know once I setup the rock whether starving for 5 months kills vermatid.

I can confirm today, that starving out vermatids for 5 months did not work. Found three large ones in my tank today and I added nothing to bring them in.

 

[X-37B]

I have bumblebees in my 120 and they dont touch them.
The only thing that works for me is, burial at sea, cover them with coral putty.