Getting Rid of Vermitid Snails

[Gareth elliott]

Trying a different possible predator, picked up some on sale bumble bee snails at an lfs event on Saturday.

Risk is they also eat some beneficial organisms, snails or sand organisms.

 

[Aaron-A2]

I was thinking about this a bit more. I believe that doing this could cause an increase in alk/calc if you run a calcium reactor. Something for those who use them to keep in mind.

Not running a calc reactor, just 2 part that's auto-dosed from my GHL 5 times per day.

 

[Brew12]

Not running a calc reactor, just 2 part that's auto-dosed from my GHL 5 times per day.

I wonder if you could be seeing an increase in actual demand due to improved light penetration.

 

[Aaron-A2]

I wonder if you could be seeing an increase in actual demand due to improved light penetration.

Wow... never really thought of it that way. My water has never been the clearest since I'm not running socks or any media to bind particulates in the water column, but still... an interesting thought. I'll test again this afternoon.

 

[Ahogue21]

In for results

 

[jduong916]

There is another thread with someone having similar results with kz coral snow (the real stuff). I've tried the diy stuff for a bit and didnt notice the snails dying, maybe I should go a month straight and see what happens. I used to dose daily. The solution doesn't have any affect on my corals and you can see the webs of the snails right after you dose the solution. But as mentioned earlier I did not see any decrease in the amount of webs after two weeks of use.

 

[David S]

Will be following with great interest.
Vermetid's have been nothing but trouble.
LOL because I've dosed the KZ product off and on but decided to discontinue use as it did nothing for the tank.
Still have some left. Hope it's not dried out.
Good luck.

 

[Brew12]

Added my first dose of DIY tonight. I'll try to remember to keep this thread updated, also.

 

[David S]

It makes sense that the Vermetid's are attracted to the CaCO3.
Whenever I've disturbed the sandbed, the ensuing cloudiness would cause considerable Vermetid activity.
I'm wondering if disturbing the sandbed while administering the CaCO3 might have a synergistic effect and hasten the process.
Then again, disturbing the sandbed would be supplying the Vermetid's with food, so maybe it's not such a good idea after all.
LOL

 

[dragon99]

I'm in to give this a try. I bought the chalk awhile back and have used it a few times. Time to get serious and dose constantly and see if the vermetid snails are reduced.

 

[dragonfisher33]

Any update?

 

[Brew12]

Any update?

Thanks for the reminder!

I've been dosing daily for over 3 weeks. I'm going to do 31 days straight and have 5 more days to go. I've had some new tubes show since the trial started, but not sure if I've had any new ones in the last week. I made a point yesterday of starting to break all of the old tubes off so I can get a better idea if any new ones are forming. My vermitids are the very small tubes so the mucus nets are almost impossible to see.

What I can say is that many of the tubes appeared to be empty. When I snapped them, they fell with no resistance. I did have a few that "may" have been alive since the tubes didn't come off cleanly. Could have been a recently dead vermitid with mucus net or even a little algae growing on the outside that wasn't very visible.

For these little guys I doubt I'll call it a success until at least several weeks after I finish dosing as I monitor for new growth.

 

[David S]

Thanks for the reminder!

I've been dosing daily for over 3 weeks. I'm going to do 31 days straight and have 5 more days to go. I've had some new tubes show since the trial started, but not sure if I've had any new ones in the last week. I made a point yesterday of starting to break all of the old tubes off so I can get a better idea if any new ones are forming. My vermitids are the very small tubes so the mucus nets are almost impossible to see.

What I can say is that many of the tubes appeared to be empty. When I snapped them, they fell with no resistance. I did have a few that "may" have been alive since the tubes didn't come off cleanly. Could have been a recently dead vermitid with mucus net or even a little algae growing on the outside that wasn't very visible.

For these little guys I doubt I'll call it a success until at least several weeks after I finish dosing as I monitor for new growth.

Have you noticed any potential drawbacks to fish, corals, or other inverts?
Has it affected your dosing regimen in any way?

 

[Brew12]

Have you noticed any potential drawbacks to fish, corals, or other inverts?
Has it affected your dosing regimen in any way?

I have, but it is unlikely to be something many would encounter. The first thing I noticed is that my nutrients dropped. My NO3, normally around 10ppm, went to 0. Not a problem in and of itself. I use Vibrant from UWC every other week to keep my tank nice and clean. I didn't give it much thought, but I added the CaCO3 within an hour or two of adding the Vibrant. I think this removed the Vibrant from the water and I saw a little algae growth in my DT. I redosed the Vibrant to avoid the CaCO3 dosing and the algae started dying off. I should have seen it coming, but the dying algae and 0ppm NO3 caused a little cyano outbreak. I dosed NO3 immediately, but didn't have time to do much more. That helped keep the cyano in check until a few days later when I had time to clean it up.
So, very minor issue but an issue and something to think about. If you dose something into your tank the CaCO3 could remove it, so plan dosing schedules accordingly.

 

[David S]

I have, but it is unlikely to be something many would encounter. The first thing I noticed is that my nutrients dropped. My NO3, normally around 10ppm, went to 0. Not a problem in and of itself. I use Vibrant from UWC every other week to keep my tank nice and clean. I didn't give it much thought, but I added the CaCO3 within an hour or two of adding the Vibrant. I think this removed the Vibrant from the water and I saw a little algae growth in my DT. I redosed the Vibrant to avoid the CaCO3 dosing and the algae started dying off. I should have seen it coming, but the dying algae and 0ppm NO3 caused a little cyano outbreak. I dosed NO3 immediately, but didn't have time to do much more. That helped keep the cyano in check until a few days later when I had time to clean it up.
So, very minor issue but an issue and something to think about. If you dose something into your tank the CaCO3 could remove it, so plan dosing schedules accordingly.

If I use it, it would be around "lights out" time. Shortly therafter I begin Kalk dosing. Do you think that could be an issue?

 

[Brew12]

If I use it, it would be around "lights out" time. Shortly therafter I begin Kalk dosing. Do you think that could be an issue?

I do not. I dose Kalk and haven't seen any change in alk/calc consumption. I have been doing my CaCO3 dosing right before lights out, also.

 

[David S]

I do not. I dose Kalk and haven't seen any change in alk/calc consumption. I have been doing my CaCO3 dosing right before lights out, also.

Great
Thanks for the info.
I think I'll try it, myself.
BTW I used Vibrant but discontinued using it.

 

[ryshark]

I have the small tubes everywhere, I can't tell if they are affecting my little sps frags negatively or not. I'm about to upgrade to a bigger tank and not sure if I should use my existing rock or go the longer safer route and don't use any of my current rock. The downfall is my acros (all small frags) will be in a new system if I don't use any of the current rock. What are your thoughts on Acros VS small vermited tubes and also starting over a new build with all new rock to try and avoid this?

 

[David S]

In my experience, Vermetid snails can cause Tangs to decrease their grazing on the rockwork.
While they won't kill corals outright I've noticed that Zoas will close up when the webs are in their line of travel.
If you want to keep your rock, I would suggest you chrush all the tubes with a bone cutter before placing them in a new tank - or perhaps try this procedure before replacing your rock.

 

[West1]

Honestly, I'd start over with dry rock. One stick snail transferred will turn into mount darth maul-rock in no time.