Need some advice on Vermetid snails.

Zoey · Jun 9, 2016

hey guys,
I am currently cycling my second tank a 130ltr nano and ive noticed that its got a large amount of Vermetid snails on the rock. Each time i water change or blow off the rocks the tank just turns into a slimy stringy mess! Have any of you been able to get ride of Vermetid snails before? i want to get this sorted before i go putting corals in incase the vermetid snails bother the corals.
Cheers!

vic67 · Jun 9, 2016

I reduced the amount of them by scrapping them off at the base. GL

WetWhistle · Jun 9, 2016

I have never had issues with Vermetid snails with corals and I have an army of them and been in the game a long time. I find they do a good job at snagging organics and detritus out of the water with their molecular mucus net and help process your tank. I just spot remove any I think might cause an issue. People get all worked up about these for no reason. I have seen people blame the demise of corals of them but it was really the reefer. They just wanted something to blame as they didn't want to admit it was them.

But with that being said Red sea aiptasia X works or kalk paste. But for something that helps process your water to me they are not worth removing unless they are directly causing a problem.

Zoey · Jun 9, 2016

WetWhistle said:
I have never had issues with Vermetid snails with corals and I have an army of them and been in the game a long time. I find they do a good job at snagging organics and detritus out of the water with their molecular mucus net and help process your tank. I just spot remove any I think might cause an issue. People get all worked up about these for no reason. I have seen people blame the demise of corals of them but it was really the reefer. They just wanted something to blame as they didn't want to admit it was them.

But with that being said Red sea aiptasia X works or kalk paste. But for something that helps process your water to me they are not worth removing unless they are directly causing a problem.

you make a fair point, its just not somthing ive come across before, we have a 260ltr 4year old tank and never come aross the vermetid snail in there before. Done a google search and all i found was people saying they has bother with them killing corals.

twilliard · Jun 9, 2016

They are more of an irritant than a killer of coral.
Depending on the population it can be a simple as superglue.

WetWhistle · Jun 9, 2016

Zoey said:
you make a fair point, its just not somthing ive come across before, we have a 260ltr 4year old tank and never come aross the vermetid snail in there before. Done a google search and all i found was people saying they has bother with them killing corals.

I am sure if you had a crazy density of them they can irritate corals. If you have proper waterflow any mucus net that gets on corals would be blown off so it is an easy fix. Or just clear a path around any sensitive corals. Mind you if the coral was always closed and could not feed properly for a few weeks I can see it causing an issue. Really if this was the case the reefer should have done something about that situation. I know for a while people had a real hatred of them and got paranoid about them because the vermetid snail were misunderstood. I find the populations never get out of control in my tank and seem to regulate themselves. My Hoeven's Wrasse (Halichoeres melanurus) loves them and snacks on them from time to time.

I look at it this way it is the equivalent of spitting on someone to death. Is it annoying.. yes will it kill you.. not likely. Unless you slip on it. lol