Vermetid snails equals tank restart

[Bleigh]

I just checked reef cleaners and they do have bumble bee snails in stock because of people requesting them to help with vermetid snails. They have mixed reviews on how good a job they do and are asking for more input from reefers. Also they caution adding BB snails because they eat other little sessile invertebrates. You guys got my thinking it is time to smash a few of those vermetid snails and reduce the qty.

I had a hard time finding them initially. So I would just buy them when I saw them. I’m up to about 9-10 now. It’s been nearly 6 months and I still have vermitids, but not as badly as I use to. They had gotten ready bad in my tank and some of them had gotten massive. I did take the rocks out and break off the larger ones. And throw them in the trash.

 

[Joeg]

Adding a wrasse and/or some bumblebee's is a solid route to try. I think there is a good chance that you can naturally control these in a hands-off manner.

 

[saltnut]

Which kind of wrasse?

 

[Joeg]

I've see posts where people had had success with corlis and seagrass wrasses. If you go this route just be sure to put as much of your cleanup crew into the sump so the wrasse focuses their efforts.

I've personally had success with 6 bumblebee snails but I probably only had 30 vermetids when I added the bumblebees.

 

[Albertan22]

I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if everyone trying to control them is what leads to the big outbreaks. Kind of like how if you only partially get an aiptasia it will send out hundreds of babies, but if you leave it be you will only have a couple.

 

[saltnut]

I have more than a couple but I am not going nuts to get rid of them. My tank is just a nano 20 gallons. probably the only suitable wrasse for this size is a pink streak.

 

[SaltISlife]

tht is a super cool looking starfish

Thanks. Deff not red fromia or blue ones like you see.. but its deff a champ. I have never fed him once in 1 1.2 years. He eats vermitids and sponges. Anytime i have a sponge outbreak they are gone soon.

Unfortunatly he did eat my entire purple cepitulara colony. But thats ok i like him alot. Doesnt touch my sps lps or zoas ect. Seems he only likes snails spknges and cespitulara lol.

Whats funny is the only vermitids in my tank are inside my filters. Like the tubing ect. They dont last in my tank with my starfish.

Honestly i wish i had more pest vermitids and sponges so he can eat more. If he ate my coral he musta been hungry that time he did that.

 

[ChineyRas]

So here’s another reason why I hate these things. Got a splinter in my thumb from one of them just now... smh

 

[Traian]

Thanks. Deff not red fromia or blue ones like you see.. but its deff a champ. I have never fed him once in 1 1.2 years. He eats vermitids and sponges. Anytime i have a sponge outbreak they are gone soon.

Unfortunatly he did eat my entire purple cepitulara colony. But thats ok i like him alot. Doesnt touch my sps lps or zoas ect. Seems he only likes snails spknges and cespitulara lol.

Whats funny is the only vermitids in my tank are inside my filters. Like the tubing ect. They dont last in my tank with my starfish.

Honestly i wish i had more pest vermitids and sponges so he can eat more. If he ate my coral he musta been hungry that time he did that.

What species of starfish is that? I'd love to get one in my tank!

 

[Cole.mormon]

I had one that was 1/2 inch in diameter
I made my own mixture to soak in. Turned it to a slurry

 

[Snoopdog]

I had one that was 1/2 inch in diameter
I made my own mixture to soak in. Turned it to a slurry

What was 1/2 an inch?

 

[Cole.mormon]

The vermetid snail

 

[Snoopdog]

The vermetid snail

I had no idea they could get that big. Most I see are tiny.

 

[DaneGer21]

After much thought, I purchased a sixline wrasse.#IHATETHESETHINGS#!!!!!!

I think I would much rather have the snails then the 6line. Talk about the devil!!!

 

[Snoopdog]

I think I would much rather have the snails then the 6line. Talk about the devil!!!

Still not nearly as mean as a Royal Gramma.

 

[West1]

I think I would much rather have the snails then the 6line. Talk about the devil!!!

Lol.
I purchased a baby and I pray he stays humble

I still have a bad vermetid outbreak. If it wasn’t for my clam needing an established tank, restart would of went through. Hopefully the hobby breaks this vermetid code!

 

[sfin52]

I've got a ton in the 90. I break as many as possible but they always seem to find a way.

The 55 swap things back and forth and nothing in the 55. Now that you print it up I do have a toby puffer in the 55. Im sure it munches on them.

 

[Snoopdog]

I've got a ton in the 90. I break as many as possible but they always seem to find a way.

The 55 swap things back and forth and nothing in the 55. Now that you print it up I do have a toby puffer in the 55. Im sure it munches on them.

I bought an army of bumblebee snails, so far so good.

 

[ryshark]

I bought an army of bumblebee snails, so far so good.

Did it work? How many did you buy and how big is your tank? I already did a tank restart and tried to avoid vermetid by throwing all my live rock away. Then with the new tank I bought a bunch of bumble bee snails as the initial cleanup crew, just as a prevention. As time went on, I noticed that when my bumble bee snail population went down that I started getting vermetids popping up. However, Its not nearly as bad as my last tank which had 1000s of mini spikes.
I'm going to get more bumble bee snails, again. In my experience the bumble bee snails prevent a bad vermetid population, but they don't eradicate a bad problem after its already happened.

 

[West1]

Did it work? How many did you buy and how big is your tank? I already did a tank restart and tried to avoid vermetid by throwing all my live rock away. Then with the new tank I bought a bunch of bumble bee snails as the initial cleanup crew, just as a prevention. As time went on, I noticed that when my bumble bee snail population went down that I started getting vermetids popping up. However, Its not nearly as bad as my last tank which had 1000s of mini spikes.
I'm going to get more bumble bee snails, again. In my experience the bumble bee snails prevent a bad vermetid population, but they don't eradicate a bad problem after its already happened.

In case you didn’t, a vermetid restart would need equipment cleaned too. If I can’t get rid of them, I do/did plan to run the tank with pure DI water for at least one week. Hopefully that kills any vermetid snails on and inside plumbing, pumps, sump walls, skimmer etc...