Vermetid snails need to go

l8_apex_it · Jan 3, 2016

I was feeding my tank more phytofeast, oysterfeast, and reef chili in hopes of getting my corals to grow. Didn't work so well although the Vermetid snails exploded everywhere!!!

So now, I will take on crushing them with pliers. I need to get some good pliers and start taking this on.

In the mean time, can I feed Oysterfeast to the other corals w/o worry of feeding the Vermetid snails or do the snails eat Oysterfeast as well?

twilliard · Jan 3, 2016

Im sorry but they are suspended particulate feeders

goatcorals · Jan 3, 2016

Does anything prey on them? I suppose something does or they'd rule the ocean

ritter6788 · Jan 3, 2016

It's about the only pest I can't get rid of. They really aren't the end of the world though. If one is irritating a coral cut it with bone cutters or remove it and cover in superglue.

melev · Jan 3, 2016

ritter6788 said:
It's about the only pest I can't get rid of. They really aren't the end of the world though. If one is irritating a coral cut it with bone cutters or remove it and cover in superglue.

This.

2xal · Jan 3, 2016

I agree with ritter

Justiful · Jan 3, 2016

I also have a vermitid that took up residence in the middle of a leather coral. Can I yank it out safely? Do I need the super glue? My GF has some... I suppose I could steal it.

Russ265 · Jan 3, 2016

one pest ive learned to live with.
+1 ritter

naturefreak07 · Jan 3, 2016

I used gel super glue underwater with success

ritter6788 · Jan 3, 2016

I have a few (hundred) on my overflow. Some of them get overgrown by sunset monti and some keep extending their tubes to outpace the coral. I've tried removing them but it's a useless task. The inside of the overflow is full of large tubes. I think of it as a natural filter. They really come out in force when detritus is stirred up so I think they can be good for a tank by eating suspended detritus. The mucus net can be irritating to some corals though.

l8_apex_it · Jan 3, 2016

I recently had to frag a frogspawn with 20+ heads in hopes of saving what I could as I was losing heads. When I fragged it, I scraped off hundreds of the snails. I realized that the numbers of them could easily explain why heads were dying. As I look around the tank there are areas that have exploded. Those areas look poor because of the number of snails.

I have found them on a SPS or two as well.

Lesson learned -

Be careful dosing phytofeast and other coral foods. While I did not have a surge in algae, the Vermetid snails exploded over time.
I will reduce or eliminate those feedings
Attack sections at a time with bonecutters or gel superglue
Hope they run their course and recede to manageable numbers

davidc · Jan 3, 2016

http://reefbuilders.com/2012/07/23/vermetid-snail-stony-corals/
Here is some good reading.
There has also been some reports of Bumble bee snails and Melanaurus wrasse being fond of them. Hit or miss as with a lot of specie though.

saltyhog · Jan 3, 2016

ritter6788 said:
I have a few (hundred) on my overflow. Some of them get overgrown by sunset monti and some keep extending their tubes to outpace the coral. I've tried removing them but it's a useless task. The inside of the overflow is full of large tubes. I think of it as a natural filter. They really come out in force when detritus is stirred up so I think they can be good for a tank by eating suspended detritus. The mucus net can be irritating to some corals though.

I agree. For some reason the ones in my main DT have dwindled down to just a very few. My 4 gallon IM pico is a different story. I suspect it's because of the nature of the AIO with little nutrient export opportunities and my not being as dilligent as I should with water changes in the little tank.

Ritter, I love what you've done with your over flow! Is that a sunsed monti? Do you think a cyphastrea would work to do the same thing?

a49panhead · Jan 3, 2016

I was braking them up from the base one day with a pair of twisters and my coral banded shrimp started eating the remains and started following me around will I did so. Now I have non that I can see. My only expansion is that my shrimp got a taste for them and finished the job

ritter6788 · Jan 3, 2016

saltyhog said:
Ritter, I love what you've done with your over flow! Is that a sunsed monti? Do you think a cyphastrea would work to do the same thing?

Thanks! It is sunset monti. Cypahstrea would do great on a back wall or overflow too.

Zane · Jan 3, 2016

naturefreak07 said:
I used gel super glue underwater with success

This. A little squirt in the top of the tube will mess their day up.

melev · Jan 3, 2016

ritter6788 said:

It looks better because it is more three dimensional now.

melev · Jan 3, 2016

a49panhead said:
I was braking them up from the base one day with a pair of twisters and my coral banded shrimp started eating the remains and started following me around will I did so. Now I have non that I can see. My only expansion is that my shrimp got a taste for them and finished the job

That is very normal, and what one should expect of that shrimp.