Vermitids are survivors!!!

[Miami Reef]

The only thing I find a pain is my pincushion urchin constantly picks them up carrying them around and I have to go in and rescue them! Lol

Me too!!!

 

[G Santana]

The only thing I find a pain is my pincushion urchin constantly picks them up carrying them around and I have to go in and rescue them! Lol

My urchin hasn't done that yet lol

 

[damsels are not mean]

I have to say I was a doubter of bumblebee snails doing anything. I put in about 2 dozen in my 125 gallon and didn’t see any improvement for a year. There were thousands growing on everything including my trouchus snails and clams. I convince myself to go all in and purchased at least another 2 and half dozen more and low and behold I am seeing traumatic reduction. Like OP I can live with some and I know will never be eliminated but happy tank is not a prickly mess.

Are you sure the vermitids didn't just go away on their own? I have heard from many they wax and wane like most aquarium hitchikers and my experience has been the same. Despite feeding more including reef chili I see less vermitids now than ever and I don't know why. When they were at peak population I was feeding a tiny amount of flake once a day and occasionally mysis or nori instead. I have not added anything that could be a predator (except maybe my gold coral banded shrimp?) so you could be in a similar situation.

 

[moz71]

Are you sure the vermitids didn't just go away on their own? I have heard from many they wax and wane like most aquarium hitchikers and my experience has been the same. Despite feeding more including reef chili I see less vermitids now than ever and I don't know why. When they were at peak population I was feeding a tiny amount of flake once a day and occasionally mysis or nori instead. I have not added anything that could be a predator (except maybe my gold coral banded shrimp?) so you could be in a similar situation.

I hear ya! And could be a possibility of both reasons but had massive population and read some post where went away on own or similar to your experience but my case had them for several years and literally had them on EVERYTHING! I also did say I stopped reef roids so that could contributed to there prolific population. All tanks are different and Can’t promise the snails could keep up with it but I am sure I need the snails to get ahead of the numbers. Funny thing on the reef roids as well I just posted another thread that I am POSITVE the reef roids contributed to a digitate hydroid population I had. Can only give our experiences to try to help

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

You obviously need 100 more

Another 25 probably.

In the bumblebees defense, My elegance does eat probably five a month..

 

[Nick Steele]

Do they eat your other snails? Stomatella for example? Are they obligate snail eaters?

I haven’t seen them go after anything else but they did devour a tailspot blenny that passed away. I only have trochus and cerith snails and some brittle stars.

 

[Chrisv.]

An update: a week ago I added two of these to a 15 gallon nano tank. I deliberately fed fish the day before I added them and then once mid week, with the idea that with less leftover fish food, the snails would have to work a little bit and maybe eat some vermetids. It seems that this strategy worked. Broadcast feeding reef roids I saw way fewer vermetids, and the bumblebee snails were hanging out by the vermetids.

 

[Waynerock]

I love it when the corals say nope and encrust and grow over the snails. Did the bumble bee thing and maybe it has kept the numbers in check? I was on track for plague Proportions and it seems like they are in check. I think if anything the BB only eat the babies and can’t get to the big honking ones.