Virmitid Snails

msudiver1 · Oct 31, 2017

i have a 180gallon sps dominate tank. It’s been running a little over a year. Started with all dead rock and sand so I didn’t get any pests. Had some nutrient issues so I was feeding like crazy. Then while looking I noticed I had vermitid snails, not a couple but thousands. My question is does anyone know a predator that will eliminate them, I have a yellow corris wrasse in qt but I’m rather sceptical. I have tried crushing as many as possible with bone cutters and even thought about epoxy but at that point I would have to cover all my rocks. My other thought was to take the rocks out and dip them but not sure what would kill them. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

themcnertney · Oct 31, 2017

No predators that I am aware of. Break them off or put some super glue over them.

themcnertney · Oct 31, 2017

In my experience I used to have thousands as well, eventually they will die off. Slow down on your feedings.

msudiver1 · Oct 31, 2017

Thank you for the quick reply, I’ve cut down the feeding and have not been broadcasting any food.

Preyou · Oct 31, 2017

Bumble bee snails will consume these critters. Just be aware that they are mollusk eaters and they will also prey upon clams as well.....

msudiver1 · Oct 31, 2017

Thanks I can certainly get some of them and move my clams to my frag tank

jda · Nov 1, 2017

They can all starve if you turn your flow down and keep stuff from blowing into their webs - this is not such a good idea, though.

I inherited a Longnose Butterfly recently that picks at their webs all day. I know that it does not eat them, but it does seem to do a good job at not letting the ones that they can get to feed. I have a few dozen of small ones from time to time and they appear to be dwindling.

I have not had any huge ones in a while, but a syringe full of kalk right down the pipe works well - not a sailfert syringe, but a needle with a fine metal point like you get a flu shot with... they push right through the cover of the hole.

kris2001 · Nov 1, 2017

Dan McNertney said:
In my experience I used to have thousands as well, eventually they will die off. Slow down on your feedings.

That's my experience too, they'll eventually die off...what a pest.

Leslie Tabor · Nov 1, 2017

Dan McNertney said:
In my experience I used to have thousands as well, eventually they will die off. Slow down on your feedings.

This! I had them like crazy a year in, now at year two, they have dwindled to numbers I don't even notice.

cheezybuda · Nov 1, 2017

I have one "rogue" scarlet hermit that will frequently go after them. An exception rather than the rule.

In my 210g, I had a bunch of vermatids, but either my yellow blotch rabbitfish or my melanarus has cleaned things up. I have seen both pecking at the tubes periodically. Again, I think these are exceptions to the rules.

msudiver1 · Nov 1, 2017

Thanks for all the reply’s what a pain. I think I’ll just really cut down on the food, cut the ones by the corals and add a few wrasses and see if they start to dwindle.

john.m.cole3 · Nov 6, 2017

rumor is the bumblebee snails like how acros taste also

Rakie · Nov 6, 2017

I've read KZ Coral Snow will starve them out, as their webs will get full of it and they'll die out. I've used it a few times, they DEFINITELY lose their webbing from it, I can easily see how it would kill them off -- So long as you use it daily.

msudiver1 · Apr 11, 2018

So I tried kz coral snow and it didn’t seem to even affect the vermitid snails. I also put a dozen bumblebee snails in and haven’t really seen a difference.