Dip for Vermetid Snails?

[Megability]

I have some torch coral I want to move from an old tank to a brand new tank, but I KNOW there are vermetid snails on practically every piece, what’s the best way to kill them as I move them?

Thinking a dip but maybe there’s a better way?

otherwise I was just going to look close and trim the ones without them as close to the heads as possible, and just cross my fingers…

Thanks

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I have some torch coral I want to move from an old tank to a brand new tank, but I KNOW there are vermetid snails on practically every piece, what’s the best way to kill them as I move them?

Thinking a dip but maybe there’s a better way?

otherwise I was just going to look close and trim the ones without them as close to the heads as possible, and just cross my fingers…

Thanks

Visual inspection and removal will probably be your best bet. Don't quote me on it, but I don't know if any dips that will kill and remove them.

 

[fishguy242]

agree scrape off as many as possible ,superglue the ones that cannot remove,
but be quick with superglue ,i would worry about fumes to exposed torch too long.

 

[Megability]

agree scrape off as many as possible
.

Do you think scraping would be enough, I mean are they just on the outside of the coral skeleton or buried inside too?

 

[fishguy242]

would say they live inside their own tube on outside of skeleton ,some may originate from a crack or hole in skeleton ,
but for most part are not burrowing ,live in own hard tube. can you pick this up when closed turn to get pics for us?

 

[CMMorgan]

Hasta la Vista, Vermatid....

 

[scotto]

This is something myself and another local reefer have been continually concerned about. No current commercial dip, or any DIY dips have proved effective from what hobbyist level trials I could find.

I think mechanical based methods are poor at best to remove the much smaller species that seem to grow to plague like numbers. For example, we've had several trochus snails with an ample layer of coralline over the shell. Look closer, and you can see the very small black openings of vermetid snails. We scoured the shells, and found a network of tubes beneath the coralline, burrowing into the shell itself. Complete eradication is in my opinion very difficult in scenarios like this, especially with LPS corals.

Not without likely impending controversy, Red Sea's DipX claims to eradicate snails form their YouTube introduction of the product. I'm eagerly waiting for the community to try this product. And if any claims that is "works" or it "fails," I think we need to remember that the family of vermetid snails (Vermetidae) is highly diverse with many species. What may work on some may not work on others. While I have strong doubts on its efficacy, it does seem to be a first for a company to claim such a thing.

 

[Megability]

Thanks for all the replies!

So what I started doing is taking out one big chunk of torch coral at a time, trimming them as close to the head(s) as possible, then scraping off anything I see on the shaft skeleton especially looking like snail tubes…

Then brushing with a 50/50 mix of hydrogen peroxide 3%, mostly for any hair algae but if it damages any lingering vermitid snails that’s a plus…

Then rinsing and introducing them to the new tank isolated on the sand bed

I’ll check them again in a few weeks for any snail growth then either mount them in my tank or to a small rock piece to sell or give away…

 

[deplinger]

Thanks for all the replies!

So what I started doing is taking out one big chunk of torch coral at a time, trimming them as close to the head(s) as possible, then scraping off anything I see on the shaft skeleton especially looking like snail tubes…

Then brushing with a 50/50 mix of hydrogen peroxide 3%, mostly for any hair algae but if it damages any lingering vermitid snails that’s a plus…

Then rinsing and introducing them to the new tank isolated on the sand bed

I’ll check them again in a few weeks for any snail growth then either mount them in my tank or to a small rock piece to sell or give away…

I know this is an old post but I am curious if your process worked.