Getting Rid of Vermitid Snails

dragonfisher33

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Honestly, I'd start over with dry rock. One stick snail transferred will turn into mount darth maul-rock in no time.

I would if I could but at least in my case that really requires tearing down my 150 and all the contents in it.

Furthermore, who knows what the move will do to my tangs since they are ick prone.
 

David S

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I would if I could but at least in my case that really requires tearing down my 150 and all the contents in it.

Furthermore, who knows what the move will do to my tangs since they are ick prone.
I agree with West1.
I should have added that if you want to destroy them manually you would want to make sure that you get every single one.
Or you can try the method described in this thread before upgrading.
 

ryshark

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I agree with West1.
I should have added that if you want to destroy them manually you would want to make sure that you get every single one.
Or you can try the method described in this thread before upgrading.
Do you guys think these things can be transferred by water alone? Since my new tank is going in a different location than my current tank, I'll have 2-tanks up for a bit and was planning on using the water change water from my current tank to help fill up my new tank.
 

David S

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Do you guys think these things can be transferred by water alone? Since my new tank is going in a different location than my current tank, I'll have 2-tanks up for a bit and was planning on using the water change water from my current tank to help fill up my new tank.
To be honest, I'm not sure.
But I did read somewhere that they start out as tiny mobile snails and seek a favorable spot to grow their tube.
This may be an indication that you can use your water.
On the other hand, I sometimes get what appear to be spawning events in my tank.
Don't know who is doing it, but if they are the Vermetid's you might want to be careful and make sure to avoid such events.
 

Gareth elliott

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Havent noticed an effect from my bumble bee snails yet. But i also was barely home the last 2 weeks. Have fed and did 2 water changes. But no detailed tank watching.
 

David S

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Did you guys already try wrasses?
As it happens I do have a Melanarus.
I did not get him with any expectation that he would go after the Vermetid's and he has really shown no interest, although others have claimed differently.
 

Gareth elliott

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Ill be adding a pink streaked in the near future. Can post his interest in them when he is added.
 

Brew12

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Well guys, I'm ready to call this a failure. I stirred up the sump this evening and saw plenty of little nets get put out. With only 4 days left to hit the one month mark there is no way they will all die. It looks like it slowed down their growth and may have killed some, but no where near effective at eliminating them.

I have some ideas on how to make it more effective in the future, but daily dosing for a month with no other changes isn't a cure all.
 

ryshark

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Well guys, I'm ready to call this a failure. I stirred up the sump this evening and saw plenty of little nets get put out. With only 4 days left to hit the one month mark there is no way they will all die. It looks like it slowed down their growth and may have killed some, but no where near effective at eliminating them.

I have some ideas on how to make it more effective in the future, but daily dosing for a month with no other changes isn't a cure all.
That's too bad, sorry to hear that. I'm going to buy 4-different wrasses this week and hope for the best. My fish bioload is very light anyway and my wife has been asking for me to get more fish. Worth a shot before setting up the new bigger tank.
 

lapin

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From what I have read, they feed by capturing food in the nets. Then consume the net along with the food. Then make new nets. The nets are what irritates our coral. The chalk idea may have some merit as to a method to get rid of them. The key will be to find what we can use to kill them without killing anything else in out tanks. Larger particle size? Razor sharp particles?

Trapeziid crabs and alpheid shrimp will kill them but as stated " do you want these in your tank ".

Another research paper I found says muricid snails eat them then lay eggs in the new host. I dont think we want these in our tanks either.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271924445/download

All my research has not found a fish or any reef safe snail that feeds on them enough to warrant trying one in our tanks.

One paper I read talked of a disease that killed ton of them on 1 reef but it was unidentified.
 

Brew12

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The chalk idea may have some merit as to a method to get rid of them.
Just because my trial was a failure doesn't mean I have given up hope that it could work. Only that it doesn't work if it is the only thing that you do. I'm going to let me tank stabilize after the heavy month of dosing and then play some more.

Trapeziid crabs and alpheid shrimp will kill them but as stated " do you want these in your tank ".
Not sure about the shrimp, but I have a Trapeziidae crab in my tank, and probably still have 2. The issue is they only protect the coral they are in. They won't clear the rest of the tank.
 

ryshark

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My wrasses have been in since Saturday and so far they haven't even touched any small feather dusters, let alone vermetid.
 

Gareth elliott

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Saw a bumble bee snail eat one yesterday.

This morning one was eating a trochus snail. Even if it kills them not sure they were a win.
 

lapin

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Yikes, glad I didn't put bubble bee's in my tank. I was considering it.
I have 5 or 6 buzzing around my tank. They dont seem to bother anything. There is a lot to eat in my tank. They are happy getting nectar off the rocks.
 

Gareth elliott

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Not a plan to go but mine disappeared during a recent bubble algae outbreak. What happens when you take a promotion and have no tank time since the middle of November.

But bubble algae was everywhere on every surface but my soft corals. Assuming acted like glueing each one closed.
 

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