Getting Rid of Vermitid Snails

[izzyishh]

BUMP!!!!!!!!!! updates from any one I tore down an old tank started with dry rock, new sand, new equipment, dipped and guess what I have them again -__-

 

[Brew12]

BUMP!!!!!!!!!! updates from any one I tore down an old tank started with dry rock, new sand, new equipment, dipped and guess what I have them again -__-

Sorry, no good news yet. I'm working through an algae issue before I start more trials at vermitid eradications.

 

[ryshark]

BUMP!!!!!!!!!! updates from any one I tore down an old tank started with dry rock, new sand, new equipment, dipped and guess what I have them again -__-

Dipped what? The coral that had the vermetid on it?
I wonder if you keep the tank superclean if the vermited populations will stay low. Are they growing in numbers?

 

[izzyishh]

Dipped what? The coral that had the vermetid on it?
I wonder if you keep the tank superclean if the vermited populations will stay low. Are they growing in numbers?

Yeah I made sure to clip off and scrap and dip.any coral that had one and I dipped everything regardless. Yeah they are growing in numbers I cut back feedings but have anthias and one already died since I cut back on feedings

 

[MikeO5422]

The syringe of aptasiax fits over most of their tubes almost perfectly. I have hit them with it before but I'm not sure if it actually kills them. But you could always put vinegar or something else in it I guess? I think that would work? You can hit a few dozen in a few mins that way, it's very easy. vs with glue (at least for me) I only the patience the for a few.

 

[ryshark]

Yeah I made sure to clip off and scrap and dip.any coral that had one and I dipped everything regardless. Yeah they are growing in numbers I cut back feedings but have anthias and one already died since I cut back on feedings

That sucks. Do you have the little tiny type? I was thinking about doing the same as you when I start new. But keeping a few frags from the old tank.

 

[DarkSky]

@Brew12 did you continue your trial or did you stop after one month?

Edit: nevermind saw your recent post.

 

[Brew12]

@Brew12 did you continue your trial or did you stop after one month?

I stopped after a month. Dealing with an algae now but I may run more trials when I can clear this stuff.

 

[Burrito]

I just watched fish of hex’s latest video and had no idea about these snails. How does one know if they are actually bothering coral?

 

[Gareth elliott]

I just watched fish of hex’s latest video and had no idea about these snails. How does one know if they are actually bothering coral?

Watch the corals, depending on type you will see stunted growth. Besides that they are rather unsightly in large numbers. My tank is to look at if i am not happy with the outcome they are a nuisance [emoji23]

 

[ryshark]

Watch the corals, depending on type you will see stunted growth. Besides that they are rather unsightly in large numbers. My tank is to look at if i am not happy with the outcome they are a nuisance [emoji23]

Someone in another thread thinks that plague proportions of vermetid is less common in thanks that started with mostly Live Rock because when you use Dry Rock then there isn't anything to combat the vermetids for real estate and they can spread much easier. for those who had/have vermetid issues did you start with Dry or Live rock? I started with mostly dry and a small piece of live to seed.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Someone in another thread thinks that plague proportions of vermetid is less common in thanks that started with mostly Live Rock because when you use Dry Rock then there isn't anything to combat the vermetids for real estate and they can spread much easier. for those who had/have vermetid issues did you start with Dry or Live rock? I started with mostly dry and a small piece of live to seed.

I Started with 100% live fiji rock, when we could still import it.

I think it really is a a mixed bag of luck and how much particulate food is present when they hitch hike. Imo no science to back that up [emoji38]

 

[dragonfisher33]

I started with dead rock and cured in a tub before aquascaping into my tank

 

[malacoda]

Someone in another thread thinks that plague proportions of vermetid is less common in thanks that started with mostly Live Rock because when you use Dry Rock then there isn't anything to combat the vermetids for real estate and they can spread much easier. for those who had/have vermetid issues did you start with Dry or Live rock? I started with mostly dry and a small piece of live to seed.

I started my 24g with aquacultured live rock. Great for the first 2 1/2 years or so. Then about 10-12 months ago, small vermetids started showing up.

Nothing to do with the rock though. I suspect they came in on a coral frag despite dipping and close frag inspection.

My tank stays quite clean:

• No pest algae problems throughout the 3 1/2 year time span (this I DO attribute to using aquacultured rock).
  
• P and NO3 have been rock steady at 0.012 and 1 ppm for 2 1/2 years now.
  
• Rock is covered in coraline.

And yet the vermetids continue to spread. So I doubt dry rock versus true live rock makes any real difference.

Likewise, IME, low NO3 will not starve them out.

I feed somewhat light, and rarely see their webs. In fact, the only time I notice webs is after blowing my rock work and sending up a cloud of detritus. Even then only ~10% of them seem to put out webs. And yet the still seem to multiply like rabbits.

Bottom line: I don't think there is any successful means of eradication yet. And the only means of control that appears to work is manual crushing of their tubes at the base. (Even then the snail may be in a rock pore and still survive...)

 

[ryshark]

So much for the dry rock theory someone had...
I'm about to upgrade tanks, there a some frags I'd like to keep from my old tank. My plan was to have both tanks up and running, but keep the tank with vermetids fallow of fish so no feeding whatsoever and also run filter socks and Coral Snow until they all starve and die. Then I was going to scrub with a hard brush the base of the frags and dip before going in the new tank. But now I'm starting to reconsider.

 

[izzyishh]

I started off with fake dry rock and still got them in my tank again -__- I scrubbed, brushed, and dipped all frags too and STILL got them.

 

[dragonfisher33]

if i drag all of my corals through CoralRX and then follow by Bayer, any chance that they may survive?

 

[shred5]

BUMP!!!!!!!!!! updates from any one I tore down an old tank started with dry rock, new sand, new equipment, dipped and guess what I have them again -__-

I believe UV can help slow the spread of allot of this stuff even Vermitid worms. They have to be spawning to spread like they do.

You know I believe it has to do with biodiversity with dead rock.

I have never seen so many issues in the hobby with dinoflagellates, Vermitid snails or bubble algae.

They have been in the hobby forever and occasionally saw them in my tanks or someone elses with live rock but never spread to plague proportions they do now.

I have a live rock tub and occasionally I get a piece of bubble algae in it on new rock and just pick it off. I quarantine all rock so the stuff does not make it in my reefs.
Anyway once I had some live rock in a tub for around 6 months and when I first put it in saw couple of pieces of bubble algae. Never saw any for 6 months on the live rock but I had some bare/dead rock in there and in weeks they had bubble algae.

There is nothing on bare rock to take up space or combat the stuff.

My bare rock systems no matter how hard I tried sometimes got something in them with nothing to stop them.. Far more problems with pests in dry rock systems than live rock tanks.

I quarantine everything now though for several months... I also run UV.. Corals are dipped, quarantined and new plugs.

Bubble algae and Vermitid worms are insane now a days. I wont risk it.

.

 

[Fourstars]

I love my Vermitid snails, they are part of the system and great filter feeder. I have never noticed a coral have any issues with their nets. The secret to not having a plague of then is competition. The biggest pest in your reef tank is probably you.

 

[ryshark]

I love my Vermitid snails, they are part of the system and great filter feeder. I have never noticed a coral have any issues with their nets. The secret to not having a plague of then is competition. The biggest pest in your reef tank is probably you.

You must not have the mini version.