Hopeless Vermetid Snail Infestation?! :(

[NYCMikeM3]

Hi All,

I fear I know the answer to this . But my tank is virtually over-run by Vermetid snails. It's like i don't even have rock anymore. I've tried lancing, i've put putty (i.e. same stuff to attach frags) over clusters, bought bumblebee snails, kept nutrients in check. I've attached two pictures where you can see they're everywhere :/. At this point, i've stepped up my water changes, and i think i'll try more putty patches. The one thing I can't do is "nuke my rocks" -- they're encrusted with coral (so nuking the rock = nuking the coral)...

I sent a water sample off to ATI on monday; should have results by Thurs/Fri. I don't really think it's going to tell me much; but those results are forthcoming.

Thanks for any advice that might work (or condolences if i'm doomed)

Tank Info:
Reefer 350
Trident Dosing: Alk 10.0; Ca 480; Mg 1400
Also dosing NoPoX
PH 8.0 - 8.2
Temp 78
Nitrates .1-.2ppm (running them a bit higher now b/c sps were struggling a bit)
Ammonia = 0
Tank Running ~2yrs

 

[GillMeister]

Put some bumblebee snails in there and see if that gets them under control.

 

[BostonReefer300]

Sorry for your troubles. I have been battling vermetids for years. I've managed to keep the population down with going crazy with super glue plugs every couple months, but haven't had any success with any other method. I suppose my bumble bee snails and wrasses may be attacking new vermetids before they grow big shells/tubes, but who knows. To my limited knowledge, you can't change typical water parameters in a mixed reef to meaningfully affect vermetids. One nice thing about them: the dead tubes look cool when encrusted with coral. I'm following to see if any one else has good ideas.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Wrasse make good pest exterminators

 

[Clueless_Reefer]

Yea, those are getting out of control. I'm going through the same problem right now. I'm going to be posting some vids soon on my progress (which is mixed). I'm thinking though needle nose pliers is the way to go. My six-line wrasse doesn't seem to do anything about them...super glue is a waste of time.

 

[schuby]

I think that increasing bio-diversity is the answer to vermetid snails, algae, and and overall more healthy reef tank. I had vermetid outbreak in my 150. They were everywhere. I added bio-diversity from IPSF.com ( https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/nutrient-management-by-“old-school”-reefer.784640/post-8337281 ) . I have white sponges growing, maybe from IPSF.com, and I think they are super helpful for my tank. I've added more sponges from reeffarmers.com.

Over time, say 5-7 months, the vermetids stopped spreading/increasing. Now they are mostly just empty, coraline-covered spouts. I added some bumblebee snails, but I don't know that they could keep such a large population in check.

I think the competition from increased bio-diversity was the solution. If I would have started with Live Rock, then I probably wouldn't have ever had a vermetid problem, due to the inherent, large bio-diversity of true Live Rock.

Oh, and never letting phosphate or nitrate get and stay at zero!

 

[Alexopora]

I think that increasing bio-diversity is the answer to vermetid snails, algae, and and overall more healthy reef tank. I had vermetid outbreak in my 150. They were everywhere. I added bio-diversity from IPSF.com ( https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/nutrient-management-by-“old-school”-reefer.784640/post-8337281 ) . I have white sponges growing, maybe from IPSF.com, and I think they are super helpful for my tank. I've added more sponges from reeffarmers.com.

Over time, say 5-7 months, the vermetids stopped spreading/increasing. Now they are mostly just empty, coraline-covered spouts. I added some bumblebee snails, but I don't know that they could keep such a large population in check.

I think the competition from increased bio-diversity was the solution. If I would have started with Live Rock, then I probably wouldn't have ever had a vermetid problem, due to the inherent, large bio-diversity of true Live Rock.

Oh, and never letting phosphate or nitrate get and stay at zero!

Got to agree with this.

 

[BostonReefer300]

I don't know enough to disagree with diversity being the answer to vermetids, but I do know that vermetids got into my tank as a hitchhiker on a piece of real live rock over 10 years ago. I didn't know what the mucus webbing was coming occasionally from the piece of rock back then. Wish I had done more research on it at the time.

 

[Bume]

I think that increasing bio-diversity is the answer to vermetid snails, algae, and and overall more healthy reef tank. I had vermetid outbreak in my 150. They were everywhere. I added bio-diversity from IPSF.com ( https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/nutrient-management-by-“old-school”-reefer.784640/post-8337281 ) . I have white sponges growing, maybe from IPSF.com, and I think they are super helpful for my tank. I've added more sponges from reeffarmers.com.

Over time, say 5-7 months, the vermetids stopped spreading/increasing. Now they are mostly just empty, coraline-covered spouts. I added some bumblebee snails, but I don't know that they could keep such a large population in check.

I think the competition from increased bio-diversity was the solution. If I would have started with Live Rock, then I probably wouldn't have ever had a vermetid problem, due to the inherent, large bio-diversity of true Live Rock.

Oh, and never letting phosphate or nitrate get and stay at zero!

I agree with this too... I've recently had a bunch start growing and first thought that I got them from corals I bought online but the other day I pulled my Seneye out of the closet to test some PAR readings and opened it to put a new slide in. Sure enough, there was a tiny vermetid skeleton in there. That means I had them all along, for years without noticing. I think a lot of us have all sorts of pests that are kept in check by bio-diversity and proper reef chemistry. For me, they dont seems to bother my corals and I dont mind them at all either. I figure it's just another cycle that will take care of itself after a while.

Did you ever restart your tank?

 

[schuby]

I agree with this too... I've recently had a bunch start growing and first thought that I got them from corals I bought online but the other day I pulled my Seneye out of the closet to test some PAR readings and opened it to put a new slide in. Sure enough, there was a tiny vermetid skeleton in there. That means I had them all along, for years without noticing. I think a lot of us have all sorts of pests that are kept in check by bio-diversity and proper reef chemistry. For me, they dont seems to bother my corals and I dont mind them at all either. I figure it's just another cycle that will take care of itself after a while.

Did you ever restart your tank?

No, no restart.

 

[Clueless_Reefer]

Here's what NOT to do, lol

 

[Trouble1375]

I had a similar issue. I added a Melanurus Wrasse and about 10 bumblebee snails. I would go through and knock the shells down the best I could and the wrasse would come by and have his snacks. He now inspects anything I touch expecting more snacks. The bumblebees got the ones I couldn’t reach. I see a few remaining but they are no longer irritating my corals so I don’t stress about them too much anymore. It took a couple months of daily shell knockdowns but I would just pick a spot and work it the best I could. 125 gallon tank - 100lbs of rock.

 

[Sump Crab]

I think that increasing bio-diversity is the answer to vermetid snails, algae, and and overall more healthy reef tank. I had vermetid outbreak in my 150. They were everywhere. I added bio-diversity from IPSF.com ( https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/nutrient-management-by-“old-school”-reefer.784640/post-8337281 ) . I have white sponges growing, maybe from IPSF.com, and I think they are super helpful for my tank. I've added more sponges from reeffarmers.com.

Over time, say 5-7 months, the vermetids stopped spreading/increasing. Now they are mostly just empty, coraline-covered spouts. I added some bumblebee snails, but I don't know that they could keep such a large population in check.

I think the competition from increased bio-diversity was the solution. If I would have started with Live Rock, then I probably wouldn't have ever had a vermetid problem, due to the inherent, large bio-diversity of true Live Rock.

Oh, and never letting phosphate or nitrate get and stay at zero!

Definitely agree. Tanks over run with any type of pest are usually lacking the diversity needed to keep everything in balance. I have vermitids, bubble algae, red planaria, sponges, asterinas, etc and none take over my tank due to what I believe is a thriving, balanced, and healthy ecosystem.

 

[RichReef]

The biggest problem with them and getting rid of them is they are in your plumbing.

 

[The Farmer]

I know this is an old post, I have a question for the op schuby. What pack did you order from ipsf.com? Any info would be helpful thank you.

I think that increasing bio-diversity is the answer to vermetid snails, algae, and and overall more healthy reef tank. I had vermetid outbreak in my 150. They were everywhere. I added bio-diversity from IPSF.com ( https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/nutrient-management-by-“old-school”-reefer.784640/post-8337281 ) . I have white sponges growing, maybe from IPSF.com, and I think they are super helpful for my tank. I've added more sponges from reeffarmers.com.

Over time, say 5-7 months, the vermetids stopped spreading/increasing. Now they are mostly just empty, coraline-covered spouts. I added some bumblebee snails, but I don't know that they could keep such a large population in check.

I think the competition from increased bio-diversity was the solution. If I would have started with Live Rock, then I probably wouldn't have ever had a vermetid problem, due to the inherent, large bio-diversity of true Live Rock.

Oh, and never letting phosphate or nitrate get and stay at zero!