Vermetid Snail Predator?

eschaton

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 27, 2019
Messages
263
Reaction score
264
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
IMHO introducing any sort of predator to eat a single pest lifeform is a bad idea. Either they eat that one thing, and one thing only (in which case they probably die off before getting every single thing) or they are opportunistic and will eat lots of other things on your rock/sand as well which are more beneficial.

My old tank had a fair amount of vermetids, and I just don't see why it's a big deal unless a particular one is casting a mucus net which is irritating a coral, or blocking the plumbing system/pumps. In cryptic areas of the tank (under rocks, in the sump, etc) I tend to think of them as beneficial organisms which help to polish the water, similar to sponges.
 

malacoda

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 22, 2015
Messages
1,044
Reaction score
1,179
Location
Western North Carolina
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
1) Keep in mind, any snail that eats vermetids will also likely eat other snails, and possibly clams as well.

2) From what I've seen/read, there are more than one type of snail that get lumped into the general name of 'bumble bee' snails. Some are predatory ... similar to whelks (which prey on other snails and clams). And some are not ... which means they wouldn't do a thing to help rid your tank of vermetids.
 

Dmsick

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
May 15, 2018
Messages
380
Reaction score
384
Location
West Tn
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Probably had thousands in my 100g. I added 4 bumblebee snails and a melanarus wrasse. I've seen a definite drop-off in the vermetids. I think most of it has been the bumble bees but I've seen the wrasse picking at the rocks. I'm not sure if he's eating vermetids or algae though.
 

4sylvester

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2018
Messages
63
Reaction score
41
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
1) Keep in mind, any snail that eats vermetids will also likely eat other snails, and possibly clams as well.

2) From what I've seen/read, there are more than one type of snail that get lumped into the general name of 'bumble bee' snails. Some are predatory ... similar to whelks (which prey on other snails and clams). And some are not ... which means they wouldn't do a thing to help rid your tank of vermetids.


Very true. I also risked my CUC by putting in a melanurus wrasse. So far it doesn't seem he has a taste for them "yet". It's not hard to catch these bumbles. If they clear my vermetids I'll pick most of them out and donate to the LFS. I don't think i can ever get my melanurus back out but no point in housing 50+ bumbles if the vermetids are gone.
 

bryanfuel

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 23, 2019
Messages
301
Reaction score
412
Location
Costa Mesa, California
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I’ve never understood the hate around these guys although it sounds like my case is an outlier. I’ve had this big Vermetid snail (1cm x 2cm) for over 2 years now and never seen it spread. It’s pretty cool to watch it’s web and pull in food that it catches.
 

tastyfish

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 7, 2017
Messages
525
Reaction score
444
Location
Hampshire
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I’m afraid bumblebee snails are more likely to predate on other snail CUC rather than vermatids.

They are a predatory whelk, specialising in other snails and molluscs.
 

West1

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 26, 2016
Messages
1,942
Reaction score
632
Location
Idaho
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Story updates pls

My nuvo 20 is thriving, unfortunately so are the vermetid snails.
 

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
90,423
Reaction score
199,090
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
13   0   0
Go with coral putty. Mix it (knead) and pack over the vermetids and tell them goodbye !!

1592170368742.png
 

Jrcjr5

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 19, 2018
Messages
11
Reaction score
3
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I had a pretty serious infestation of vermatids and had great success with bumble bees. I do think they went after a few of my other smaller CUC members however. I also had a melanarus, but it never developed a taste for the bumbles. Almost a year later now and still have 5-6 bumbles working the remaining vermatids.
 

Vette67

Reefing since 1997
View Badges
Joined
Mar 1, 2017
Messages
1,089
Reaction score
3,087
Location
North Olmsted, Ohio
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
20170105_075907.jpeg


I also have flatworms the non harmful kind that I will be getting rid of today. You can see them on the sand bed. I went fallow for 3 months and the worms just spread like wild fire. Any suggestions?
Are you sure those aren’t hydroids? From your picture, we can’t see if there is the telltale coiled shell at the bottom. Hydroids have the same tubes and look like vermetids, but are harmless. I have hydroids on some of my rock and they look very similar to the vermetids. Hydroids look like feather duster worms, rather than slime.
91dbfb78-0e9d-4035-929d-1817574f0b8e-jpeg.1626736
 

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
90,423
Reaction score
199,090
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
13   0   0
Didn’t see pic. Looks like fan worms not vermetids or droids
Starve them as they feed off suspended food and they’ll be gone
 

WallyB

REEF Techno-Geek
View Badges
Joined
Jan 24, 2017
Messages
3,124
Reaction score
8,087
Location
GTA Toronto, CANADA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I hate Colonial Hydroids (specifically) more than Vermits. They spread worse/faster if you feed you tank corals.
They will cover every inch of your rocks. Sting all corals to retract.
Took me years to get rid of them. At laeat the infestation. I stopped feeding the corals by broadcast feeding.
If you have any get rid of them ASAP.

At least Vermitid are somewhat easy to cut out with Bone Cutters (Carve them out of the rock, or cover with Putty). If you can get to where they are. Easy to see them, if you turn off flow, right after creating a dust storm. (Puts a tracer on their web)
And if they are not where you can get to them, they are probably not an annoyance to viewing corals.
 

canadianeh

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 28, 2017
Messages
1,610
Reaction score
1,044
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I am using dremmel to grind them off the surface. After that, I smear super glue on the surface for extra protection.

anyone else is doing the same?
 

RichtheReefer21

Scrap Yard Reefer
View Badges
Joined
Jun 11, 2018
Messages
8,766
Reaction score
49,641
Location
Western Massachusetts
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I am using dremmel to grind them off the surface. After that, I smear super glue on the surface for extra protection.

anyone else is doing the same?
Sounds like a great approach. Just be sure to use the reef safe version of the super glue. Acryli-something..

Green topped gorilla glue is the one i use.

Update us on the progress!
 

Aquatic acrobat in your aquarium: Have you ever kept an eel?

  • I currently keep an eel in my tank.

    Votes: 29 14.9%
  • I have kept an eel in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 32 16.4%
  • I have not kept an eel in my tank, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 35 17.9%
  • I have no plans to keep an eel.

    Votes: 96 49.2%
  • Other.

    Votes: 3 1.5%
Back
Top