Vermetid Snails removal

[vetteguy53081]

No, I do not see feather duster type things coming from those little tubes..
Those tubes are hard and seem calcified..

On my last big water change, I did notice string like things coming out of it..
I've had this tankfor a few years now, perhaps closer to 3 at least, maybe even 4?
A renewed interest has me motivated to get this tank back into tip-top shape.

I have plans to eventually start growing corals after everything is situated.. I figured I would first tackle the problem of these spike-like things first.

My second plan was to add additional sand (while slowly washing the sand in sections to bring out any leftover detritus trapped).

Help!

Also, what is that on my fan? Those are not standard tube-like things on my rocks, but its more of a patch of spikes instead?

Then sounds like others have suggested- vermetids

 

[vetteguy53081]

50g and hundreds. I would try 25 bumblebees, but I really don't care enough to bother. I've had vermetids in every tank I've ever had since the Eighties, I just never thought twice about them until recently when the internet decided they were bad.

Bumble bee snails are perhaps the only predator vermetids have, other than gel superglue over every tube hole

 

[rtparty]

50g and hundreds. I would try 25 bumblebees, but I really don't care enough to bother. I've had vermetids in every tank I've ever had since the Eighties, I just never thought twice about them until recently when the internet decided they were bad.

I agree the internet has villified many "pests" that aren't actual pests. I don't expect the bb snails to eradicate my issue but more help me get them back to a controllable level so I can help fight against them taking over. I have hundreds of them going on and they exploded in numbers recently. Part of this is my homemade food and I have been over feeding while I tried to nurse a mimic tang back to health (this sadly didn't happen.)

Their nets do irritate some corals and that is all I am trying to avoid. I have no issue with a few sticking around as they are part of an overall ecology that so many are fighting against creating these days. I just don't want a plague amount of them and then have their nets irritate my new SPS pieces. Once the tank and SPS are healthy enough, the vermetid won't bother them enough to worry about.

 

[rueric]

Bumble bee snails are perhaps the only predator vermetids have, other than gel superglue over every tube hole

My tank has perhaps hundreds of theses growing.. it’s on everything, rocks, back wall, power head.. not quite sure if supergluing will be a valid choice..

I’ll need to take a look at the diy snow option and see what it entails.

leaning towards a nuke option if possible, since I have another tank I can begin cycling. Just not quite sure how to execute yet

 

[Unholy_Rigatoni]

My tank has perhaps hundreds of theses growing.. it’s on everything, rocks, back wall, power head.. not quite sure if supergluing will be a valid choice..

I’ll need to take a look at the diy snow option and see what it entails.

leaning towards a nuke option if possible, since I have another tank I can begin cycling. Just not quite sure how to execute yet

I have a similar sized tank (30g) and what I did was remove all the rock (wear gloves and headlamp) , use tweezers and stab as many as I could. You could clear the ones on the back wall at the same time. Rinsed the rock in old tank water, do a major water change (50 percent). That would at least reduce the immediate numbers as you modify your feeding or cleaning schedule.

 

[king aiptasia]

I have a spare 20g tank I can start to cycle.. Have not ordered any live rock though however.. I wouldn't mind starving out my tank, but how long of a process would this take? I'd like to come out with a list actions I need to take to get me back to green..

1. Purchase additional live rock (BRS Reef Saver)
2. Start cycling on a 20g
3. Wait for cycle to complete, migrate the fish
4. Starve out DT (how long?)

here is your real game plan, ignore the vermetids and just proceed as planned, they only bother sps corals occasionally

 

[rueric]

I have a similar sized tank (30g) and what I did was remove all the rock (wear gloves and headlamp) , use tweezers and stab as many as I could. You could clear the ones on the back wall at the same time. Rinsed the rock in old tank water, do a major water change (50 percent). That would at least reduce the immediate numbers as you modify your feeding or cleaning schedule.

What size were the vermetid snails you were dealing with? With my rocks looking like pincushions, it doesn't seem feasible as they are extremely tiny tubes and not the 1/4" tubes that some also see

 

[rueric]

Anyone who has used Bumbleebee snails and have seen some success, do these BB snails help to remove the tubes too?