Vermitid Removal

[Drag80n Reef]

Is there a proper way to manually remove vermitids or is it okay to just snap them off the rocks? Also does killing them increase nitrates?

 

[KrisReef]

Depends on what kind you are removing, where they are located and how much exposure they have. Some can be scraped off (especially the larger ones that grow on the glass) whole, while others can be smashed in their shells or sealed in with glue or putty, the trick is to make sure they don’t survive. Snapping off the top of the tube may not kill them if they can just hide inside the lower end. Crushing and exposing them to fish predators is a great way to recycle them.

If they are digested by the tank they may show up as a small nitrate increase but you would have to kill a lot of them to measure the increase?

 

[rayadog]

Bumblebee snails eat them allegedly

 

[Drag80n Reef]

Thank you guys, I appreciate it

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

bumble snails will eat them, but you have to break the tubes, the snails can't get to the worm if they are inside the long tubes. I take a butter knife and basically shave the rock

 

[Drag80n Reef]

Thank you guys, eradicating vermitids is my goal for 2026

 

[ronnie]

Coral snow may help as well. I have tried it a few times but not consistently enough to know.

 

[zwalter38]

I’ll put another vote on bumblebee snails. I didn’t even have to crush the tube of the Vermitid snails, and my 5 bumblebees got about 80% of my vermitids in my 135g.

 

[Kellie in CA]

Bumblebees worked for me too.