The Vermetid snail debate is over

[jestep]

https://reefbuilders.com/2017/01/31/vermetid-tubeworms-are-bad-for-aquariums-and-coral-reefs/

 

I've had many an argument over these guys and I've always felt the are harmful. It's been fairly well accepted that they are an irritant, but I've seen corals STN and die when close to or downstream of them, numerous times.

 

Anyway, the nail in the coffin so to speak.

 

But, I do think the size plays a large role. I've got some huge pencil size ones with 18"+ of mucus when I'm feeding the tank, they upset half the tank sometimes. The tiny pin point size ones seem to be much less of an issue.

[NYfishies]

Never knew this was a debate. These devils have wreaked havoc on my zoa garden since day 1. I hope now that is it more out there others will find creative ways to combat them.

 

My only success is to manually crush them with tweezers combined with starving the tank.

[natalia_la_loca]

Even the tiny pinpoint-sized ones can and do irritate corals also, and they reach plague proportions if left unchecked.

 

No need to starve a tank. They are easy to control through (complete) manual removal and smothering with superglue. The main zoa rock in my reefbowl had a terrible infestation. Before adding it to the reefbowl, I took the rock out of the water and pulverized every vermetid with needlenose pliers. Then I killed the few remaining stragglers with superglue over the next couple of weeks. I've been vermetid-free for months.

[NYfishies]

Even the tiny pinpoint-sized ones can and do irritate corals also, IME, and they reach plague proportions if left unchecked.

 

No need to starve a tank. They are easy to control through (complete) manual removal and smothering with superglue. The main zoa rock in my reefbowl had a terrible infestation. Before adding it to the reefbowl, I took the rock out of the water and pulverized every vermetid with needlenose pliers. Then I killed the few remaining stragglers with superglue over the next couple of weeks. I've been vermetid-free for months.

 

I am not sure everybody can just take the rock out of the tank and nuke it like that.

 

In my case there were thousands. My manual battle removing them each day was not enough. Now that I have starved the tank (mainly for other algae issues and not these snails) I have noticed they are all, but gone. I stopped smashing them months ago. Die off on their own.

[WV Reefer]

I scrape them off and suck the parts out. Works like a charm.

[natalia_la_loca]

 

I am not sure everybody can just take the rock out of the tank and nuke it like that.

 

In my case there were thousands. My manual battle removing them each day was not enough. Now that I have starved the tank (mainly for other algae issues and not these snails) I have noticed they are all, but gone. I stopped smashing them months ago. Die off on their own.

 

Sure you can. Just takes more work

 

Obviously it's best to tackle a problem like that when it's still small. As is the case with every reef invader.

[jestep]

Never knew this was a debate. These devils have wreaked havoc on my zoa garden since day 1. I hope now that is it more out there others will find creative ways to combat them.

 

My only success is to manually crush them with tweezers combined with starving the tank.

 

I thought the same thing as well, but I've been in numerous conversations locally and online where others swear they're completely harmless.

[Muraki]

I knew they would irritate corals, just didn't realize to what extent. Happy I kill them when they get to places that I do not agree with. I guess I'll become more strict about them from now on.

[Clown79]

I've never had issues with them. I have them and nothing hs been harmed

[natalia_la_loca]

Part of my problem may be that I feed my corals with a shovel. Vermetids and other nasties like hydroids love that stuff just as much as corals do.

[FishI]

https://reefbuilders.com/2017/01/31/vermetid-tubeworms-are-bad-for-aquariums-and-coral-reefs/

 

I've had many an argument over these guys and I've always felt the are harmful. It's been fairly well accepted that they are an irritant, but I've seen corals STN and die when close to or downstream of them, numerous times.

 

Anyway, the nail in the coffin so to speak.

 

But, I do think the size plays a large role. I've got some huge pencil size ones with 18"+ of mucus when I'm feeding the tank, they upset half the tank sometimes. The tiny pin point size ones seem to be much less of an issue.

 

 

I bet most people who claim they are a non issue have the small ones.

[ninjamyst]

I have hundreds of them. one was growing on my monticap and killing it. how do get rid of these guys when they are at the nooks and crannies of the rocks? I tried breaking off what i see but they still live.

[WV Reefer]

I have hundreds of them. one was growing on my monticap and killing it. how do get rid of these guys when they are at the nooks and crannies of the rocks? I tried breaking off what i see but they still live.

I use a scalpel or needle nose tweezers.

[fishfreak0114]

I had one growing in my hammer and it itritated it to the point that two heads almost bailed. Glued over it and the hammer has recovered. I've only ever seen one or two at a time.

[Ebn]

Just in case anyone is interested. Here's what it looks like inside. Bone cuttered, then soaked in RO water, and then back into the tank. The cleaner shrimp made short work of them once they hit the water.

[sam_the_reefer]

The big ones are easy to control. It's the small razor sharp ones that are annoying. My pavona and leptastrea encrusts over them though.

[Trish]

I have 4 Vermetid snails (that I can see) on my center main rock. They spit out awful looking white strings. What is the best way to remove them? Thinking I need to dip the big rock in a bucket of freshwater and dab them with bleach and a qtip! They are making a terrible mess.

 

[Nocturnal]

I just hate how they look and their tendency to build up on the back wall etc. Even if they were harmless I'd kill them.

[jc2014]

One day I'll be vermetid free.  One day...   I guess it's time to do another sweep of my tank with tweezers in hand.   Anybody else feed the crushed remains to a duncan coral?

[fishfreak0114]

2 hours ago, Trish said:

I have 4 Vermetid snails (that I can see) on my center main rock. They spit out awful looking white strings. What is the best way to remove them? Thinking I need to dip the big rock in a bucket of freshwater and dab them with bleach and a qtip! They are making a terrible mess.

 

I like to crush them to smithereens myself. 

[Tamberav]

I have one living inside an acro, caused some necrosis. I killed it but there is a 2nd one now. 😠 

 

I pick them out when I can, the little ones do not seem to bother anything but if you ever accidentally jammed your thumb on one, they will make you bleed!!

[NanoRox]

I had only one thank goodness.  was able to destroy him manually.  His little bit of "spittle" proved a very strong irritant to my corals so I can see how a large one could be devastating,  

[WDLV]

Pfft.  Hold my beer....
Here are two species (three colonies) of corals overgrowing vermatid snails and getting unusual growth patterns doing so.  The brain should have a smooth surface, but because of the vermatids, it grew these odd protrusions.
The monti DOES grow spires with bulbous tips normally, but the pointed spires are vermatids growing and being grown over by the coral.
 

[12scanlon]

I hate vermetids... been trying to get rid of them since i started tarted my tank because they came in on the live rock. Right now my 30+ polyp zoa colony that started with 2 polyps is getting ready to bail because of these annoyances. In the next week or two my leopard toby puffer comes, and hopefully he will take care of them. It seems to me breaking them off with pliers helps them populate. 

[reeferx2]

I had a lot of these things at one point and just kept hacking at the ones that were bothering corals. For one reason or another they all seem to have died off.