vermetid snail eradication

albert_dao · #1 03-10-2015, 10:22 AM

Yah, just mangle them with a screwdriver or something. They're not like Aiptasia. They die if you cause enough physical trauma.

whatcaneyedo · #2 03-10-2015, 05:48 PM

I deal with them not through manual removal but through aggressive skimming and filtration. They have been present in my reef almost since day one without causing any problems. I actually kind of like them as they add to the biodiversity of the system. I know there is more than one species out there, mine are about 1/16" in diameter and grow no longer than 1/2". SPS coral encrust over them and the LPS outgrow then smother them. I have also seen a type that grows quite large +1/8" diameter and ~2" long, are those the type you are dealing with?

Duckhams · #3 03-11-2015, 01:51 PM

Hey langley reefer, sorry to hear about your frogspawn! Vermetid snails are a real pain to get rid of. I've dealt with them in several tanks before (in one 90 gallon, they covered every square inch of the rock work!-not my tank-).
The only sure fire way to prevent them from taking over is to stop feeding flakes or anything that fills the water column for a while (the goal is to remove a food source for them), stick to pellets and target feeding mysis etc. Keep the tank clean with regular water changes, wet skimming and start clipping them off with a pair of small bone cutters/pliers when you do your regular water changes and they'll soon die out. Manual removal alone is not enough.
I had them in my current tank about a year ago and im pleased to say they're all gone.