Vermetid snail conclusion
- Thread starter goldmaniac
- Start date
goldmaniac
New member
OP here. Glad to see that this thread is still being used as a resource.
I can still say that my tank never had vermatid snails after my yellow wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus) hit them in 2010. In the time that I've seen responses, I don't think I've heard of anyone repeating my success with this species. BUT those replies are few, under 10 or maybe even only 5 other people reported in.
My total number of experiences was 1. I never had the opportunity to repeat the test, in case the snails came back. Remember, in another thread, I mention - my yellow wrasse took a nosedive and perished while carpet surfing. If he hadn't gotten them all before his Leap of Death, and they came back, I was going to try to repeat with the same species, but the vermetids never returned.
This was my posting about the success with Halichoeres chrysus -- it's already posted somewhere else here
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1927977
My advice? get a reef-safe wrasse for the tank that's appropriate with your other fish and inverts, and see if he goes after the vermetids. Doesn't have to be Halichoeres chrysus. I have a 7-line wrasse right now that may be keeping them in check in my 120 gal, I don't know. I never see any of these things anymore.
good luck -
G.
I can still say that my tank never had vermatid snails after my yellow wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus) hit them in 2010. In the time that I've seen responses, I don't think I've heard of anyone repeating my success with this species. BUT those replies are few, under 10 or maybe even only 5 other people reported in.
My total number of experiences was 1. I never had the opportunity to repeat the test, in case the snails came back. Remember, in another thread, I mention - my yellow wrasse took a nosedive and perished while carpet surfing. If he hadn't gotten them all before his Leap of Death, and they came back, I was going to try to repeat with the same species, but the vermetids never returned.
This was my posting about the success with Halichoeres chrysus -- it's already posted somewhere else here
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1927977
My advice? get a reef-safe wrasse for the tank that's appropriate with your other fish and inverts, and see if he goes after the vermetids. Doesn't have to be Halichoeres chrysus. I have a 7-line wrasse right now that may be keeping them in check in my 120 gal, I don't know. I never see any of these things anymore.
good luck -
G.
goldmaniac
New member
That's a really nice list - that's an impressive community. The assortment of tangs is particularly terrific.
Looking at the list, I see the powder blue, the hippo, and the copperband bfly as the most delicate fish in there - and the Achilles? I never was able to pick up an Achilles Tang. They're a favorite of mine, too.
The copperband is just hard to keep due to eating requirements. If you have that going well, Kudos to you, and he's probably not going to get stressed too much.
The Hippo and Powder Blue are particularly prone to ich, and it's my personal opinion that stress is the primary culprit with those two species. IF it was me, I'd want to pick a docile reef-safe wrasse to keep stress levels down.
You do already have a royal gramma, which, if it's a small tank, may beat up any similar-shaped fish that you add, including a small wrasse.
SO.. again, if it was ME, I'd want a community wrasse as to not upset the hippo and the powder blue (and the Achilles, I think, they may be delicate, I never had one), but also something that could stand up for itself to the Royal Gramma.
I wouldn't get any fairy wrasse, they're too different than what I've had success with. Maybe a 4-(Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia)or 6- (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia)or 12-line (Macropharyngodon meleagris)wrasse, or a Leopard Wrasse (Macropharyngodon meleagris) or a Melanurus Wrasse (Halichoeres melanurus) ?
I know it is very common, and he may not fit into your extraordinary collection, but the 6-line may be the easiest candidate to try. Cheap, bulletproof, and particularly non-aggressive. I currently have one that I inherited and he just cruises and causes no trouble at all.
Fortunately, the Yellow Wrasse I've been promoting (Halichoeres chrysus) is also pretty tough, docile, and cheap. he's currently on LiveAquaria for $15. I found the ones I've had to be pretty reef-safe, as well.
Hope this helps -
G.
Looking at the list, I see the powder blue, the hippo, and the copperband bfly as the most delicate fish in there - and the Achilles? I never was able to pick up an Achilles Tang. They're a favorite of mine, too.
The copperband is just hard to keep due to eating requirements. If you have that going well, Kudos to you, and he's probably not going to get stressed too much.
The Hippo and Powder Blue are particularly prone to ich, and it's my personal opinion that stress is the primary culprit with those two species. IF it was me, I'd want to pick a docile reef-safe wrasse to keep stress levels down.
You do already have a royal gramma, which, if it's a small tank, may beat up any similar-shaped fish that you add, including a small wrasse.
SO.. again, if it was ME, I'd want a community wrasse as to not upset the hippo and the powder blue (and the Achilles, I think, they may be delicate, I never had one), but also something that could stand up for itself to the Royal Gramma.
I wouldn't get any fairy wrasse, they're too different than what I've had success with. Maybe a 4-(Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia)or 6- (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia)or 12-line (Macropharyngodon meleagris)wrasse, or a Leopard Wrasse (Macropharyngodon meleagris) or a Melanurus Wrasse (Halichoeres melanurus) ?
I know it is very common, and he may not fit into your extraordinary collection, but the 6-line may be the easiest candidate to try. Cheap, bulletproof, and particularly non-aggressive. I currently have one that I inherited and he just cruises and causes no trouble at all.
Fortunately, the Yellow Wrasse I've been promoting (Halichoeres chrysus) is also pretty tough, docile, and cheap. he's currently on LiveAquaria for $15. I found the ones I've had to be pretty reef-safe, as well.
Hope this helps -
G.
thank you for a long reply!
I like your idea of trying one wrasse at the time to see what works,
for me this might be even best option. i have frag tank connected to my main display that also have vermetid snails, and i already have 6 line wrasse in there, but he is not interested.
I like your idea of trying one wrasse at the time to see what works,
for me this might be even best option. i have frag tank connected to my main display that also have vermetid snails, and i already have 6 line wrasse in there, but he is not interested.
hkgar
Active member
How large is your tank?
ThRoewer
New member
I just got 2 figure-8 pufferfish I plan to train to eat those pests. Not that they actually need much training as it is kind of their natural food - just some pointing in the right direction. The only issue is to keep them from eating the good snails, shrimp, crabs,...
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Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
400 gallons, 8 feet long
lionfish300
New member
How the pufferfish do?
ThRoewer
New member
I just switched them over to saltwater. So far they haven't shown much interest in the few snails that are in their "training" tank. So far they even ignored the snail I smashed for them. I guess they need to get a bit more hungry for their natural instincts to kick in as they probably got too used to being fed.
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I recently moved and decided to start over rather than try to move my livestock. One big reason for that decision was the plague of vermetid snails that I had on all my rocks. They killed *so many* different corals and the few things that I tried to get rid of them (covered below) didn't work. I did not try a wrasse because I didn't want it eating corals, but in the end I lost so many to the snails that I probably should have tried one.
Some things I tried that I found recommended in some threads:
- Scarlet cleaner shrimps
- Boxer shrimp
- Super gluing the tips (lol no chance)
- Green laser (good for aiptasia, bad for vermetids)
- Scraping them off while my wife sucked them out with a siphon tube
- Emerald crabs
I couldn't make a dent in them no matter what I tried. If I ever see any starting in my new setup I'm probably going to take the entire rock out and nuke it in vinegar. These things are no joke.
Some things I tried that I found recommended in some threads:
- Scarlet cleaner shrimps
- Boxer shrimp
- Super gluing the tips (lol no chance)
- Green laser (good for aiptasia, bad for vermetids)
- Scraping them off while my wife sucked them out with a siphon tube
- Emerald crabs
I couldn't make a dent in them no matter what I tried. If I ever see any starting in my new setup I'm probably going to take the entire rock out and nuke it in vinegar. These things are no joke.
ThRoewer
New member
Which kind of vermetid snails do/did you have, the small ones that get at the most 1/2" in length or the large ones that can reach a tube length of several inches and a diameter of nearly 1/4"?
hkgar
Active member
small ones.
I noticed a few small ones but it was not an issue, until I moved a mushroom rock near some other corals and noticed the sizable nets they were casting. I added 10 Bumblebee snails to my 125 and am surprised to not see them mentioned here-the aged thread, perhaps? 
? I put the plyers and screw driver to a few but realize that if a few are visible, there are bound to be more. I've subsequently seen reports of plagues and I do not want to get to that point. Any advice is appreciated, especially in regards to the bumble bee snail and the amount I should have in my tank.
? I put the plyers and screw driver to a few but realize that if a few are visible, there are bound to be more. I've subsequently seen reports of plagues and I do not want to get to that point. Any advice is appreciated, especially in regards to the bumble bee snail and the amount I should have in my tank.
goldmaniac
New member
bumblebee snails are a good idea. I had them in my tank for a number of years when I had my biggest vermetid plague - but I did not have many, 12 or less. For a younger guy with a new place, it was cost prohibitive to buy a large number of bumblebees, although they've remained a favorite and they survived for a VERY LONG TIME. Give 'em a try, and if you can, I'd get a bunch - they're great for the tank, anyway.
G.
G.
$18.00 for 5 in Toronto. Did 10 and prob will do another 10.
