Bayer dip for corals..kill vermited snails?

[Beej1254]

In my younger days of reef keeping (only just got to my second year) I didn't have a keen eye for the many hitchhiking pests on frag plugs. Thankfully after a closer eye developed and a good dipping regiment, I feel as though I've kept many bad things out. However, I have tons of vermited snails. They are manageable, but annoying and irritating to my corals at times.

So my thought is, since bayer insect killer is safe to dip corals in...can I dip an entire rock and hopefully kill these vermited snails?

Low feeding only controls them so much, gluing/smashing doesn't work when you have 100s.

What if one day I decided to take every rock out and dip them all? Sounds kinda scary, and possibly crazy, but why the heck not?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

In my younger days of reef keeping (only just got to my second year) I didn't have a keen eye for the many hitchhiking pests on frag plugs. Thankfully after a closer eye developed and a good dipping regiment, I feel as though I've kept many bad things out. However, I have tons of vermited snails. They are manageable, but annoying and irritating to my corals at times.

So my thought is, since bayer insect killer is safe to dip corals in...can I dip an entire rock and hopefully kill these vermited snails?

Low feeding only controls them so much, gluing/smashing doesn't work when you have 100s.

What if one day I decided to take every rock out and dip them all? Sounds kinda scary, and possibly crazy, but why the heck not?

I would try FWE or interceptor first. Just a known factor. Bayer should oxidise if done correctly. IN THEORY. But its going to be a series of repeated dips that will win the war IMO, and scrubbing when their out of thank. More like a good coral qt regime. The trick is to get into the tube or on the animal so a long soak in XXXX would work better.

No, I would NEVER attempt it.

NEVER

 

[Beej1254]

A soak in what? What is XXXX? Not going to lie, I don't know what FWE is either.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

A soak in what? What is XXXX? Not going to lie, I don't know what FWE is either.

Product X or bugs bunny for Poison
Flat Worm Exit by salifert. But honestly I dont know if it would kill them, you'd have to test.

 

[redfishbluefish]

FWE = Flat Worm Exit

No, you don't want to dip rock.....it absorbs the dip and that would then leach back into your tank killing corals and inverts.

 

[Beej1254]

FWE = Flat Worm Exit

No, you don't want to dip rock.....it absorbs the dip and that would then leach back into your tank killing corals and inverts.

So let's say I setup my spare 55gallon. Pull all of the rock out with corals attached. Place them in a large tub of saltwater and some type of coral safe dip. Dip for a normal amount of time associated with whichever product I choose. Hopefully killing the pest snails, then putting all rock and corals into my 55 gallon with carbon and a skimmer. Plus be ready for any water changes necessary, so if absorption and leeching occur it would be taken care of.

Meanwhile I'd have to make sure I cleaned up my DT well enough. Even one surviving will be a loss and a waste.

Seems like a huge hassle, but maybe doable. Worth it? I dunno.

 

[andrewey]

I wouldn't dip the entire rocks in bayer- it will likely kill all your inverts- it's usually the reason people discard the frag plugs when dipping (beyond the eyesore and the likelyhood of having additional eggs/hitchhikers)

 

[dnyceli]

I would worry about killing microfauna and bacteria. It could cause your tank too recycle depending on how long you have had your system running.

 

[Beej1254]

I wouldn't dip the entire rocks in bayer- it will likely kill all your inverts- it's usually the reason people discard the frag plugs when dipping (beyond the eyesore and the likelyhood of having additional eggs/hitchhikers)

I still remember the day I asked a previous forum I frequented what was on my frag plug. Someone told me it was a vermited snail, but didn't really seem to be worried about it. I never thought to look it up after that. If I could go back in the past I'd kick myself. I only blame myself haha.

 

[Beej1254]

I would worry about killing microfauna and bacteria. It could cause your tank too recycle depending on how long you have had your system running.

That would be a huge challenge to work out.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

So let's say I setup my spare 55gallon. Pull all of the rock out with corals attached. Place them in a large tub of saltwater and some type of coral safe dip. Dip for a normal amount of time associated with whichever product I choose. Hopefully killing the pest snails, then putting all rock and corals into my 55 gallon with carbon and a skimmer. Plus be ready for any water changes necessary, so if absorption and leeching occur it would be taken care of.

Meanwhile I'd have to make sure I cleaned up my DT well enough. Even one surviving will be a loss and a waste.

Seems like a huge hassle, but maybe doable. Worth it? I dunno.

Thus testing with the product. Its actually a similar method as QT/cleaning real live rock or stuff from craigslist. You just need a garbage can powerhead and reactor or canister filter for the carbon.
Read up on FWE use on Melevs site. Also find out about interceptor... Id also soak it in fresh water overnight. Wont kill the rock..

Worth it in this instance, dunno.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I still remember the day I asked a previous forum I frequented what was on my frag plug. Someone told me it was a vermited snail, but didn't really seem to be worried about it. I never thought to look it up after that. If I could go back in the past I'd kick myself. I only blame myself haha.

LOL. I know what coral I got the bryopsis from and the one I got this round of aphasia from.:mad:

 

[Beej1254]

Thus testing with the product. Its actually a similar method as QT/cleaning real live rock or stuff from craigslist. You just need a garbage can powerhead and reactor or canister filter for the carbon.
Read up on FWE use on Melevs site. Also find out about interceptor... Id also soak it in fresh water overnight. Wont kill the rock..

Worth it in this instance, dunno.

I guess the only reason why I'm considering such a drastic approach is because my corals are well encrusted over these rocks. I'm not really planning on doing this anytime soon, but I can't sleep with ideas in my head haha. I suppose I could frag out these corals and start over, but honestly doing that wouldn't be worth it. I'd rather just deal with the pests.

Just wondering if somehow there would be a way without going THAT far

 

[dnyceli]

You could super glue the tube opening or epoxy

 

[dnyceli]

Or you could try a six line Wrasse, but there are not guarantees with that working

 

[spiraling]

Even though there are a lot - how far have you tried with manual control? With a pair of needle nose pliers or strong tweezers kill about 50 a night, which would take 20 minutes or less. After a few days or weeks you will have made a huge dent in the population, and possibly spent less time than the dipping you are considering. They are easy to find if you feed your tank and wait a few minutes.

My tank is not vermitid free, but I went from a major explosion to a manageable amount fairly quickly. If I killed every time I saw one it would be better. They tend to like my hammer most.

 

[Beej1254]

Even though there are a lot - how far have you tried with manual control? With a pair of needle nose pliers or strong tweezers kill about 50 a night, which would take 20 minutes or less. After a few days or weeks you will have made a huge dent in the population, and possibly spent less time than the dipping you are considering. They are easy to find if you feed your tank and wait a few minutes.

My tank is not vermitid free, but I went from a major explosion to a manageable amount fairly quickly. If I killed every time I saw one it would be better. They tend to like my hammer most.

I have tried that, and while I find it strangely satisfying, I got tired of doing it. Now for a majority of the time I've had these pests I've just let them be. The problem is that this doesn't solve the overall problem.

 

[dnyceli]

Well in this hobby you get what you put in. If it was easy it wouldn't be fun

 

[Sabellafella]

In my younger days of reef keeping (only just got to my second year) I didn't have a keen eye for the many hitchhiking pests on frag plugs. Thankfully after a closer eye developed and a good dipping regiment, I feel as though I've kept many bad things out. However, I have tons of vermited snails. They are manageable, but annoying and irritating to my corals at times.

So my thought is, since bayer insect killer is safe to dip corals in...can I dip an entire rock and hopefully kill these vermited snails?

Low feeding only controls them so much, gluing/smashing doesn't work when you have 100s.

What if one day I decided to take every rock out and dip them all? Sounds kinda scary, and possibly crazy, but why the heck not?

I would not but it works. You kinda dont want traces of bayer lingering inside your rocks. If you think it outways the benefits to potentially nuke your tank. Your overall problem would be solved with a restart on dry rock. Even then they can still pop up because of your already existing situation.