Vermetid Snail/ Pest ID

[ReefSoup]

I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this, but just looking for confirmation that these are vermetid snails I just discovered in my tank. I added some new zoas to my tank about a month ago and just noticed 1 of these on the frag plugs of 4 of the new frags. First saw them last night and they have moved at all. These are the best photos I could get for the time being, but they're small and a light-ish brown (ignore the green cyano, I'm currently treating for bryopsis first then will take care of the cyano).

[HASH=1]#reefsquad[/HASH]

 

[Homelander]

Yup, vermetid snails

 

[ReefSoup]

Yup, vermetid snails

Thought so. I've been reading conflicting posts that say you should remove as many of them as you can, while others say you'll drive yourself crazy trying to get rid of them and they'll eventually dwindle in number. Assuming the best course of action is to try to manually remove the few I've found and hope for the best? Are they a major threat to my zoas or mainly just an irritant?

 

[Homelander]

When vermetid snails feed, they release a mucus web to catch particulates. This mucus web has been reported to irritate corals, to the point of having die off. If they're near a coral, it's best to remove them.

 

[Mester320]

Are these vermited snails?

 

[CanuckReefer]

View attachment 2459979
Are these vermited snails?

Yup

 

[CanuckReefer]

Thought so. I've been reading conflicting posts that say you should remove as many of them as you can, while others say you'll drive yourself crazy trying to get rid of them and they'll eventually dwindle in number. Assuming the best course of action is to try to manually remove the few I've found and hope for the best? Are they a major threat to my zoas or mainly just an irritant?

Had them for eons....an irritant IMO. Mine typically release the web only when I am cleaning the tank. Or stirring things up. I have a few Bubblebee snails which seem to feed on the smaller ones, and keep them in check. They haven't killed any of my corals, although I am mainly softie based....

 

[muzikalmatt]

Had them for eons....an irritant IMO. Mine typically release the web only when I am cleaning the tank. Or stirring things up. I have a few Bubblebee snails which seem to feed on the smaller ones, and keep them in check. They haven't killed any of my corals, although I am mainly softie based....

Same here. Tried fighting them but they spread everywhere, even in the plumbing. So I've just learned to live with them and so have my corals. More of an eye sore than anything else.

 

[CanuckReefer]

Same here. Tried fighting them but they spread everywhere, even in the plumbing. So I've just learned to live with them and so have my corals. More of an eye sore than anything else.

Stick your hands in and....here come the vermitids! Lol.

 

[a.t.t.r]

Some are just a minor annoyance. Others esp the larger ones can wipe out a tanks coral.

 

[Lovefish77]

Sorry for coming in late on this, one of tank has some of these in the pics, but they Never cast that web. I have seen the other ones that cast that evil web and they have bigger calcerous skeleton with a visible opening. Are the two one and the same?

Thx