Eliminating all snails from a reef?

jccaclimber · 03/16/2018, 07:24 PM

I have an issue with pyramid snails in a large tank. The good news is that while they are tearing through the turbo and trochus population they are not touching the tridacna, which is both growing quickly and has no pyramid snails on it day or night.
Removing all of the turbo and trochus snails is doable, but manually removing the thousands of colonista snails which also have pyramids on them doesn't seem feasible.
Despite not touching the tridacna I would like to eradicate the pyramids. Due to the amount of coral on the base rock and walls tearing the rock out is not an option.
Is there a way to kill off all of the snails without killing the coral? I think the fuge is large enough to keep parameters under control, and I can re-introduce them from elsewhere.

Smokey Stover · 03/16/2018, 07:37 PM

Most Halichoeres Wrasses will eat small Pyramids and various other small inverts.

Borntrippn · 03/16/2018, 09:41 PM

Wolf eel

oldhead · 03/17/2018, 04:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Borntrippn

Wolf eel

I have yet to see you give any viable information. Sure, their description says they eat crustaceans, but you have no idea what size tank he has or if he likes his fish to be eaten too.

jccaclimber · 03/17/2018, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldhead

I have yet to see you give any viable information. Sure, their description says they eat crustaceans, but you have no idea what size tank he has or if he likes his fish to be eaten too.

600ish gallon system. Not a ton of fish, although I'd like to not remove them if possible. More importantly I'm not convinced most predators could remove 100% of a population, it seems one or two always continue living in the shadows.
I thought I'd seen something about some medications taking out the CUC crew, although I'm not finding that in searches. I could with some effort remove the majority of the hermits beforehand. If needed the clam could be moved as well.

mcgyvr · 03/17/2018, 08:42 AM

Flatworm exit can kill weak/small snails on occasion...

Id add the wrasse though

R1ant04 · 03/17/2018, 03:14 PM

+3 on wrasse idea. U could do a few different types in together (add to tank at same time).

Bent · 03/17/2018, 03:55 PM

Peacock mantis will eat them all in a day. Lol

03/16/2018, 07:24 PM	#1
jccaclimber Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 528	Eliminating all snails from a reef? I have an issue with pyramid snails in a large tank. The good news is that while they are tearing through the turbo and trochus population they are not touching the tridacna, which is both growing quickly and has no pyramid snails on it day or night. Removing all of the turbo and trochus snails is doable, but manually removing the thousands of colonista snails which also have pyramids on them doesn't seem feasible. Despite not touching the tridacna I would like to eradicate the pyramids. Due to the amount of coral on the base rock and walls tearing the rock out is not an option. Is there a way to kill off all of the snails without killing the coral? I think the fuge is large enough to keep parameters under control, and I can re-introduce them from elsewhere.

03/17/2018, 08:42 AM	#6
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Flatworm exit can kill weak/small snails on occasion... Id add the wrasse though __________________ Who me?

03/17/2018, 03:55 PM	#8
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	Peacock mantis will eat them all in a day. Lol __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

03/16/2018, 07:37 PM	#2
Smokey Stover Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Largo, Florida Posts: 361	Most Halichoeres Wrasses will eat small Pyramids and various other small inverts.

03/16/2018, 09:41 PM	#3
Borntrippn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Macedonia. OH. Posts: 81	Wolf eel

03/17/2018, 03:14 PM	#7
R1ant04 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 232	+3 on wrasse idea. U could do a few different types in together (add to tank at same time).