Mollusk of the Week, Vermetid Snails/Worm shells

herefishiefishie · 04/10/2001, 10:00 AM

Every week I will be posting a new mollusk for discussion. Please post everything you know about this week's mollusk, to include pics, care and feeding habits, optimal environment, common names, and anything else you can think of.

This week's mollusk is a common hitchhiker in our tanks, the Vermetid snails or Worm Shells. There are those little creatures that live in little holes or tubes in the live rock and send out stringy webs of mucus to catch particulate matter for nourishment. Some information on these creatures can be found on pages 578 and 579 of the Baensch Marine Atlas Volume 2.

Two common sepecies of this type are Dendropoma maxima (the large worm shell) and Serpulorbis arenarius (the Mediterranean worm shell).

I find that they benefit from the occasional "storm event" (blowing particulate matter off your live rock periodically with a small powerhead or turkey baster).

Please post any information or experience you might have on these common reef inhabitants, especially pics if you have them.

herefishiefishie · 04/18/2001, 07:34 AM

^

Clyde · 04/18/2001, 09:56 AM

hmm I thought I posted today. I might have replied/and posted to a WRONG thread oy..

Clyde · 04/18/2001, 09:58 AM

yup I posted in the main board - anyway a simple cut/paste will make it allright

I could be wrong, is it like this ? my picture is on the reefs.org hitchhikers faq.

they tend to spew strands across the tank, when I was a newbie, I was like hey I got live sand, i see live sand particles moving, but actually it was this snail putting out like fishing line, then pulling it in to get food.

its a neat snail, it open and closes often, and 2 tiny atteneas sticking out.

I got a bunch, they sure poke your fingers if you do live rock arrangement on an established tank.

toddgack · 06/09/2001, 10:27 PM

Ahh the vermetid snail. I have one piece of live rock (fiji) that is currently the home to about 20 of these little beasties. They're quite entertaining to watch when I throw in food. One in particular shoots out a mucus strand that's easily 8 inches in length. His neighbors often join in, and create a web, which makes my lionfish very unhappy

Another one, whom I've named Happy (it's the only thing in my tank with a name) often "turns around" in his tube, doing a complete 180 spin. It's quite amusing to see this, and it's the only one in the tank that actually "moves". As for their benefits, they are excellent cleaners, and grab a significant amount of detritus floating in the tank (makes my skimmer's job a little easier). As for their downfall, I have to feed slightly more than what would be normal, so that my worms and copopeds get enough to eat. And they're extremely painful if you pick up the rock they're on. Never been cut, but I image that it's not out of the question.

tg

anathema · 10/05/2001, 11:07 AM

The only thing I know about them is that I have one, and that my camera is broken. It's not the nice red color that yours is though.

DukeDog · 10/06/2001, 06:29 PM

Heres one of mine. I also noticed one on the shell of my crocea.
Jeff

adrinal · 10/22/2004, 12:50 PM

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showp...t=1&thecat=500

manderx · 10/22/2004, 01:44 PM

i *hate* these guys (the small ones at least). my tank is completely overrun with thousands them. i have a tang that when i first got him zipped around the tank and completely tore his fins on them. they clog my plumbing. they grow on the sides of my clams and poke and irritate the mantles. they suck up calcium. they tear up my hands when i rearrange rocks. they grow overtop my candycanes and sun polyps. i stepped on one once with bare feet that cut a 1/4"x3/16" plug out of the bottom of my foot. ug, i hate them more than any pest i've ever had- aiptasia, red bugs, monti-nudibranchs, flatworms,...

adrinal · 10/22/2004, 02:24 PM

So, what are you saying...

04/18/2001, 09:56 AM	#3
Clyde Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: St. Paul, MN Posts: 2,281	hmm I thought I posted today. I might have replied/and posted to a WRONG thread oy.. __________________ Macintosh for Productivity Linux for Development Palm for Mobility Windows for Solitaire Current Tank Info: 180g, 3x250W, DIY Stand, DIY Canopy - Sump in basement

04/18/2001, 09:58 AM	#4
Clyde Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: St. Paul, MN Posts: 2,281	yup I posted in the main board - anyway a simple cut/paste will make it allright I could be wrong, is it like this ? my picture is on the reefs.org hitchhikers faq. they tend to spew strands across the tank, when I was a newbie, I was like hey I got live sand, i see live sand particles moving, but actually it was this snail putting out like fishing line, then pulling it in to get food. its a neat snail, it open and closes often, and 2 tiny atteneas sticking out. I got a bunch, they sure poke your fingers if you do live rock arrangement on an established tank. __________________ Macintosh for Productivity Linux for Development Palm for Mobility Windows for Solitaire Current Tank Info: 180g, 3x250W, DIY Stand, DIY Canopy - Sump in basement

06/09/2001, 10:27 PM	#5
toddgack Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Medina, Oh Posts: 95	Ahh the vermetid snail. I have one piece of live rock (fiji) that is currently the home to about 20 of these little beasties. They're quite entertaining to watch when I throw in food. One in particular shoots out a mucus strand that's easily 8 inches in length. His neighbors often join in, and create a web, which makes my lionfish very unhappy Another one, whom I've named Happy (it's the only thing in my tank with a name) often "turns around" in his tube, doing a complete 180 spin. It's quite amusing to see this, and it's the only one in the tank that actually "moves". As for their benefits, they are excellent cleaners, and grab a significant amount of detritus floating in the tank (makes my skimmer's job a little easier). As for their downfall, I have to feed slightly more than what would be normal, so that my worms and copopeds get enough to eat. And they're extremely painful if you pick up the rock they're on. Never been cut, but I image that it's not out of the question. tg __________________ Proud to be an American!

10/05/2001, 11:07 AM	#6
anathema Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: San Francisco Posts: 1,543	The only thing I know about them is that I have one, and that my camera is broken. It's not the nice red color that yours is though. __________________ Sometimes it takes me the entire weekend to walk past my tank. I don't support RC anymore, they lost my respect. For further info on any of my posts find me on the BAR forum. Current Tank Info: Tank thread on Bay Area Reefers.

10/06/2001, 06:29 PM	#7
DukeDog Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Cape Coral , Florida Posts: 839	Heres one of mine. I also noticed one on the shell of my crocea. Jeff __________________ A work in progress Current Tank Info: 125 with 2 250 watt IC with 10000k AB's and 2 6' vho actinics with IC ballasts

04/10/2001, 10:00 AM	#1
herefishiefishie Premium Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Hatfield, PA Posts: 323	Every week I will be posting a new mollusk for discussion. Please post everything you know about this week's mollusk, to include pics, care and feeding habits, optimal environment, common names, and anything else you can think of. This week's mollusk is a common hitchhiker in our tanks, the Vermetid snails or Worm Shells. There are those little creatures that live in little holes or tubes in the live rock and send out stringy webs of mucus to catch particulate matter for nourishment. Some information on these creatures can be found on pages 578 and 579 of the Baensch Marine Atlas Volume 2. Two common sepecies of this type are Dendropoma maxima (the large worm shell) and Serpulorbis arenarius (the Mediterranean worm shell). I find that they benefit from the occasional "storm event" (blowing particulate matter off your live rock periodically with a small powerhead or turkey baster). Please post any information or experience you might have on these common reef inhabitants, especially pics if you have them.

04/18/2001, 07:34 AM	#2
herefishiefishie Premium Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Hatfield, PA Posts: 323	^

10/22/2004, 12:50 PM	#8
adrinal Moved On Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 764	http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showp...t=1&thecat=500

10/22/2004, 01:44 PM	#9
manderx Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Christiansburg, VA Posts: 4,893	i hate these guys (the small ones at least). my tank is completely overrun with thousands them. i have a tang that when i first got him zipped around the tank and completely tore his fins on them. they clog my plumbing. they grow on the sides of my clams and poke and irritate the mantles. they suck up calcium. they tear up my hands when i rearrange rocks. they grow overtop my candycanes and sun polyps. i stepped on one once with bare feet that cut a 1/4"x3/16" plug out of the bottom of my foot. ug, i hate them more than any pest i've ever had- aiptasia, red bugs, monti-nudibranchs, flatworms,...

10/22/2004, 02:24 PM	#10
adrinal Moved On Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 764	So, what are you saying...