snails

[katt-ja]

i received some stow away snails with some new plants i purchased today. i was wondering if anyone had a on hand experience with snails and knows if i should keep them or remove them?

[edmoran77]

I've also had a real problem with snails in the past coming in on live plants. What a pain! Even if you do remove the snails before introduction into the aquarium, you will no doubt have eggs still present on the plants. I've used some over the counter products like-had-a-snail to help remove them with limited success. Actually I still have a few in my angelfish tank from years ago. One control method I've used is when cleaning a tank and removing driftwood from the water always remove the snails congerating under the wood. Just keeping doing this to help control and reduce the population and over time you will start getting control.

[katt-ja]

if they do get out of control i think i could move a clown loach from another tank into the tank for a week or so. i know they love to eat snails and would probably find every one of them.

[happygirl65]

They are more unsightly than harmful. It depends on what type of snail of course. You can use a trap such as a peice of lettuce thrown in at night....in the morning most of the snails are on it munching away....first thing in the morning pull it out.

If you overfeed they will multiply rapidly. If not then they usually wont get unmanageable. I have found another really easy way to get rid of them is to put your fish food right in the front....they will gather there after the fish have eaten to take in their share...then you can suck them out with a siphon tube into a bucket.

[katt-ja]

thanks for all of your suggestions. it seems that they are a nuisance so i will try and find them and get rid of them before they multiply. i remember seeing two. but i really cannot find them now. so maybe i'll try the lettuce thing.

[crazie.eddie]

IMO, finding even 1 snail is a nuisance.

[Dr. Tankenstein]

Katt,
I had a MAJOR snail problem in my 90G planted tank. Not wanting to add any chemicals, I purchased a yo-yo loach form my LFS. It cleared the tank within a week and now eats leftovers with the cories. One word of warning, it also like to eat amano shrimp. :(

Dr. T

[DirtyBlackSocks]

Any idea what type of snails they are?

Rams horn and mystery snails are great for the tank, even malaysian trumpet snails aren't so bad if you don't mind not seeing your fish at night!

If they're pond snails you need to get a loach in there ASAP to take care of em', those things are nasty and will reproduce so fast you won't know what to do after a month.

[Harriett]

I found ram's horn to be a pain in the butt since they reproduce at an alarming rate, are all over the glass and make schmutsy egg goop on the glass---the trumpets just stay in the sand substrate and do a great job of aerating it--I never see them. An easy way to get rid most of the snails, if not all, is to soak your new plant in water with agar-agar [spice section at the grocery store] for an hour--it kills them without being caustic to the plants.
Aquatronics has a product called "Lime-It" which is the same deal--presoak plants in water with this stuff in it and most of them die. I just keep loaches...problem solved!
Best regards
Harriett

[katt-ja]

i have know idea what they are. they are small and a grayish brown colou:confused:r...

[happygirl65]

I fyou pick them out while they are still small they may never have a chance to reproduce. Check a few minutes after you feed, I am sure you will find them gathered around whatever food is uneaten. :)

[Apistomaster]

I found ram's horn to be a pain in the butt since they reproduce at an alarming rate, are all over the glass and make schmutsy egg goop on the glass---the trumpets just stay in the sand substrate and do a great job of aerating it--I never see them. An easy way to get rid most of the snails, if not all, is to soak your new plant in water with agar-agar [spice section at the grocery store] for an hour--it kills them without being caustic to the plants.
Aquatronics has a product called "Lime-It" which is the same deal--presoak plants in water with this stuff in it and most of them die. I just keep loaches...problem solved!
Best regards
Harriett
Hi Harriet,
That sounds like an interesting approach, certainly one I've never heard of and I can't see any harm whereas ever other method tends to be hard on plants. I don't know how it could effect the eggs that may be present but newly hatched snails tend to be eaten by the fish, if we are lucky.

I have discovered in the course of raising Sturisoma fry that once they reach 3 to 4-inches long, empty pond snail shells start piling up and they have disappeared from their rearing tanks. Still, some of the peaceful loaches are the most recommendable snail control fishes.

[Harriett]

I agree, Larry. My remedy is always first go for the loaches--a perfect solution, in my experience!
Best regards
Harriett