Drift wood and snail eggs?

[jonstinton]

Hi,

We've bought some drift wood for our 11gal tnk and it has looked really nice, giving the new fry somewhere to hide. Unfortunately it has seemed to have been carrying snail eggs and now we are having an overload of snails.

Is it ok to treat the snails with the chemical that knocks them out to syphon them out or will this affect the fry, they are only 3 weeks old.

Also, when we put it in, it developed white spots, they looked kinda like mold. Can this be treated or is it just part of having the wood in the water?

Any help greatfully recieved,

Many thanks

Jon&Liz

 

[TankGirl]

Congrats on your fry!

I would avoid a snail treatment if possible, but try putting a piece of romaine lettuce in there, rubber banded to a rock or something, and see if you can't get a bunch out that way. Leave it in overnight and there should be a decent congregation of them on the leaf, then just remove the leaf. You can certainly try to syphon them out, but I have not had much luck doing that, even when they are wee tiny - they just won't go up the tube.

The wood might have some fungus on it, and if it is unsightly you can take out the wood, scrub off the fungus and put it back in. I have read that over time the fungus will go away, but that it is not harmful in the meantime.

 

[jonstinton]

Thanks TG for your quick reply. Some useful hints there about the snails, we'll give 'em ago. We've tried syphoning them before and it just doesn't work, as you say. It takes ages to net them all up as well cause loads more just appear, just when you think you have them all.

The lettiuce thing sounds like a smart idea and we'll do that tonight, thanks.

RE the wood, we have scrubbed it several times and put it back in, but it comes back within a few days, bit of a pain in the arse really, but if it doesnt harm the fish, we may put it back in.

Thanks again TG, you've been most helpful.

 

[TankGirl]

You are quite welcome, indeed. It might take months before the white stuff goes away, and it is a good addition to many aquariums for its abiltiy to very slightly soften the water, and plecos like to munch on it.