Extracting Snails?

[dskidmore]

I'm almost done converting over to the 75 gallon. I have left a decent quantity of gravel that may have beneficial snails in it. Any ideas on how to extract them for transfer to the new tank? I'm thinking perhaps a plate on top of the gravel with some sort of bait on it.

 

[Jchillin]

A piece of lettuce or spinach is good for collecting. Place it in at night and turn off lights. You should have a leaf full by morning.

 

[dskidmore]

Hrm.... lettuce didn't do well this year, never planted spinach, think blanched grape leaves will work?

 

[Jchillin]

Any leafy veg will work. I think that for some reason, snails don't like iceberg lettuce

 

[rich311k]

Who does?

 

[Guest]

Hrm.... lettuce didn't do well this year, never planted spinach, think blanched grape leaves will work?

you cant buy some from the store?

 

[rich311k]

I think any vegetable will work. Squash, zuchini whatever.

 

[PsiPro]

I used zuchini on my MTS, works well.

 

[krap101]

well.... last night my power went out for like 8-12 hours. before i went to bed almost all my mts were either on top of the gravel or on the glass. i have a TON.

you could try keeping them in the tank without a filter or air pump or anything. and they should come onto the glass by themselves? im not sure, because ive never really been successful getting them out, unless i use a net (which is a pain) or pull them out by hand (which is another pain)

 

[dskidmore]

Hrm.... lettuce didn't do well this year, never planted spinach, think blanched grape leaves will work?

you cant buy some from the store?

Sure I could, but given the price of gas, and my usual shopping schedule, it would be much more convenient to go to my backyard.

 

[dskidmore]

Speaking of Malaysian Trumpet Snails, has anyone gotten them from Aquatic Plant Depot? Would you have them shipped Priority, or do they require Express? Or would you just get a small number of them locally?

The snails I have are of an unknown variety, (shaped like mystery snails but don't even get to be 1/4" across,) but the plants I see them on always look healthy, and they even helped some when I had a hair algae outbreak. These snails are regularly seen in Petsmart plant displays locally.

Oh, and don't try to microwave blanch a single grape leaf. It does not have enough water, and turns crispy instead of limp.

 

[Guest]

i just asked for a handful of MTS at the fish store i saw in a tank and he gave me about 10.. i have tons now. I also have some other type of snail, i don't know how i got it, but they look like the mystery snails, i had one and now i have 3.. mysterious definitely... they aren't pond snails, they are shaped more like ramshorn snails...

 

[dskidmore]

i just asked for a handful of MTS at the fish store i saw in a tank and he gave me about 10.. i have tons now. I also have some other type of snail, i don't know how i got it, but they look like the mystery snails, i had one and now i have 3.. mysterious definitely... they aren't pond snails, they are shaped more like ramshorn snails...

The only stores around here with a plant selection (most likely places to find snails) are the big chains (least likely to give you something for free without calling in management.)

 

[krap101]

well you could just pick out 15-20 or the biggest snails and within a month the population should have grown to about the same size i think.

 

[dskidmore]

well you could just pick out 15-20 or the biggest snails and within a month the population should have grown to about the same size i think.

Yeah, it doesn't take many, but I have to get them to come out where I can see them. These guys are little, and impossible to see against the gravel.

 

[dskidmore]

Another use for snails: fry tanks. I always end up overfeeding the little fry, but between snails on the bottom, and water sprite up top, it all works out and stays clean.

 

[dskidmore]

I really didn't have any luck extracting those snails; but not to worry, my "new" (as of a few months ago) plants apparently had eggs on them. I have at least two new species of snails in the tank now.

I better cut back on feeding, I've got a huge population explosion on my hands!