Snail Invasion - Page 2 - Aquarium Advice

**Zagz** · 05-05-2008, 07:51 PM

Try the lettuce leaf method. Also reduce feedings and the snails will start to control themselves to some extent. Another option is to manually remove them when you see them.

MisticX · 05-06-2008, 12:22 AM

advice 1 --- work method
snails reproduction method is thru eggs.

they deposit eggs that have to be in contact with the air.

lower your tank water by 10-15% (remove i mean)
then remove snails as you see them (either crush them against the glass either take em out with your hand)
at all times look for some small little bubble nests around the corners of the tank (from my experience never on the silicone) and remove them with toilet paper (has to be something very dry)

i cured my tank after 3 weeks with this method

advice 2 --- borrow a fish
go to a LFS (hopefuly u have good relations with one seller) and ask them to be lent a snail eater.
usually they all have a couple of pairs in stock.

all depending of the
PH range of the LFS VS your own PH range
aggressiveness level of your tank
size of the snails

it will take 3-7 days for the fish to adapt
3-7 days for the snails to be removed

i'd sugest a few more days to make sure the eggs didn't spawn.

advice 3 --- radical measures
take out all fish, decorum plants ...
remove all water
let tank dry for 2-3 days
take a dry paper (toilet works best) and scrub the glass to remove eggs.

remember, snails have both sexes removing all but one of them ... is not the cure.

Mopedman · 05-06-2008, 12:40 AM

I am getting ready to put malysian trumpet snails in my tank, do I have to worry about an invasion? Thanks

FishEggs · 05-06-2008, 05:11 PM

Don't worry the snails will stay in the tank. lol Snails will only reproduce extensively if there is a very abundant food source. don't over feed and the snails wont be much of a problem.

dimmy32 · 05-13-2008, 09:38 AM

here are 2 more ideas - ( i've tried both and they work )

1) buy a striped botia ( candy-striped loach)
I have one, and he cleaned out all my snails after a week

2) Toss a few pennies in the water. The copper that leaches out of the penny is an effective spermicide. You'll have to remove your snails at first, but they wont breed. Once the snails are gone, take out the pennies.

**Purrbox** · 05-13-2008, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dimmy32

2) Toss a few pennies in the water. The copper that leaches out of the penny is an effective spermicide. You'll have to remove your snails at first, but they wont breed. Once the snails are gone, take out the pennies.

Unfortunately since the OP has other snails that they do want to keep, adding copper to the water would be a bad idea. Copper kills all inverts and can linger in an aquarium long term making it impossible to keep inverts in an aquarium again.

pitt420dude · 05-13-2008, 11:13 AM

Supagran, I'm in dire need of some snails (that won't eat plants) so if you have extra and feel like shipping them to me I'd be happy to pay you for S&H.

supermazz9 · 05-13-2008, 09:49 PM

Out of curiousity, what kind of problems will you experience with left over snail shells?

In one of my tanks, the bottom is littered with Malaysian Trumpet Snail remains that my yoyo loaches have taken care of...it hasn't presented a problem yet, that I know of.

fluffyntex · 05-14-2008, 10:16 AM

When I had my tanks years ago I had this same problem and I just would take my finger and crush several of them at a time against the glass and my fish would eat them. Didn't take long to get rid of them that way, never had a problem doing it that way.

supagran · 05-17-2008, 08:20 AM

Many thanks for all your suggestions. I have now managed to acquire a snail trap and putting this in the tank overnight gets rid of a good few of them. In time it will prove the most effective I think, together with the fact that the snails migrate to the top of the tank at night and I just gather them up with toilet roll.

Hi pitt420 dude.

I wish you lived a bit neared as I have well over a hundred apple snails which do not eat plants. I have golden, blue, purple, pink, green and red apple snails, as well as a few variation as they all interbreed. Unfortunately as I live in England and you are in the States I dont think they will stand the journey, otherwise you could have had some with pleasure.

supergran

05-05-2008, 07:51 PM	#11 (permalink)
Zagz Aquarium Advice Addict Community Admin Join Date: May 2005 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 10,362 Images: 92	Try the lettuce leaf method. Also reduce feedings and the snails will start to control themselves to some extent. Another option is to manually remove them when you see them. __________________ ------------ Anne My Profile Page My tank & fish photos Have you voted for AA today? Like the advice or comments someone gave you? Show your appreciation with the reputation button!

05-06-2008, 05:11 PM	#14 (permalink)
FishEggs Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Highland, Maryland Posts: 215	Don't worry the snails will stay in the tank. lol Snails will only reproduce extensively if there is a very abundant food source. don't over feed and the snails wont be much of a problem. __________________ ~Matt~ If you put off what you can do today until tomorrow it will never get done cause tomorrow never comes. It's always today.

05-13-2008, 11:13 AM	#17 (permalink)
pitt420dude Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Pittsburgh! Home of the 5 Time Superbowl Champs! Posts: 949 Images: 11	Supagran, I'm in dire need of some snails (that won't eat plants) so if you have extra and feel like shipping them to me I'd be happy to pay you for S&H. __________________ Thank you so much for all your help. I'm now going green. LOOK! A NEW LEAF!!!!!

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05-06-2008, 12:22 AM	#12 (permalink)
MisticX Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Montreal QC CA Posts: 158	advice 1 --- work method snails reproduction method is thru eggs. they deposit eggs that have to be in contact with the air. lower your tank water by 10-15% (remove i mean) then remove snails as you see them (either crush them against the glass either take em out with your hand) at all times look for some small little bubble nests around the corners of the tank (from my experience never on the silicone) and remove them with toilet paper (has to be something very dry) i cured my tank after 3 weeks with this method advice 2 --- borrow a fish go to a LFS (hopefuly u have good relations with one seller) and ask them to be lent a snail eater. usually they all have a couple of pairs in stock. all depending of the PH range of the LFS VS your own PH range aggressiveness level of your tank size of the snails it will take 3-7 days for the fish to adapt 3-7 days for the snails to be removed i'd sugest a few more days to make sure the eggs didn't spawn. advice 3 --- radical measures take out all fish, decorum plants ... remove all water let tank dry for 2-3 days take a dry paper (toilet works best) and scrub the glass to remove eggs. remember, snails have both sexes removing all but one of them ... is not the cure.

05-06-2008, 12:40 AM	#13 (permalink)
Mopedman Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: May 2008 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 38	I am getting ready to put malysian trumpet snails in my tank, do I have to worry about an invasion? Thanks

05-13-2008, 09:38 AM	#15 (permalink)
dimmy32 Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 31 Images: 5	here are 2 more ideas - ( i've tried both and they work ) 1) buy a striped botia ( candy-striped loach) I have one, and he cleaned out all my snails after a week 2) Toss a few pennies in the water. The copper that leaches out of the penny is an effective spermicide. You'll have to remove your snails at first, but they wont breed. Once the snails are gone, take out the pennies.

05-13-2008, 09:49 PM	#18 (permalink)
supermazz9 Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 179	Out of curiousity, what kind of problems will you experience with left over snail shells? In one of my tanks, the bottom is littered with Malaysian Trumpet Snail remains that my yoyo loaches have taken care of...it hasn't presented a problem yet, that I know of.

05-14-2008, 10:16 AM	#19 (permalink)
fluffyntex Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Odessa Texas Posts: 233	When I had my tanks years ago I had this same problem and I just would take my finger and crush several of them at a time against the glass and my fish would eat them. Didn't take long to get rid of them that way, never had a problem doing it that way.

05-17-2008, 08:20 AM	#20 (permalink)
supagran Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 8	Many thanks for all your suggestions. I have now managed to acquire a snail trap and putting this in the tank overnight gets rid of a good few of them. In time it will prove the most effective I think, together with the fact that the snails migrate to the top of the tank at night and I just gather them up with toilet roll. Hi pitt420 dude. I wish you lived a bit neared as I have well over a hundred apple snails which do not eat plants. I have golden, blue, purple, pink, green and red apple snails, as well as a few variation as they all interbreed. Unfortunately as I live in England and you are in the States I dont think they will stand the journey, otherwise you could have had some with pleasure. supergran