Snail Invasion

[Purrbox]

Originally Posted by tropicfishman

just get a couple clown laoches! they will eliminate those guys for good and keep them from ever coming back! plus clown laoches have really good looking markings IMO and there funny to watch play around

Unfortunately this suggestion is only appropriate if:
1. The person wants to get rid of all the snails (which the OP posted that they have at least one variety they want to keep)
2. They have a large enough aquarium or plans to get a large enough aquarium to house the fish as it grows. (which the second poster only has a 20 gallon aquarium)

[masai_chadi]

Arrgh!

These darn snails are back. I am getting fed of them. I thought I had removed them completely. Now, they have come back in masses.

Lettuce trick worked for a while. Now, I just want to get rid of them permenantly. How can I remove them permenantly.

Please help.

[fearlessfisch]

What happens to all the shells with the loach method?

Btw, I have horseface loaches, and I still have too many snails--is it just that horsefaces don't like snails?

I hate hate hate killing snails with my hands or leaving them to dry up and die. I don't know what else to do.

[Alaris]

Originally Posted by masai_chadi

Arrgh!

These darn snails are back. I am getting fed of them. I thought I had removed them completely. Now, they have come back in masses.

Lettuce trick worked for a while. Now, I just want to get rid of them permenantly. How can I remove them permenantly.

Please help.

You are probably still overfeeding if you removed the snails and they all came back.

To get rid of snails permanently, use copper. Copper will kill ALL inverts and is persistent so you will never be able to keep any inverts in your tank. (Inverts include shrimp.) You can find medicine with copper in it at your LFS for killing snails.

I only suggest this because it seems you are tired of trying to remove them manually and your tank is too small for a loach (20g right?).

Copper is very permanent.

[whiddett]

I think I mentioned a while back that I had the same problem as you. I was advised by LFS to buy a Botia fish and was told he would eat the snails. I got one and I never actually saw him eat any snails but the problem soon went away so its probably well worth a try.

[CaptainAhab]

If you do use the copper and ever sell your tank be sure to tell the buyer that you used copper in it. To alot of us that would end the sale right there

[wims590]

i would recommend... clown loaches if u have space, theyre better than puffers in my experience at eating snails...you could try cucumber the snails love the stuff!! i also have kribs who eat all the snail eggs everywhere and hand pick some when u get the chance!

[reefman]

I totally agree with putting a leaf of lettuce and when they come out to feed get them out.

[plecoperson]

Cut waaay back on your feeding, and I betcha you are down to just a few in a matter of weeks. They really seem to wax and wane in population according to how much they're getting to eat.

Crazy people such as myself also will buy the ones you pick out; you might want to get a whole bunch together and put them up on Aquabid.