Too many snails

[Mosaic]

It's really not terribly difficult to pick them out as you see them. It does work eventually. I had to get the pond snails out by hand since I wanted to keep the MTS.

 

[jbarr]

Do snails other than MTS stir the substrate? I'd imagine so. Why are MTS so sought after compared to other prolific snails?

 

[JDogg]

kuli loach will eat snails...

 

[Jchillin]

Do snails other than MTS stir the substrate? I'd imagine so. Why are MTS so sought after compared to other prolific snails?

MTS are suited for the planted tank since they don't eat plants and stir the substrate. There are other snails that stir the substrate but they most often do not qualify in a planted tank.

 

[physicsdude]

Hmmpf. I hate those snails. Years ago, they literally overran the 10g tank. Bubble nests were in the filter housing, innumerable I remember, and more nests were everywhere- filter tubes, lava rock, plants, rocks.

What was once a paradise of swords and a mega madagascar lace, a school of congo tetras, and some anubias on lava rock ( beautiful!) became a wasteland as the snails destroyed them. Some snails even got into the intake pipe somehow and blew out the impeller and motor for a Aquaclear 30!

That was 3 years ago and it still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth when I reminesce about my tank. They were horrible pests!

The lettuce trick I tried , but it was only a stopgap measure.

The clown loaches I bought got too big too quickly from gorging on snails. They tried but the snails were still all over.

I always add salt to my tanks, and have always had great success with plants regardless. The salt idea was appeared ineffective, as I tried adding more or less on a pwc, but to no effect on the snails.

Finally, I sold the lava rock to the pet store, and washed out the rocks

The salt had no effect ontheir population.The only sure way to exterminate them is simply take apart the tank, wash the rocks off, throw the live plants out or thoroughly wash the plastic ones off with bleach, toss the gravel, disinfect the tank, and start over.
That's what happened to me- I pray it does'nt happen to you, as it was literally like the death of an aquatic eden.

 

[DeSudet]

Hmmpf. I hate those snails. Years ago, they literally overran the 10g tank. Bubble nests were in the filter housing, innumerable I remember, and more nests were everywhere- filter tubes, lava rock, plants, rocks.

What was once a paradise of swords and a mega madagascar lace, a school of congo tetras, and some anubias on lava rock ( beautiful!) became a wasteland as the snails destroyed them. Some snails even got into the intake pipe somehow and blew out the impeller and motor for a Aquaclear 30!

That was 3 years ago and it still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth when I reminesce about my tank. They were horrible pests!

The lettuce trick I tried , but it was only a stopgap measure.

The clown loaches I bought got too big too quickly from gorging on snails. They tried but the snails were still all over.

I always add salt to my tanks, and have always had great success with plants regardless. The salt idea was appeared ineffective, as I tried adding more or less on a pwc, but to no effect on the snails.

Finally, I sold the lava rock to the pet store, and washed out the rocks

The salt had no effect ontheir population.The only sure way to exterminate them is simply take apart the tank, wash the rocks off, throw the live plants out or thoroughly wash the plastic ones off with bleach, toss the gravel, disinfect the tank, and start over.
That's what happened to me- I pray it does'nt happen to you, as it was literally like the death of an aquatic eden.

Hopefully it won't get that bad for us, but if it gets even remotely close, the tank will be completely wiped and converted to a planted turtle tank... For now, the fish are on half rations to promote eating the shelled menaces and as they get big enough, they'll be getting scooped.

 

[squawkbert]

A coworker's betta ate so many baby snails that I suggested calling it cap'n crunch.

 

[cabezon]

See, but I think these are more like parasites. They multiply like crazy and will overrun your tank. There's probably close to 50 of them in my mom's 10g.

Cool! Then I might have 150 of them!

If they end up becoming that big of a deal, I'll buy a couple of crabs since they will pick at snails.

It just feels wrong to have a tank without any snails

where are you? I have a tank full of pond snails ranging in size from grain of salt to pea. I am taking out snails all the time. I usually only take the small ones, to let the big ones get bigger.

 

[physicsdude]

LOL, that post about the snail eating capn was funny!