how to get rid of snails in soft water tank

[yvonne]

The water in my freshwater acquarium is 17ppm (soft). The only snail killer can find in the stores (had a snail - or something like that) does not work in such soft water. Any suggestions?

I do not have real plants and my fish are small and friendly. Not much algae in the tank either.

thanx

 

[Guest]

i think that clown loaches eat snails

 

[joedarat]

clown loach would work - did for me.. just make sure u acclimate as you would any other

 

[smidget]

Smoosh them-good fishie snack.

Or i've heard someone else on here suggest leaving a piece of lettuce in your tank overnight and in the morning it should have attracted most of your snails so just remove it.

 

[AquaJoe]

You have a few options. It's ironic that I was reading, thoroughly, about this topic not even two nights ago.

#1/ Remove all the snails by hand and destroy them. After you've gotten all of them I would suggest fully cleaning the aquarium and decor to ensure no young or unhatched are left behind.

#2/ Get some snail eating fish. I don't like this option personally as I like my inhabitants 'as is'. However, this is much better then option 3.

#3/ Two words. Copper-Sulfate. You can buy it at Walmart for pretty damn cheap. They sell it as a protozoan preventative/treatment (depends on the dose). It says on the package "ideal for sensitive species" and makes no specifications as to whether your water need be hard or soft. Since it is made for sensitive species I assume it will work in both hard/soft water. The reason I suggest this for your snail problem is because, as you may have guessed, copper sulfate kills snails! Be careful though as it also kills invertibrates, amphibians and a few others which are mentioned on the bottle. I spoke on the phone with Ralph, a representative of Aquarium Pharmicuticals (manufacturer of Aquasol), who ensured me this stuff will do a number on snails. The reason I spoke with him was out of concern for my 1 existing snail who I did not want to die as a result of treating my fish for Velvet.

He's in a QT with my frog

Hope that helps.

Joe