Snail Outbreak

[tbay2005]

Help! I have had a snail outbreak in my 30gal tank.

What can I do to get rid of them? Do I have to go as far as getting rid of the live plants and switching out the gravel?

I am trying the cucumber in a baby jar trick tonight to see how many I can trap but I read that that will not get rid of them, just help control them.

Also, will having an outbreak like this harm the fish at all?

Thanks

[toddnbecka]

The newest snail control method is to add some assassin snails to the tank to eat the "pest" snails. I do know they're available in Canada, but they may be hard to come by.
The simplest way to control snails is to cut back on feeding the fish. Outbreaks are directly proportionate to the amount of food available (whatever the fish don't eat.)
Copper sulfate (Had-a-Snail) solution will kill snails, along with shrimp or any other inverts in the tank, won't hurt fish or most plants. A piece of copper (coin, small pipe fitting, etc.) placed in the tank or filter will also work, just more slowly.
Live snails aren't generally a problem for fish unless there's so many that they overload the biofilter capacity.
If all else fails, patiently pick them out and squish them in your spare time.

[johnpeezy]

OKay this method works to reduce population of snails but not eradicate them.

also this method will involve buying fish (partily optional, but there isn't any fun in it)

step 1.) Go to LFS

step 2.a) Buy 2-3 botia stritara
step 2.b)Buy a pea puffer, for an empty existing tank (optional)
step 3.) go home, Acclimate fish and introduce to your tank

step 4.) Go to super market

step 5.) buy small zuchinni

step 6.) go home peel and cut in half lengthwise

step 7.) shove a WELL RINSED spoon through zuchinni

step 8.) wait until next morning

step 9.) remove zuchinni w/snails from the tank then remove snails from zuchinni

step 10.a) feed snails to puffer fish.(optional)
step 10.b)flush snails down toilet.

step 11.) use zuchinni once more and repeat

after that you should have a large portion of snial removed from the tank, and hopefully most of the bigger ones. If the botias do there job they should take care of the smaller snail running rampant around the aquarium.

and the steps with the pea puffer, yeah well. Thats just fun to watch.

[CAllain]

My suggestions would be:

1. Reduce feeding, snails often multiply when there is excess food available.

2. Squash any snails on the glass - it's kinda fun and it means that your existing fish can eat them. Or, if you don't want to squish them, just pick them out of the tank.


I wouldn't recommend buying fish just to eat snails, as they're often not guaranteed to, other than the puffers and they can also be fin nippers.

[Mvjnz]

I would just leave them personally. They used to bug me when I was new at it too, and I used to squash them.

But now I just think 'so what if there are snails? They don't hurt anyone'. I have heaps of big pond snails in 2 of my tanks, and they basically don't touch plants at all, but they do eat algae and leftover food. I just treat them like I would treat my mystery snails now. (Apart from occasionally feeding some to my loaches as a treat.)

So just don't worry about it. They don't do any harm.

[Gemstone]

I would just leave them personally. They used to bug me when I was new at it too, and I used to squash them.

But now I just think 'so what if there are snails? They don't hurt anyone'. I have heaps of big pond snails in 2 of my tanks, and they basically don't touch plants at all, but they do eat algae and leftover food. I just treat them like I would treat my mystery snails now. (Apart from occasionally feeding some to my loaches as a treat.)

So just don't worry about it. They don't do any harm.

I agree with you...although they tend to freak my husband out no end...

[korith]

I've had plants in my tank less than a week now, and had a bunch of snails come over with them. Just been taking them out as I spot them.

[Sounguru]

*Walks away shaking his head thinking, "man I was just bidding on another sanil on Aquabid" *

In al honest truth unless it is gross out thing to you don't fret cut back on feedings and let them go. Snails can actually help keep a tank happy, Lord knows I have 1000's and I'm looking for more.

[tbay2005]

Thanks for the suggestions. Besides hating the looks of having snails all over the glass I just wanted to make sure thatthey wouldn't hurt the fish in the tank at all.

I tink, in the near future, I might be changing the gravel out for sand so I will just let them go til then.

[Sounguru]

That will work wonders MTS love sand....

What kind of snails are these?

Pond Snails, Malaysian Trumpet Snails (MTS) or Ramshorns?