Chozon1

So, I've got snails in my tank. Varying things have been going wrong with this tank since I bought it, so I'm not surprised. Not to many, as I saw two and managed to catch one of those. I figure that one that escaped will lay eggs, and so on...

I'm guessing they hitchhiked on my Anacharis. I rinsed it with water very well, and let it sit out for a bit. I didn't treat it with anything, because I didn't know anything that wouldn't kill it. and also, I didn't really think about it too much.

So what should I do now? Are they a problem? Is it actually feasible to get rid of them, and is it a good idea?

Aldric

im infested by the dreded snails, ive tried everything, scrapeing them off the sides of my tank, useing the gravel vacume on them, a snail trap, useing cucumber and lettice to capture them and im still infested lol tho there r less now that when i first went to war against them

SWilkins

Most are really just pests and you get overrun with them when you overfeed. I do it all the time if the fish are begging. Get some assassin snail and they will take care of them for you and they are pretty too.

Gouramiguy17

I took a ton of pond snails and put them in my tank but then I didn't like them . I just have to crush one a day. Although I had one in my breeder net that layed 5 jelly blobs and it is infested with snails. To get rid of them I just grab them an bcrush them then my guppy, molly, corys, and kulihi loach fight for the escargo(French for snails)

Chozon1

Hmmm..I don't really know if I could crush them. -_- I'll look around for assassin snails though. They sound like something I would like. ^_^

I'm pretty sure I could kill them, but I'm not sure I could do it without killing the plant too.

Gouramiguy17

do you have any shrimp because there have been some reports of assasin snails attacking shrimp

Chozon1

No, my tank is still cycling at the moment. The only thing in it is the Anacharis and now a Java Fern.

SWilkins

I have read about that on one occasion. I think the shrimp was just in the wrong place at the wrong time for just a second too long. I have also heard of them ganging up on Mystery snails, and of Mystery snails running them over to clean them. I have snails, shrimp, and fish and the only tank I would not put them in is with the MTS because they will eat them too. I would not think twice about putting them in with any of my shrimp or my mystery snails. But that is just my opinion on that!

Nate McFin

The only shrimp they may have a shot at is dwarf shrimp. They really are a neat looking snail and very handy for this type of job. I would say though that if overfeeding continues, assassins only eat 1-2 snails per day and Pond snails multiply very very fast in the right condition. Assassins wont be able to keep up with the problem unless you have very large amounts of assassins. Cutting back on the overfeeding is critical with or without assassins.
Here is some info and pics of Assassin snails-
http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/Anentome_helena

suemvb

I have been trying to reduce my number of mts snails. I put them in on purpose and they are good for a planted tank but I turned on a lamp next to my aquarium about an hour after turning out the lights and was amazed... they were covering the glass and there were huge piles of them on the algae wafers I had dropped in for my pleco and otos. There are just too many of them. I'm sure my overfeeding is the problem.

I pushed a small bowl into the gravel and put in an algae wafer and in an hour I can lift out the bowl with hundreds of snaills. Maybe this would work for you.

I had ramshorns reproducing lie crazy in a tank I used to have. I used to pick them out each day and put them in my son's goldfish tank. I think the goldfish were eating them. The bottom of that tank became covered in snail shells with no snails.

MizRamzi

Here's the best way ever to get rid of your snail prob. I promise!!! I had em too so I know for sure that this works.

Get you either a skunk botia or a couple of clown loaches. Not only are these awesome fishes but they LOVE snails and eat them eagerly! I'd go with the skunk botia first as they are much easier to keep then are the CL's Make sure you have a nice hiding place for both as they sleep/rest during the day. As with the snails the botia's come out to eat at night.
This has worked for me as now my tank is completely snail free. Except of course for the ones I put in there to feed my botia.
Good luck and I hope this works as well for you as it has for me

Beeker

If you keep the feeding down to a normal rate, snails won't be a problem at all. They may even be a help to you in keeping your tank clean. Getting a snail eating fish is not an option in such a small tank. The smallest loach needs a 20 gallon tank. Your best bet is to simply live with them and don't over feed your fish.

SWilkins

Well I guess I will always have pest snails even when I get some assassins. There are just some of these guys that are such good beggers that I can't always refuse them. I cannot walk by and say hello to them and get those sad eyes and not give them something. If that makes me a bad fish mommy... then oh well my babies are spoiled. I am the one that has to clean up all the excess poo and keep the water parameters stable. I just can't refuse those sad little eyes. I guess you know who rules around here. I can't help it they have me trained well.

MizRamzi

Sorry, didn't read tank info, my bad