How do I remove pest snails???

Hello, I have a big amount of Malaysian trumpet snails in my 75 gallon fish tank. I want to lower their population drastically because I found out that there is no benefit for their presence in my tank. I want to remove them as quick as possible, should I get an assassin snail? I heard they are venomous assassin’s snails and I don’t want to get stung cleaning the tank! Are there any other ways I can remove these freeloading pests from my tank? Thanks

 

Idk about venomous but I hear so much greatness with assassin's clearing out those snails.

Also putting a piece of veggie on the bottom should attract them and you can just grab and get rid of them. If that makes sense ?

 

I'm not sure how big they are, but if they are small enough, you could suck them up with a turkey baster. Or gravel vac. Otherwise, I've seen homemade snail traps using plastic water bottles. Just cut it in half and stick the top into the bottom, put some food in, and take it out when a lot are in it.

 

Idk about venomous but I hear so much greatness with assassin's clearing out those snails.

Also putting a piece of veggie on the bottom should attract them and you can just grab and get rid of them. If that makes sense ?

Yes I saw on animal planet or NatGeo Wild once that these striped cone snails with the antenna, are venomous with their stinger thing, maybe I’m mistaken but I don’t want my fate to come by a snail lol.

 

I bought some plants a few years ago that were covered in snails. I only realised when the plants were in the tank. These tiny snails multiplied faster than you could imagine (or there were even more than I first thought). It was recommended to me to get a few assassin snails, I think I only got 2 or 3 and they cleared the tank up in no time. I would always solve a snail problem with assassin snails now.

 

I bought some plants a few years ago that were covered in snails. I only realised when the plants were in the tank. These tiny snails multiplied faster than you could imagine (or there were even more than I first thought). It was recommended to me to get a few assassin snails, I think I only got 2 or 3 and they cleared the tank up in no time. I would always solve a snail problem with assassin snails now.

I shall get them! So I will get about 4-6 for my 75 gallon so the pest snail problem will be gone

 

I shall get them! So I will get about 4-6 for my 75 gallon so the pest snail problem will be gone

I would say so yes. Please pop back to this thread after having them in for a bit to let us know how you've got on.

 

I'm not sure if your stock would allow it but a parrot cichlid would eat them all in 24 hours.

 

Yes I saw on animal planet or NatGeo Wild once that these striped cone snails with the antenna, are venomous with their stinger thing, maybe I’m mistaken but I don’t want my fate to come by a snail lol.

There are hundreds if not hundreds of thousands of different species of snails. I can't say I have EVER heard about the assassin snails we have in our tanks causing us any harm. I handle mine all the time moving them from place to place. They will do a good job for you.

 

I agree with Dave. Even if you don't want a parrot cichlid, there are other fish that would also take care of your pests. Like a puffer. So, other snails, certain fish, snail traps. Let us know how it goes! I know how pests go. I had some bladder snails arrive on plants. Removed the ones I saw, but one got away from me. My fiance wouldn't let me get rid of it once it really got to size, and then it turned into me getting a 10 gallon for all the dang bladders we have now. His "Hogwarts" (the first snail was Dumbledore... it snowballed from there xD)

 

I didn’t get a parrot cichlid, I cannot get a puffer because I don’t think it can go along with my community of fish, so I bought a few assassin snails, I added them to my tank, and over night I found so many empty pest snail shells around the tank! I will also make a diy trap with a water bottle and add it this night and see if I can get rid of a few. These snails clogged the filter and my UV sterilizer. So I’m taking care of the problem as soon as possible. Thanks for all your help!

 

Hope you are pest free/almost pest free! Glad you found some solutions

 

I don't know why I didn't mention this earlier but I don't like the term "pest snails". Here's why.... these so called "pests" I consider to be my assistants. They do more of the tank maintenance then I do. My 40 gallon has them. All I have to is change the water and maintain the filter in this tank. The rest is handled by my little buddies. They keep the algae nonexistent. The clean up the left over food. They prune my plants. As far as over population goes...that is easily controlled by not overfeeding and keeping your tank balanced. By balanced I mean the right amount of light and plant ferts. Excessive algae is another reason for overpopulation. I understand some people hate them but I love my ramshorns.

 

I don't know why I didn't mention this earlier but I don't like the term "pest snails". Here's why.... these so called "pests" I consider to be my assistants. They do more of the tank maintenance then I do. My 40 gallon has them. All I have to is change the water and maintain the filter in this tank. The rest is handled by my little buddies. They keep the algae nonexistent. The clean up the left over food. They prune my plants. As far as over population goes...that is easily controlled by not overfeeding and keeping your tank balanced. By balanced I mean the right amount of light and plant ferts. Excessive algae is another reason for overpopulation. I understand some people hate them but I love my ramshorns. View attachment 632123

When they clog my filter impeller, I really consider them pests to me lol.

 

When they clog my filter impeller, I really consider them pests to me lol.

I use pre-filter sponges

 

I don't know why I didn't mention this earlier but I don't like the term "pest snails". Here's why.... these so called "pests" I consider to be my assistants. They do more of the tank maintenance then I do. My 40 gallon has them. All I have to is change the water and maintain the filter in this tank. The rest is handled by my little buddies. They keep the algae nonexistent. The clean up the left over food. They prune my plants. As far as over population goes...that is easily controlled by not overfeeding and keeping your tank balanced. By balanced I mean the right amount of light and plant ferts. Excessive algae is another reason for overpopulation. I understand some people hate them but I love my ramshorns. View attachment 632123

I do have to agree with this. When I first got invaded with ramshorn snails I considered them an eyesore and yes, a pest. Once gone though I reconsidered their role in their ability to help keep my tanks clean. Fortunately I found a few of them in one of my filters that the assassins couldn't get to.

I gave those few a home of their own and allow them to breed to their hearts content. I feed them very well to help keep their population up and growing. I pull a few of them out and put them in my main tanks to feed the assassins every week or so. I put enough in there to allow them to do some housecleaning before the assassins find them all. The assassins do a very good job of preventing another explosion of ramshorms in my main tanks so I have no problem putting some back in there.

 

I do have to agree with this. When I first got invaded with ramshorn snails I considered them an eyesore and yes, a pest. Once gone though I reconsidered their role in their ability to help keep my tanks clean. Fortunately I found a few of them in one of my filters that the assassins couldn't get to.

I gave those few a home of their own and allow them to breed to their hearts content. I feed them very well to help keep their population up and growing. I pull a few of them out and put them in my main tanks to feed the assassins every week or so. I put enough in there to allow them to do some housecleaning before the assassins find them all. The assassins do a very good job of preventing another explosion of ramshorms in my main tanks so I have no problem putting some back in there.

Yes I forgot to mention. They're also a valuable food source. One that can be easily home grown. In a cup of you wanted to. I feed them to my cichlids once a week in my main display tank. Snails are also a primary food source for many fish. Puffer fish come to mind.

Thank you mattgirl for bringing that up.

 

I use pre-filter sponges

Do pre filter sponges make a difference when cleaning the tank and collecting debris? I would get them most definitely but I want to make the best out of my filters if you know what I mean.

 

Do pre filter sponges make a difference when cleaning the tank and collecting debris? I would get them most definitely but I want to make the best out of my filters if you know what I mean.

The filter media actually lasts longer with out overflowing. Yes the sponge will get clogged but I have a back up sponge and trade the dirty1 for the clean 1. Depending on your bio load that can be a week to several months. Ammonia passes through the sponge and gets into the filter to feed your BB.

Pre filter sponges are also good for some fish ,like bettas, and essential for all snails.

 

The filter media actually lasts longer with out overflowing. Yes the sponge will get clogged but I have a back up sponge and trade the dirty1 for the clean 1. Depending on your bio load that can be a week to several months. Ammonia passes through the sponge and gets into the filter to feed your BB.

Pre filter sponges are also good for some fish ,like bettas, and essential for all snails.

Question, do the “friend snails” ruin plants? Do they make holes in plants like caterpillars do to tomato plants outdoors? If so then that is a terrible thing.

 

Question, do the “friend snails” ruin plants? Do they make holes in plants like caterpillars do to tomato plants outdoors? If so then that is a terrible thing.

Most of them don't. Some will clean up dead or dying leaves though. I know my ramshorns, bladder, nerites and rabbit snails don't eat my plants.

 

Question, do the “friend snails” ruin plants? Do they make holes in plants like caterpillars do to tomato plants outdoors? If so then that is a terrible thing.

No. Ramshorns (at least the species I have )only eat the dead leaves. So if a leaf gets holes I know it's because it's dead. I can either remove the leaf or let them eat it.

 

Enough is alway good.Less or more will be problem.Horn snail don't dig or ruin up the bottom tank like other big snail like mystery snail..but if over population then it alway problem.When I do water change I crust to kill a few to food the fish and also control them by time..with 1-2 assasin snail rotate from one tank to other every thing is fine. They are alway good to my tank with algae and access food in tank.

 

I have Malaysian trumpet snails not rams horns snails but they’re probably the same stuff. Yes so a couple assassin snails in my tank would definitely keep the population stable to have them at the “enough” level

 

Also if you want to get rid of "pest" snails an assassin alone won't do it. As stated there good for population controle. In addition to an assassin, klling or removing all you can see every day with algae control and not over feeding will do it. There is no quick fix. It takes weeks. Unless you want to start over from scratch.

 

So the facts have come straight. Malaysian trumpet snails and rams horn snails are fine minI colonizers of any fish tank. They contribute to the tanks cleanup and they do a pretty good job at removing Algae and dead leaves. If you want them out of your filter impeller get a pre filter sponge and keep it on the intake of your filters. They are little creatures and they also are little snacks for some fish of the community tank. Add one-two assassin snails depending on how many your tank has to keep a stable environment and not allow them to overpopulate in your fish tank. They are more beneficial than they are hazardous to our aquariums.

 

So the facts have come straight. Malaysian trumpet snails and rams horn snails are fine minI colonizers of any fish tank. They contribute to the tanks cleanup and they do a pretty good job at removing Algae and dead leaves. If you want them out of your filter impeller get a pre filter sponge and keep it on the intake of your filters. They are little creatures and they also are little snacks for some fish of the community tank. Add one-two assassin snails depending on how many your tank has to keep a stable environment and not allow them to overpopulate in your fish tank. They are more beneficial than they are hazardous to our aquariums.

Got it perfect except there not hazardous at all. There called pests simply because some consider them ugly.

 

Got it perfect except there not hazardous at all. There called pests simply because some consider them ugly.

Aww that’s not fair lol, imagine somebody called those people pests because they weren’t so good looking lol. I’ll let them live in my tank peacefully, I actually like them to be honest because they make my tank look more natural. I like seeing little snails moving around the tank, I just need to buy this filter sponge so they don’t get caught inside the impeller or reproduce within the filter itself.

 

Aww that’s not fair lol, imagine somebody called those people pests because they weren’t so good looking lol. I’ll let them live in my tank peacefully, I actually like them to be honest because they make my tank look more natural. I like seeing little snails moving around the tank, I just need to buy this filter sponge so they don’t get caught inside the impeller or reproduce within the filter itself.

Oh check out chewy they have them for around 3 bucks. Yes you made another great point. They are part of every natural aquatic ecosystem. Ramshorn Snail Appreciation Thread - Snails 366634

For those who still consider them pests, there's lots of people who would beg to differ. Check out this thread.