How to get rid of rogue baby snails?

Over the last two days, I have noticed 4 really small translucent orange coloured baby snails in my tank. I looked over the internet and they look like baby ramshorn snails (but I could be wrong). I believe they snuck in to my tank as eggs on some plants I got a week or two ago.

My tank is heavily planted and I have shrimp, rabbit snails and nerite snails; so copper treatment is not an option and neither is getting assassin snails. Is there a way to get rid of them before my tank gets overrun by them and my plants get destroyed? At the moment, I only spot them if they come up to the glass.

Any help or suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Ramshorns are spirals, pond snails are more spherical. Either way, if you can't get assassin snails (my method of choice ;D) some people have reported success by placing a piece of lettuce in the tank at night. In the morning, it will supposedly be covered with snails, which are easily removed on the lettuce. This, combined with simply removing any snails you see when you walk by the tank, may help. Also, if you see any clutches of eggs (they look like white specks in a patch of goo...definitely hard to spot), removing them will of course help as well.

Most people don't mind them too much. They are a good indicator of tank health in that if the population suddenly increases, this means you are feeding too much and there is enough extra food in the substrate to support a snail population. Feed less, and the numbers should die down.

 

I would just pick them off one by one when you see you them.

 

Ramshorns are spirals, pond snails are more spherical.

I was shocked and annoyed that they were in my tank that I just squashed them with my aquarium tongs immediately so wasn't able to determine what type they were exactly but based on pictures on the internet they looked more like ramshorn. While the snails floated down lifelessly, some of my tetras decided to snack on them. Cruel to be crushing them I know, but at least they became supper for my tetras!

I will try the lettuce method, thanks! Also, will also just keep squashing them if I see them.

 

I also use a siphon to suck them out during water changes.

 

The crushing method works, and to me is not overly cruel as you are using them as a food source that way.

Assasin snails are great if you can get them.

there are also fish that enjoy snails, your tank is a bit small to handle clown loaches but there are others in the loach family that stay smaller that love snails. Some other fish also enjoy snacking on them as well.

The lettuce theory also works for some but not for others.

You can always just pick them out as you see them also.

You may want to consider a peroxide bath for your plants to kill any potential eggs that remain, this will not cause adverse affects to the aquarium but may slightly injure the plants, who will fully recover in time.

 

The crushing method works, and to me is not overly cruel as you are using them as a food source that way.

Assasin snails are great if you can get them.

there are also fish that enjoy snails, your tank is a bit small to handle clown loaches but there are others in the loach family that stay smaller that love snails. Some other fish also enjoy snacking on them as well.

The lettuce theory also works for some but not for others.

You can always just pick them out as you see them also.

You may want to consider a peroxide bath for your plants to kill any potential eggs that remain, this will not cause adverse affects to the aquarium but may slightly injure the plants, who will fully recover in time.

Thanks for the suggestions, I will look into using peroxide. Peroxide will not harm my other inverts I hope?

 

You do the peroxide bath on new plants, before putting them in your tank.

 

You do the peroxide bath on new plants, before putting them in your tank.

Will make sure I do so in future!

 

Yes I was referring to removing your current plants and bathing them and then reintroducing them. Whats already in there and on the rest of the decor in the tank you would still have to deal with as far as hatching goes.

 

After crushing 2-3 snails that first day I noticed them, I didn't see anymore. Today, I crushed 6 of them and my tetras ate them while they sank. Pretty sure they are ramshorn snails from their tiny spiral shells. I'm becoming so paranoid now that I keep checking my tank every hour if I can find anymore of the lil pests crawling up the sides or on the plants.

Wish there was an easier way to get rid of them without having a surprise big one in a month's time or so.

Also, the lettuce method didn't really work; only attracted my rabbit snails. lol...

 

Assassin snails should do the job

 

Assassin snails should do the job

They will assassinate my lovely rabbits and nerites

I know some people say that rabbit snails eat plants but mine have been alright so far. Had really bad experiences with my apple and ramshorn previously that I had them rehomed. Kept waking up to floating leaves etc. they had the most annoying habit of biting the stems of my plants.

 

I just suck mine out once a week when I'm doing water changes.

 

Great Scott! Been on snail patrol most of yesterday, crushed so many little ramshorn critters. Went to bed and just got up to find 4 orange'ish translucent snails which have a cone shape. No idea what types these are. My worst nightmare is realising now.

Have a good mine of putting all my inverts in a tub and dosing my tank with copper. Will this work or will my tank be contaminated for good?