# Getting rid of snails



## Matthew A. (Nov 21, 2008)

I live on the west coast of CA and accidentally introduced freshwater snails into one of my aquariums when I added some anacaris from one of my pond accounts. I have made two attempts about three weeks apart to rid them of the tank by removing the all but the fish and the media that makes up the undergravel bed. The decorative lava rock removed was pressure washed then placed on my roof to dry in the sun for several days. I also cleaned the glass surfaces and vac'd and picked the gravel bed to remove visible snails. After not seeing any more snails on the last attempt for three weeks I then added the decorative rock back into the tank. A month later and the snails are back. I am sure offspring from snails that probably have managed to make a living under the UG filter plate. 
To rid the tank of snails I thought about using copper. However, I would prefer not to medicate the tank. I am considering removing the fish then adding about 25 pounds of table salt to the 25 gallon tank for a day or two. I figure salt is both cheap and easily removed by washing the UG media and water changes and should be quick to re-cycle the filter bed. Any ideas or suggestions on the use of salt or perhaps other methods are appreciated.
P.S. No U.V. on system


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

I would just take out the fish, and remove the filter then pour a whole bottle of alum in the tank let it sit for 24 hours then remove and rinse everything. Depending on your substrate if it is sand based I would replace it as you can never get rid of the eggs out of it.


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

You may not be able to keep the lava rock either. I used a piece of rock that i had in a tank with these little buggers in it and even though it had been cleaned and put away for 2 years somehow the eggs that were still in the crevices hatched and all my work getting rid of them was lost. I currently still am having problems with them and was happy to hear of the solution from susankat.

Thanks.


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