# Snails -- uh oh



## MiasMermaids (Feb 26, 2011)

I got a bunch of live plants at an auction, and in my haste put them into my tanks without thinking of snails hitching a ride. Now of course my tanks are breaking out with snails everywhere. Is there a method to control them? What are benefits vs. drawbacks of snails. They are the teeny light brown kind...


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Being tiny and brown isn't enough discription. There is pond snails and ramshorn snails. They can do good in a tank by eating algae, but they can also multiply real fast if you are over feeding them.


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## Rohkey (Apr 25, 2011)

Snails are like algae. They actually help the tank but most people don't like having them. Algae is obviously an eyesore and snails supposedly produce a lot of waste for their size and can eat plants. I'd leave them alone personally unless they get out of control or start menacing with the plants.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

*Benefits:* Eat algae and keep the tank clean.

*Drawbacks:* Can breed like MAD and quickly over populate a tank. They also eat plants. (Pond and Ramshorn do.... not sure if Malaysian Trumpet snails do.... I'm thinking yes.) If you have tons of them, it can look a bit unsightly.... but if you like them, then it doesn't matter, lol.

*Ways to get rid of them:* * 1.* Snail killing chemicals (not recommended as any added chemical to a tank is always risky.

*2.* Picking them out by hand. (Works as long as you don't have hundreds.) I've done this before when I had a few.

*3.* Trapping them. Put some lettuce in the tank when you turn the lights out at night, (weigh it down with something.) In the morning, the lettuce should have snails on it. Take it and the snails out. (If they don't like lettuce try zucchini.)

*4.* (And my personal favourite) The Assassin snail. It will eat the pest snails and WILL NOT over populate your tank. These snails breed so slowly that people have them in their tanks for years and don't notice any babies. When it's done it's job and eaten all the snails, it will scavenge left over food off the tank floor. You can also feed it things like blood worms and protein flakes.... all these will be scavenged off the floor as I don't think you can 'directly' feed a snail, lol. The Assassin snail will also NOT hurt your plants because it is carnivorous. (You only have to worry if you have Cherry shrimp as it _may_ eat the tiny babies if it can catch them.)

If you get an Assassin, (or a few) depending on the size of your tank and the amount of snails you need eaten, keep in mind that they will eat a snail and then go 'dormant' for about a day or two, to digest their meal. They also sometimes bury themselves in the gravel when looking for food, so be careful not to suck them up with the gravel vacuum. (Keep the tank covered as well - any small holes - as they, like any snail, have been known to 'escape.')

(Also wanted to mention that your avatar picture is gorgeous!)

Good luck.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

I have pond snails, ramshorns, and malaysian snails in all my tanks except my cichlid tanks as they eat the smaller ones. None of them bother my plants unless the plant is dying. Snails are part of the eco system and can be good when kept under control. Malaysian snails are good for keeping the substrate stirred when using sand. They all will eat algae and they also will eat any food that is left over from feeding fish.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

MiasMermaids said:


> I got a bunch of live plants at an auction, and in my haste put them into my tanks without thinking of snails hitching a ride. Now of course my tanks are breaking out with snails everywhere. *Is there a method to control them*? What are benefits vs. drawbacks of snails. They are the teeny light brown kind...


yes


NOTHING!!!!!!!!*old dude

Every planted tank I have started always gets a snail bloom after setup then a year later there are only a few left.

So do nothing, let them clean the tank, and observe them. You may find them interesting. A year from now there will only be a few left.


my .02


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## Subaru4wd (May 6, 2011)

Snails are awesome, and very cool to watch. If you want to watch just one or two, and not a whole tank full... get an Assassin snail and watch him eat all the others


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

I'll buy some from you! PM me if you're interested.


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