# Snail question



## newbee (Jan 24, 2010)

I've planted my 20T tank and I obviously got some little black snails with the plants. I thought I read on these forums somewhere about a fish/critter that will eat them?! If not that,:crab: does anyone have any suggestions besides picking them out when they appear??:crab:?


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## mielikki (Aug 29, 2009)

There are a few things that like to eat snails, loaches are fun. They like snails. If you want something really cool, ask your lfs for an "Assassin snail". They actually hunt and eat other snails....


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## NursePlaty (Feb 5, 2010)

*Theres no way to get rid of them unless you clean your entire tank, scrub it down and bleach all live plants and equipment. You can reduce the population though. Like with snail traps. Bottles with boiled zuchini.*


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## jokerls240 (May 12, 2010)

I second the loach suggestion. If you don't have the space for a full grown clown loach, dojo and yoyo (who comes up w/ these loach names?) would be good choices. Snail traps work great, as well.

When I had a green water problem, I noticed that the API algaecide I used killed off quite a few of them. Also watch for small groups of tiny bubbles (snail eggs) on the glass. A magnetic algae scraper made quick work of those.

However, first try to identify the snail species. Applesnail.net is a good resource for identification. There most snails aren't very harmful to plants and make a great cleanup crew. You will know in a few days if they are eating you plants - leaves will look like those on above ground plants and trees after an insect has had its buffet.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

NursePlaty said:


> *Theres no way to get rid of them unless you clean your entire tank, scrub it down and bleach all live plants and equipment.*


Welllll...actually...if you're persistant...you can manually wipe them out. I have done this now on two of my tanks (thank goodness). 

Just employ several methods and you will eventually get them.

Here's my trick to it:

Start with blanched zucchini. After awhile, it of course gets really mushy. The snails can't resist it. This will of course depend on other tank inhabitants too.
Time for a water change you say...no problem...[takes gravel vac tube and does his biz...whistle while you work]....woops...I just sucked up all them snails that were eating the zuc....oh well...too bad. 
Continue with water change using the tube to suck up any stragglers you find.
Monitor the tank and remove any that you find. Continue with the vac tube when you do your water changes.

Presto...they will eventually be gone. BUT...you have to remain diligent on it or that will defeat the purpose.

All that being said...traps are definatley your best bet.

gl


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## newbee (Jan 24, 2010)

Here are pictures of the snails. I guess I'll give the zucinni in the bottle trick a try, but I need to watch out for my baby Mollies. Thanks everyone for you suggestions.


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## jokerls240 (May 12, 2010)

That looks like one of the few species I have. Not too worried here - they just add to my cleanup crew, keeping the red/brown algae off my plants until I can get some CO2 injection setup. (need a snail smiley here. ;-) )


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

newbee said:


> I've planted my 20T tank and I obviously got some little black snails with the plants. I thought I read on these forums somewhere about a fish/critter that will eat them?! If not that,:crab: does anyone have any suggestions besides picking them out when they appear??:crab:?


Every planted tank I have started has had a initial snail bloom. Then a year later there only a few left.

So I do and recommend doing nothing.


my .02


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## newbee (Jan 24, 2010)

Thanks for the advise, folks. I have noticed, before so many snails appeared, that when one of my Amazon or Melon swords had a leaf turning brown, I would let more than 50% turn before I would remove it. Now, something is "eating" the brown from the spots and leaving just a spiderweb looking skeleton of the leaf, which is not as bad looking as the brown part, so I leave them longer.


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## jokerls240 (May 12, 2010)

Snails definitely love decaying matter over fresh - especially dying plants.


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## jeffro0050 (Apr 4, 2010)

I found this link that may be useful a while back.

Aquamaniacs :: View topic - What is this snail? Will it eat my plants?

I apologize if its bad to link to another forum, but this is a very good topic.

Also, those are definitely the same species of pond snail I have. The ramshorns that drifted over on my plants got eaten/accidentally killed at a young age


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## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

jokerls240 said:


> Snails definitely love decaying matter over fresh - especially dying plants.


only certain snails, those pond snails that were displayed above are plant killers. they will eat every bit of vegetation in your tank.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Never known a pond snail to snarf the plants. I have several tanks with pond snails in them and they don't bother the plants. I know some species of Briggs will though.


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## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

they snarfed 200 dollars in plants here just a month ago, I had to nuke the tank. it ate neatly everything down to roots.

I have some still in a bucket I feed to my banjo cats, I dont have any pics of the destruction but I sure know it wasnt the discus that ate all the plants and I mean all, close to 100 plants eaten.
"
- Pond snail: This snail is distinguishable by its football-like shape and is a species of snail that can easily take over an aquarium if left unattended to. They are generally introduced to aquariums with plants or live food and can reproduce at a rapid rate. The Pond snail is also known to have a taste for plants and can quickly devour most aquatic plant life."
Facts about Aquarium Snails

The only snail I found to be useful in a planted tank is the MTS.


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## fishrule (May 16, 2010)

When I had a fresh water tank I had this same issue. I absolutely hated those snails! You gotta be really careful when your purchasing plants from the pet stores. I never did find a way to get rid of them. They grow by the hundreds!


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Wowsers! I guess mine are keeping to everything else in the tanks other than the plants. Glad to hear that as I as well have lots of $$ invested in them. I just hate how rapidly they spread. A third tank is just about wiped out now. I still find an occassional small one here and there.


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## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

I had to use algae controller from tetra to nuke then out, literally overnight there was an explosion and being a brand new tank, I dont think there was much for them to eat but the plants. yeah it threw a big wrench into my plans.

my 52 donated ALOT of plants to the 210 now my 52 is barely there.


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## jokerls240 (May 12, 2010)

You know, I do have a few of the snails in the pics above. According to the thread posted afterwards, they will devour plants. That may be what's causing some wisteria leaves to surface quite frequently. 

Purely speculation here, but I've noticed orange stains in my bath tub, toilet, and porcelain sink in the bathroom. This could either be iron or copper stains. If it's copper, then maybe my water changes are keeping the more vulnerable, younger snails at bay.

Time to get copper and iron test kits, if I'm going to keep the apple and ramhorn snails.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Copper will definately do the trick. Unfortunately...it will also do a number on all inverts as well. That is why you have to be very cautious when it comes to using chems to rid snails as most are copper based.

Even in snail populations in outdoor ponds, people will use copper pipes. Just throw em in the water and things will eventually fade away.


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## NursePlaty (Feb 5, 2010)

James0816 said:


> Copper will definately do the trick. Unfortunately...it will also do a number on all inverts as well. That is why you have to be very cautious when it comes to using chems to rid snails as most are copper based.
> 
> Even in snail populations in outdoor ponds, people will use copper pipes. Just throw em in the water and things will eventually fade away.


*So would drumping a penny jar in a tank kill all the snails**r2


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## Dr. Greenthumb (May 16, 2010)

Puffers eat snails


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## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

so do loaches and banjo cats.(my favorite for snail eaters due to them foraging below deep in the substrate.)


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

NursePlaty said:


> *So would drumping a penny jar in a tank kill all the snails**r2


20 years ago yes.

now sure now. Lot less copper in pennys today. *old dude


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

beaslbob said:


> 20 years ago yes.
> 
> now sure now. Lot less copper in pennys today. *old dude


What's a penny? *#3


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## squirrelcrusher (Sep 23, 2009)

I use my puffer for snail control. I had a 55 that was overflowing with pond snails. The puffer has been in there almost a month and the snail population has gone down drastically. I think in another month the tank will be snail free.


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## WickedEdges (Jun 8, 2010)

This topic is going just in the direction I'd like it to. I've just recently setup a 10g freshwater tank with a few different species of fern and plants. I planted them where I wanted and also added two ghost shrimp that I was planning on fattening up for the soon-to-be-arrival of some dwarf puffers. Well I just noticed within seconds of planting that I also had two nearly-microscopic black snails that had apparently hitched a ride on these plants. Should I wait until the snails fatten up so my puffer will eat them too? lol. Weird question, eh? 

(And we so need a snail smiley. We have an F-18 smiley though? come on. hahaha.)


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## zzpat (Apr 8, 2009)

newbee said:


> I've planted my 20T tank and I obviously got some little black snails with the plants. I thought I read on these forums somewhere about a fish/critter that will eat them?! If not that,:crab: does anyone have any suggestions besides picking them out when they appear??:crab:?


A lot of plant eating snails lay their eggs near the surface of the water or above the water (on the glass). What you can do is once or twice a day (and do this religiously) scrub the top one or two inches above and below the waterline. Sometimes, I rub my finger around the top of the aquarium. 

It'll take a few weeks but it works. Btw, if you miss a day or two, don't worry, just start up when you have the time and hit it every day.

Btw, there's nothing wrong with a few snails, but if you want to eliminate all of them, it can be done.

Also, don't freak out if you think they're all gone and a month later you find some. Just start the process all over again. It shouldn't take more than a few seconds.


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## newbee (Jan 24, 2010)

Okay, I tried the zucinni in the bottle, cleaning the top edge of glass at waterline, and individually picking them out and disposing of them, and haven't had a lot of luck decreasing the numbers. I had a loach, but he didn't do well in the water levels I have set for my other fish. I did find while I was picking them out that if I smashed the snail in my grabbers, my young Mollies went crazy eating them!! Then I saw that the swordtails and pleco were also snacking on the pieces. I hope this doesn't raise the ammonia level too much. I wonder if I try the copper in the tank, will it hurt the fish or plants??


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## mk4gti (Jun 15, 2010)

its so great that this post was up today. this weekend me and my girlfriend came home to find a snail exactly like that one "walking" across the decorative bridge in my tank. I was worried at first, if there is one there could be more. I hope there are no eggs in my pants and this was just a stow away. I dont want to have to remove more snails, im letting this one stay as part of the cleaning crew but i dont plan on letting him have any mates.


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## squirrelcrusher (Sep 23, 2009)

If you have 1 pond snail in a little bit of time you will have 100 pond snails. Several species of snail will make babies with themselves. So be prepared to squish them out!


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## newbee (Jan 24, 2010)

Okay, I solved my snail problem!! I removed every piece of driftwood, scrubbed it good under running hot water to get all the snails and egg packs off, rinsed them in "good" water, and replaced them. Then I added 2 loaches, a Zebra and an Angelica. Within 2-3 days, I had a hard time finding any snails. Just their empty shells floating on the surface. I hope the loaches last, they're doing a Great Job!


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## jamie.k.hofer (Oct 24, 2010)

Do assassin snails need brackish water to breed?


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