Add Chemicals To Kill Snails?

[AshleyNZ]

Hey guys, just got a question regarding my 200L aquarium. Sitting empty with just sand and algae, or so I thought. Since last week I can see a ton of Ramshorns >.<
I've heard about people using chemicals with copper in them to kill of snails, and im wondering if this is worth the investment. Or is it a bit much of a risk of the sand getting contaminated with the copper? 
I would do plenty of waterchanges before adding anything, im just curious. Thanks

 

[Ch4rlie]

Adding chemicals to eliminate snails is generally not advisable.

If you do use chemicals that contain copper which will certainly kill snails, bear in mind copper is very difficult to get rid of from a tank even with lots of large water changes and carbon.

This means if you change mind in future and want mystery snail or assassin snails for example the chances are, the lingering copper may well kill them. Don't forget shrimps will also be affected and be killed by copper.

There are a couple of more humane ways to deal with unwanted snails, less food in tank will help, physically removing them by hand is one method, simply placing a weighted lettuce leaf in tank overnight by morning leaf will be covered in snails simply take out and repeat process, snail traps such as plastic box or bottles with lettuce leaf or algae wafer will trap some and also assassin snails would be affective but takes a little longer.

 

[Mamashack]

I wouldn't risk it! Can you get assassin snails in NZ, Ashley? If so they are a great way to get rid of the pest snails.

 

[star4]

You are better off with assassin snails or removing them by hand. Adding chemical snail killers do work, but you still have to remove the snails else the rotting bodies can seriously foul the water.

 

[sbenbow]

What about salt?  I heard that snails don't do well in salt water.  If there are no fish in the tank, then would adding a vast amount of salt kill the snails off?  After a while with no more snails seen, lots and lots of water changes should remove all salt traces.
 
I don't know if this would work as an option - maybe some others on here can advise as well?

 

[DreamertK]

The ramshorns came from somewhere. Which means you probably have some plants in the tank as well. Salt may kill the plants. But an assassin would have a field day and get rid of any more snails that come your way when you get more plants and already have fish/shrimps/ext in the tank.

 

[KirkyArcher]

Snail killing chemicals in my experience (Esha Gastroplex) don't have any prolonged harmful effects after as few as two large volume water changes. My 6 Amano shrimp were removed while treating an infestation of uninvited snails in my 125 litre and put back in after the afore mentioned two large water changes and showed no signs of distress and all are still with me now and are in there 3rd year! **The snails however died within 3 hours of adding the treatment but took an age to remove all the blighters**

 

[Byron]

I agree with those advising not to use chemicals.  I appreciate there are no fish here, but it is still a risk dumping any chemical into a closed system and in my view a bad habit to get into.
 
As for the snails, remember that they will only be there if there is food to eat.  I have hundreds in my various tanks, and welcome them.  Not ramshorn, but pond and Malaysian Livebearing.
 
Byron.

 

[AshleyNZ]

Adding chemicals to eliminate snails is generally not advisable.

If you do use chemicals that contain copper which will certainly kill snails, bear in mind copper is very difficult to get rid of from a tank even with lots of large water changes and carbon.

This means if you change mind in future and want mystery snail or assassin snails for example the chances are, the lingering copper may well kill them. Don't forget shrimps will also be affected and be killed by copper.

There are a couple of more humane ways to deal with unwanted snails, less food in tank will help, physically removing them by hand is one method, simply placing a weighted lettuce leaf in tank overnight by morning leaf will be covered in snails simply take out and repeat process, snail traps such as plastic box or bottles with lettuce leaf or algae wafer will trap some and also assassin snails would be affective but takes a little longer.

No Assassin snails or shrimp here.

The ramshorns came from somewhere. Which means you probably have some plants in the tank as well. Salt may kill the plants. But an assassin would have a field day and get rid of any more snails that come your way when you get more plants and already have fish/shrimps/ext in the tank.

No plants. Came in the canister hoses.
We don't have assassin snails available. 

I wouldn't risk it! Can you get assassin snails in NZ, Ashley? If so they are a great way to get rid of the pest snails.

Sadly not. Would be great, however..

Adding chemicals to eliminate snails is generally not advisable.

If you do use chemicals that contain copper which will certainly kill snails, bear in mind copper is very difficult to get rid of from a tank even with lots of large water changes and carbon.

This means if you change mind in future and want mystery snail or assassin snails for example the chances are, the lingering copper may well kill them. Don't forget shrimps will also be affected and be killed by copper.

There are a couple of more humane ways to deal with unwanted snails, less food in tank will help, physically removing them by hand is one method, simply placing a weighted lettuce leaf in tank overnight by morning leaf will be covered in snails simply take out and repeat process, snail traps such as plastic box or bottles with lettuce leaf or algae wafer will trap some and also assassin snails would be affective but takes a little longer.

Yeah planning on no snails in future, really didnt want any in the first place. We don't have shrimp either.
There is no food in the tank, nothing in the tank but silica sand. 
No assassin snails here unfortunately

Was just suggesting because I dont want them. I dont really fancy the lettuce method, there are so many popping up all over the place there's bound to be eggs everywhere, grr. Ill leave it for now.

 

[KirkyArcher]

If you don't like snails in the tank the most effective way to remove them is chemically, (the clean up of the dead bodies afterwards is critical though, ammonia levels can go through the roof and the water can smell absolutely foul) don't worry about lingering residual quantities of any treatment it will be reduced to safe levels after water changes, Most plant fertilisers for example have low levels of copper and don't harm either snails or crustaceans in these amounts.

 

[TallTree01]

If there is no food or plants in the tank then just wait. They'll starve in time. No need to have lights on to create algae either for them to eat.

 

[DreamertK]

If you clean the glass with one of those magnetic cleaners, it will kill the eggs (and get rid of the algea).
 
But if you really don't want or have any plans on getting shrimps in the future, go for the snail treatment.