Declaring War On Snails

[MBOU]

Gastropex is harmless to fish, they wouldnt be allowed to market it 'for use with fish' if it wasnt safe. They'd be open for all kind of problems like being sued if someones fish died otherwise!

Assuming instructions are followed corrctly and the water parameters are within what it says in the small print of the instructions... they will be fine.

Im pretty sure Primous can read fine

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Not suggesting that he cant read. I have heard way to many stories from people who have used "aquarium safe snail chemicals" and ended up with a problem.

 

[lhandley]

This might seem silly considering that it's adding some snails to get rid of snails but did you consider the use of assassin snails? Their completely harmless to both fish and shrimp and a way more attractive than normal snails.

Edit: never mind just saw a previous post saying almost the exact same thing

 

[Baccus]

I wish I could get assassin snails in Australia (yet another critter not allowed in to the country), I once used some snail killer stuff with no fish or shrimp in the water with the plants and snails and it was not successful. So I moved on to the next approach using some Pakastani loaches to knock the snail numbers down to resonable numbers. I am now also looking into getting some different types of Australian native snails that I like the look of in the hope that by having species that I want they will use up the food sources that the rams horn and MTS have been thriving on.
The Pakastani loaches have done a great job in the tanks large enough to house them, but the other snail method I am looking at trying in the tanks that are too small to comfortably house the loaches. I usually wouldn't say add a new species to be rid of another species but I was a wits end with the snails in my tanks, with too many hidy holes for the snails to avoid my search and destroy missions, and the constant baiting with carrots, zuchinni etc to remove the snails was getting tedious with no releif in sight.
I think what I hate most about the pest snails is that reduce feeding doesn't stop them breeding they just move onto eating my plants. I have even had a snail explosion in a tank with no fish, there for no fish food added and even the plants had been removed.

 

[Primous]

*UPDATE*

I got home last night at about 3am and turned on the tank light and for the very first time in a very long time, there were no snails on my plants! However these things are smart, while I can see dead snails on the substrate when I lifted the hood I found 5-6 hanging out above the water line. lol These little things are smarter than they look. So today, in addition to the second dose I'm going to add some of the treatment to a cloth and wipe just above the water line.

My fish are 100% fine. No change in behavior, in fact I think my lemons are warming up for their first spawn. That r they have taken a liking to a particular plant and the other members of the community are following the lemons around because they like their colors (I think they're looking for an egg treat.)

Assassin snails will not work in this case! I put that in bold because may seem to overlook that. And basically this boils down to they way Assassin snails eat other snails. If the other snail is too small the "thing" assassin snails use to get into the other snails shell and tear out the flesh will not work.

Again, I did not decide on using a chemical on a whim. I was researching for quite some time because for almost a year now I haven't even added seachem or any type of ferts because of the dirt set up.

One of my bee shrimp didn't like the 30L backup tank and turned pink over night But I can see at least two that are berried so I might try to save shrimplets to bolster numbers.

 

[Primous]

*Update*

After 4 days of treatment the snails are 99.4% gone. I check nightly and while I can no longer find any snails unless dead on the substrate I know that some have managed to survive. So I'm looking into another treatment. To clarify, gastropex is a good treatment! but I'm looking for 100% extermination because these asexual beasties will be back to full strength in a month or two if even one of them survives.

 

[ShinySideUp]

This very day I have been out and about searching for Zebra Loaches with the intention of removing my small-snail problem. As as been mentioned, assassin snails are no good as these snail are very small however my new (five) Zebra loaches are also very small -- so very, very small, bless. I shall have to take bets on which grows the faster: If the loaches are faster, all is fine, if the snails win...we go to the explosive measures mentioned previously!!!

 

[Primous]

If the loaches are faster, all is fine, if the snails win...we go to the explosive measures mentioned previously!!!

Wet Grenade - Check
Aquatic AK - Check
Waterproof Body Armour - Check

 

[ShinySideUp]

If the loaches are faster, all is fine, if the snails win...we go to the explosive measures mentioned previously!!!

Wet Grenade - Check
Aquatic AK - Check
Waterproof Body Armour - Check

 

[Juggler75]

Assassin snails will not work in this case! I put that in bold because may seem to overlook that. And basically this boils down to they way Assassin snails eat other snails. If the other snail is too small the "thing" assassin snails use to get into the other snails shell and tear out the flesh will not work.

Whilst I appreciate that this is correct in respect of adult assassins, in my experience some juvinile/baby assassins are in the process of wiping out the small pest snail population in my tank. Adults will take care of bladder snails when they can, but a breeding population of assassins leads to snails that will kill snails of all sizes.

Just saying

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Glad to see this product is working. Are you using it with fish in the tank? Did it seem to affect the fish adversly? (i'm normally against chemicals, but if it is proving harmless, I may give it a shot if I end up with a snail problem) Any info I can get may sway my decisions in the future.

 

[Primous]

Glad to see this product is working. Are you using it with fish in the tank? Did it seem to affect the fish adversly? (i'm normally against chemicals, but if it is proving harmless, I may give it a shot if I end up with a snail problem) Any info I can get may sway my decisions in the future.

I've been using it in my community tank and the fish are unaffected. My lemon tetras started breeding today which was great to watch and I have used the better part of the bottle (it states you can dose for upto 5 days) My params have remained the same...

Ammonia Nitrite are at 0ppm.

However, nitrate is at 10-15ppm which is huge for me when you consider that nitrates above 0ppm in a dirt tank means you're doing something wrong. Still with all the snail decomposition that must be going on I'm glad that I cycled to the point where 5ppm of ammonia can be deal twith in under 12 hours when i did. If not then I believe my fish would be suffering right now with the decomposition of the beasties...

 

[Dieses Madchen]

explain what you mean by dirt tank...

nitrate is the biproduct of nitrites so its normal for it to be there...

 

[Mikaila31]

However, nitrate is at 10-15ppm which is huge for me when you consider that nitrates above 0ppm in a dirt tank means you're doing something wrong.

I don't get this at all. IMO any planted tank should have nitrates present otherwise your looking at a lack of nitrogen unless you are growing things very slowly. I run 2 dirt tanks and they would naturally have 0ppm of nitrate if I let them be, but experience has shown me that dosing nitrates is what really makes them thrive. Then again I aim for high growth and my tanks get upset if nitrate gets low.

 

[Primous]

explain what you mean by dirt tank...

nitrate is the biproduct of nitrites so its normal for it to be there...

By "dirt tank" I mean organic soil capped with gravel. And yes, in a non dirt tank nitrates are normal (mine would range between 5-10ppm weekly) but in this system they are not present. Sounds a little complicated but I made a vid of the entire process

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEktbgHEft8

And an update of he growth it produced in 2 months which was more growth than I had had in the past 3 years

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v88cA8Yhpc

I don't get this at all. IMO any planted tank should have nitrates present otherwise your looking at a lack of nitrogen unless you are growing things very slowly. I run 2 dirt tanks and they would naturally have 0ppm of nitrate if I let them be, but experience has shown me that dosing nitrates is what really makes them thrive. Then again I aim for high growth and my tanks get upset if nitrate gets low.

lol if you read your post you'll see that in fact, answered your own question lol