Evil Little Snails

[Meggie :)]

I turned my ten gallon into a planted tank about a month ago and got a nice big present....snails I was just going to leave them alone but they really are gross and there are a lot of them...I took about 20 out of my tank and gave them to a friend who wanted them...I tried the lettuce method (putting a piece of lettuce on the tank and taking the snails that were on top of it by morning out of the tank) but it didn't work! If anyone has any other ideas that would be great!

Thanks!
Megan

 

[nikkifro8994]

you have 3 options.

1. you can buy a chemical to kill them (not recommended)
2. you can buy a fish to eat them (also not recommended)
3. you can pick them out by hand as you see them.

number 3 is best. number 1 can really mess up your tank. I don't like using any kind of chemicals in my tanks unless absolutely necessary. number 2 will increase you bioload and leave little to no room for other fish depending on the kind you get. it's not also a great idea to get a fish to do the job for you. it's expensive. I would go with option 3. it's cheap and fairly simple, but it takes diligence and patience.
Good luck!
Nikki

 

[Mark Z.]

I added two zebra botias to my tank and all my snails disappeared in less than a week!

 

[Meggie :)]

would those fit in a ten gallon mark? And I don't have many fish as it is...i have 2 female balloon mollies and 1 female guppy and some shrimp...and how do i kill the snails? I think I would feel really bad sealing them up in a bag and throwing them away

 

[fleeing]

You could also try using a couple of Asassin Snails (Anentome Helena). These snails actually 'attack' (very slowly ) and eat other snails.They do obviously breed, but relatively slowly so it would take some time before they take over your tank, whatever the size. Two or three should be able to maintain a 10 gallon tank quite easily. When you get offspring you can of course pass them on to someone else in need.

 

[Overload]

You could also try using a couple of Asassin Snails (Anentome Helena). These snails actually 'attack' (very slowly ) and eat other snails.They do obviously breed, but relatively slowly so it would take some time before they take over your tank, whatever the size. Two or three should be able to maintain a 10 gallon tank quite easily. When you get offspring you can of course pass them on to someone else in need.

I would go with the asassin snails and manual removal with a cut down on feeding.

Chemicals will probably kill your fish and filter bacteria, and new fish a) wont fit, b) will go for easier food than the snails first

 

[CrazyAirborne]

assassin snails are great, look cool, and breed slow. and eat other snails.

 

[Teephphah]

I would also recommend the Assassin Snails, but I would throw out a quick word of caution. That being that, the physical size of your unwanted snails is important. Assassins can take on anything from large to smallish-medium snails, but if your snails are teeny-tiny, (like the ones I've currently got ), they can't do too much. Basically, they have to be able to get their mouths (which are tube-like) inside the shell of the other snail.

But if you've got pest snails with shell openings bigger than, say, the size of the tip of a ball point pen, I'd say have at it and enjoy the show.

 

[Titchie]

Whats so horrible about snails I love them

 

[three-fingers]

The snails are just converting the organic waste into more snails, if it wasn't for the snails, bacteria would turn it straight into ammonia. They also eat algae.

Assasin snails are the best option I can think of, as others have mentioned. Adding Botiine loaches or snail-killing chemicals would be the end of your shrimp.

Crushing them and feeding to your fish (or throwing out) and greatly reducing the amount of organic waste in the tank would be the best thing to do long term if you really don't like them. They are harmless though, in fact somewhat beneficial.

 

[Meggie :)]

i don't even know what kind they are I think they might be pond snails...I had one trumpet snail but I gave that to my friend. they are still pretty small but they are growing and multiplying VERY FAST...but if I got assassin snails, wouldn't I have the same kind of problem just with a different kind of snail?

Thank you for all of your replies!

 

[three-fingers]

Assasin snails breed and grow far more slowly than pest snails (one egg at a time if your lucky, rather than dozens for pest snails). They also burrow, like trumpet snails, so aren't that visible anyway but when they are out they have yellow/black striped shells so look pretty neat anyway.

 

[This Old Spouse]

I got 9 assassin snails about 8 months ago for a pond snail problem. And now I have ... 9 assassin snails!

They really don't reproduce quickly, if at all.

What you really need to do is cut down your feeding by a LOT. A few snails is beneficial. Lots is not. They poo too!

 

[Meggie :)]

I only feed once a day and skip once or twice a week and I don't give them that much food and will assassin snails destroy my plants?

 

[This Old Spouse]

Assassins don't eat plants, or at least not mine. They will eat food that hits the bottom if there aren't any snails for them to eat.

Try not feeding your fish for 4-5 days and see what happens to the snail population.

Do you have a gravel or sand substrate?