How to get rid of ramhorns

[Tacocat]

ARGHHH!!!!!!

I have a snail infestation in my 5 gallon tank, which I have a journal for( https://www.fishforums.net/threads/5-gallon-fluval-spec-v.472852/page-4#post-4065182 ). I'm wondering what I should do to cull the population and maybe replace with nerites or another slow reproducing snail or oto.

Option 1- Most viable and probably most likely: buy a snail trap/make my own. This is the cheapest and might actually make a dent in the population, but they're just going to bounce back unless I do something properly.

Option 2- Will cost money but will be cool for a bit and might end up working really well: Remember from a few posts ago(check journal) that my neighbour is leaving and says we can do whatever to her tank? Well... We can buy Kuhli loaches/ yoyo loaches from our LFS(probs kuhli), and transfer our fish over to the neighbours to keep the bio load somewhat similar( probably the guppies ) Meanwhile, the kuhlis are introduced and start ravaging the snail population. When the neighbours come back after a few weeks, I estimate the loaches might have finished them. Then, we'll transfer the loaches to the neighbour's tank and bring the guppies and maybe fry back. What about the adult snail? Well, we'll bring him over to the neighbours at the start of the purge, and then when the loaches are transferred, the babies will have started, and the loaches can feast.

Option 3- Purge the tank and restart: This is the option that I really don't want to do, and neither does my mom. We want to avoid this the most, as I don't really want to go through cycling again.

Option 4- This is kind of , but I could just leave them be: I would let them go out of control, and maybe stab a few here and there. Makes good protein for the guppies and shrimp after all.

Tell me what you think I should do. Mind you, chances are my parents won't listen to random people on the internet mini modding our fish tank, but I'll see what I can do.

 

[PorshaF]

I have bladder snails, they lay eggs on the glass a lot and I'll just wipe the eggs off. If I missed some it seems like the fish eat the tiny ones. If they miss them and the snail becomes an adult I usually just let someone name it lol we surprisingly only have maybe 10 adults, stopping the eggs before hatching seems to be how I've controlled them for now

 

[Tacocat]

I have bladder snails, they lay eggs on the glass a lot and I'll just wipe the eggs off. If I missed some it seems like the fish eat the tiny ones. If they miss them and the snail becomes an adult I usually just let someone name it lol we surprisingly only have maybe 10 adults, stopping the eggs before hatching seems to be how I've controlled them for now

Ramshorns are notoriously prolific, and have probably laid their eggs in a lot of places I can't see, like leaves and the driftwood.

 

[Colin_T]

You can use a small net and scoop out any snails you see. Do this several times a day and eventually you will get rid of most of them.

The snail eggs can be scraped off plants, ornaments and glass and removed when you do a gravel clean and water change.

Khuli loaches don't eat snails or snail eggs.

-------------------
There is no reason the tank should need to be cycled again if you wash it out. The only reason you need to cycle again is if you wash the filter media under tap water and even then, some of it usually survives.

The quickest way to deal with this is to put the fish and most of the tank water in a bucket with an airstone and cover to stop them jumping out.

Take out any plants and check them for snails and eggs, then put the plants in a bucket of tank or tap water.

Clean the filter media in a bucket of tank water and then put the clean media into a bucket of tank water. Wash the filter case and impellor assembly under tap water.

Drain the remaining water out of the tank.

Scoop the gravel out and put it in a bucket and take it outside and hose it out until it's clean. Drain the water out of the bucket.

Take the tank outside and hose it out. Wipe the inside with a clean sponge and remove any snails and eggs you can find.

Then set the tank back up using the clean gravel, old tank water and filter media. Put the fish back in, top up the tank with dechlorinated water, and turn the filter and heater back on.

 

[Tacocat]

You can use a small net and scoop out any snails you see. Do this several times a day and eventually you will get rid of most of them.

The snail eggs can be scraped off plants, ornaments and glass and removed when you do a gravel clean and water change.

Khuli loaches don't eat snails or snail eggs.

-------------------
There is no reason the tank should need to be cycled again if you wash it out. The only reason you need to cycle again is if you wash the filter media under tap water and even then, some of it usually survives.

The quickest way to deal with this is to put the fish and most of the tank water in a bucket with an airstone and cover to stop them jumping out.

Take out any plants and check them for snails and eggs, then put the plants in a bucket of tank or tap water.

Clean the filter media in a bucket of tank water and then put the clean media into a bucket of tank water. Wash the filter case and impellor assembly under tap water.

Drain the remaining water out of the tank.

Scoop the gravel out and put it in a bucket and take it outside and hose it out until it's clean. Drain the water out of the bucket.

Take the tank outside and hose it out. Wipe the inside with a clean sponge and remove any snails and eggs you can find.

Then set the tank back up using the clean gravel, old tank water and filter media. Put the fish back in, top up the tank with dechlorinated water, and turn the filter and heater back on.

For the tank decorations do I just leave them be or should I hose them down like the other stuff?

 

[Avel1896]

Hey there,
The best and cheaper way I know is :

 

[PheonixKingZ]

The snail trap. Don’t completely tear down the tank, because you will lose your cycle.

Also, kuhlii loaches don’t eat snails.

—-

You can make a snail trap by simply placing a piece of lettuce in the aquarium. Wait for a while (usually at night is best), until a lot of snails are on it. Then remove the whole thing and throw it in the trash.

Manually removing them whenever you see them, is also a good option.

 

[Avel1896]

The snail trap. Don’t completely tear down the tank, because you will lose your cycle.

? ? ? ?

 

[Tacocat]

Well, change of plans, turns out while I was out sailing and my family was on land and at the LFS, they bought 3 assassins. I guess that'll do a good enough job. According to my brother he saw the snails kill some baby rams horns, so I guess that's good. I'm just worried that they might start going after the shrimp once the rams horns are gone.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

? ? ? ?

That response was written under the assumption that the OP was going to clean the filter/media under tap water.

Small snails can still survive in the filter/media, which is why it would make sense to wash everything. (In the OP’s mind)

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Well, change of plans, turns out while I was out sailing and my family was on land and at the LFS, they bought 3 assassins. I guess that'll do a good enough job. According to my brother he saw the snails kill some baby rams horns, so I guess that's good. I'm just worried that they might start going after the shrimp once the rams horns are gone.

The assassin snails will kill a few, but they won’t be able to complete eliminate them all.

Manually removing them is the best course of action.

 

[Tacocat]

The assassin snails will kill a few, but they won’t be able to complete eliminate them all.

Manually removing them is the best course of action.

I think I'll drop in the lettuce in one specific spot for the assassins to feast, and then put cotton fluff in all places leading to the filter, and then make sure there are no snails in the sponge next time I do a water change, which might be today.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I think I'll drop in the lettuce in one specific spot for the assassins to feast, and then put cotton fluff in all places leading to the filter, and then make sure there are no snails in the sponge next time I do a water change, which might be today.

Lol, good luck keeping the snails out of the filter! They are sneaky little things.

 

[FeliciaLong1961]

ARGHHH!!!!!!

I have a snail infestation in my 5 gallon tank, which I have a journal for( https://www.fishforums.net/threads/5-gallon-fluval-spec-v.472852/page-4#post-4065182 ). I'm wondering what I should do to cull the population and maybe replace with nerites or another slow reproducing snail or oto.

Option 1- Most viable and probably most likely: buy a snail trap/make my own. This is the cheapest and might actually make a dent in the population, but they're just going to bounce back unless I do something properly.

Option 2- Will cost money but will be cool for a bit and might end up working really well: Remember from a few posts ago(check journal) that my neighbour is leaving and says we can do whatever to her tank? Well... We can buy Kuhli loaches/ yoyo loaches from our LFS(probs kuhli), and transfer our fish over to the neighbours to keep the bio load somewhat similar( probably the guppies ) Meanwhile, the kuhlis are introduced and start ravaging the snail population. When the neighbours come back after a few weeks, I estimate the loaches might have finished them. Then, we'll transfer the loaches to the neighbour's tank and bring the guppies and maybe fry back. What about the adult snail? Well, we'll bring him over to the neighbours at the start of the purge, and then when the loaches are transferred, the babies will have started, and the loaches can feast.

Option 3- Purge the tank and restart: This is the option that I really don't want to do, and neither does my mom. We want to avoid this the most, as I don't really want to go through cycling again.

Option 4- This is kind of , but I could just leave them be: I would let them go out of control, and maybe stab a few here and there. Makes good protein for the guppies and shrimp after all.

Tell me what you think I should do. Mind you, chances are my parents won't listen to random people on the internet mini modding our fish tank, but I'll see what I can do.

Get a couple of loaches. I had snails out the wazoo in my 29, put two loaches in there, no more snails. It's been a couple of weeks, they're gone.

 

[DwarfCichlidLvr]

Have you considered assassin snails?
While i dont have a snail problem have a friend who uses them and they work well for her.