Pest snails

[Hmarie37]

Apologies if this is not emergency enough for this thread, still can’t figure out how to navigate forums

Anywho, my tank is infested with snails! I suppose one of the plants I got from a local pet shop had a snail and the rinse didn’t get it off They have overrun my tank! I have tried to clean it, feed my fish a bit less to minimize the reproduction of the snails, and more! But these things keep coming. At this point I think my only option is to completely get rid of all gravel/decor/ plants and completely redo my tank. Obviously doing this is ridding my tank of beneficial bacteria so I’m here for advice on completely rescaping an existing tank. It’s a 20 gal with Black skirt tetras, white skirts and neons. I have a spare 10 gallon as well that may help with the process? Just here if anyone has recommendations/advice/tips. I’m considering using the 10 gal, cycling that for a bit, removing the fish, and transferring the now beneficial bacteria breeding gravel from the cycled 10 gal into the now cleaned (and snail free) 20 gallon. That sounds very tricky and risky and I don’t to lose any of my babies. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Ps please be nice! Just here for advice and kind words, these snails have given me heck

 

[Ellie Potts]

This is a really common problem with snails but luckily there are a few solutions. You're right that they probably came in on a plant or something.

First of all, consider the fact that snails will only exist so much as there are things to sustain them. Oftentimes overrun tanks have an excess of algae, decomposing food, or leaf litter. So test your water and see if you have any issues.

To address the snails already in existence, there are a few things you can do. Start with increasing water changes to address the lack of balance I was talking about above. Assassin snails will slightly reduce the problem by eating snails, but won't fix a huge infestation. Always crush snail eggs. You can put a piece of lettuce in the water and remove it once it's covered with snails to kill them. Catch them with nets and get rid of them. Or you can even set up the 10 gallon for a pea puffer and feed it the snails.

 

[BrianK]

I had a pretty good infestation myself. I just kept smashing every one I saw. It took months but now I have seen any for quite some time now.