Snail Overload! What To Do?

[Linway]

Hey guys,
So about 7 weeks ago we bought some new plants for our tank and in one of the plants we discovered a stowaway in the form of a snail (no idea what type). Anyway, we didn't think much of it as it was just the one snail, but now there are at least 8 that we have counted with new ones popping up every day. I spoke to a LFS store and was given the advice to put a clown loach in to eat the snails but I really don't want to add that because of how large they can get (12+ inches from what I've read).
 
So my question is, what can I put in there that doesn't grow more than a couple of inches that will keep this snail population in check?
Don't get me wrong I don't mind having snails in there but with the rate of how fast they are reproducing the tank will be overrun soon.
 
I also read about possibly getting an assassin snail (apparently they eat other snails?) but I dunno if they eat fish so any advice would be great!
 
Tank info:
95L (25 US Gal)
W80 x D30 x H40cm
 
Fish in the tank:
Betta
Bronze Corys
Neon Tetras
Platys
Bristlenose Pleco
 
Cheers guys, advice is always appreciated

 

[Rob5]

I had the same problem until i added a couple of assassin snails.
 
Problem solved and the assassins clean up any left over food at the bottom of the tank now

 

[nortonmad213]

Way I've found that's best is to leave a bit of lettuce on the bottom of the tank and leave for a few hours. Then hoike all the lettuce out with snails. And repeat til u have no more. D

 

[rms]

I spoke to a LFS store and was given the advice to put a clown loach in to eat the snails

 
I have a real bee in my bonnet with LFS's regarding clown loaches at the moment. They should be shoaled 5 minimum. One on it's own will become aggressive to other, smaller fish and spend most of it's time hiding. Not that that helps with your snail problem, but I would check here before following any advice this particular LFS offers you as clearly their staff are lacking in knowledge or don't care.
 
Putting a piece of lettuce in the tank will attract the snails and then you can take the leaves out when they're munching on it. Also pick them off when ever you see them. They breed like crazy though, I had loads. With assassin snails you can just sit back and let them do their thing without further hassle.

 

[fluttermoth]

Cucumber and algae wafers also work well as 'snail bait'.
 
One thing I would add; put your bait in a jar, or on a saucer or something; else, when you pick the bait up to take it out, a lot of the snails will drop off it!

 

[snork6]

Do algae wafers go out of date

 

[fluttermoth]

All food will lose a certain amount of trace vitamins if not stored properly or if kept for too long, but they won't become dangerous to fish, unless they're allowed to get damp or go mouldy.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

If you live local to me you can have some of my assassin snails for free (I live in Surrey).

 

[Linway]

Hey guys,
read all your posts and yesterday we were by PetsAtHome so we picked up a couple of Assassin Snails , they were more expensive in PaH than I would have preferred to pay but I was nowhere near the cheaper LFS. They look pretty awesome tbh, but I read it's pretty normal for them to sleep for days after a meal and they have slept almost none stop since we got them (they aren't dead, they occasionally move) so I'm assuming they ate in the store.
 
 

If you live local to me you can have some of my assassin snails for free (I live in Surrey).

Thanks for the offer dude but I'm about 150 miles from Surrey

 

[PrairieSunflower]

They do spend a lot of time looking like they are doing nothing, but give it a couple of months and your pests should be gone.  Assassins do burrow a lot and kill snails hidden between the gravel as well.

 

[Linway]

They do spend a lot of time looking like they are doing nothing, but give it a couple of months and your pests should be gone.  Assassins do burrow a lot and kill snails hidden between the gravel as well.

Yeah my girlfriend was reading about them yesterday and mentioned they burrow a lot for purposes of sleeping and hunting under the substrate. We have sand rather than gravel though

 

[PrairieSunflower]

They can burrow in sand too, I had sand for awhile... they did burrow but not as often.