Snails - How Long To Quarantine New Plants?

[FlyingFish78]

Last weekend I visited my LFS and purchased 6 Lemon Tetras and a Java Fern growing on a piece of bogwood. I first placed the plant, then the fish, into the aquarium. They looked absolutely lovely... Or so I thought...
 
A couple of hours later I noticed something small, not much smaller than a paracetamol, stuck on the inside of the tank. Then I noticed it was moving; a SNAIL! 

 
 
Anyway, the offending creature was quickly removed and placed in the garden, out of harms way.
 
The snail must definitely have come from either the fish or the bogwood/Java Fern. I immediately removed the Fern and placed it in a bowl of water, where it's remained ever since. I've been changing the water in the bowl daily and so far no sign of snails; either in the aquarium or on the plant.
 
It's been a week so far and I'm wondering when it'll be safe to put the plant back in?
 
Thanks in advance for any help or advice

 

[KirkyArcher]

I think snail eggs usually take about 6-8 days to hatch, I usually buy plants separately from bogwood, the bogwood gets scalded with boiling water and the plants get washed in a weak bleach/water solution after removing as much of the media (Rockwool) that the plants are rooted in as possible, they then get rinse again in tap water then again in dechlorinator, and to date I've never had an unwelcome invasion.

 

[FlyingFish78]

Hi KirkyArcher and thanks for the reply.
 
I'm curious to know if you quarantine the plants after treating. If so, for how long?
 
I bought the bogwood with the plant attached, so I guess I'll leave it another week before adding it.

 

[KirkyArcher]

No don't quarantine my plants but thoroughly inspect them during my preparation, yeah leave it another week, and give it a good search for any of the little blighters

 

[FlyingFish78]

I'm just wondering how weak you should make the bleach solution. I don't want to turn my plants white!

 

[Mrbarry]

I bleach mine in a 19:1 solution for 90 seconds then straight into a bowl of clean water for a few minutes as I gently agitate the water, then into yet more clean water for half hour then straight into tank. Never had an issue, be it snails, fish health or plant death.