They came from down there....

[s_anthony]

Sounds like a horror flick doesnt it?

I got a problem - a snail problem, I think.

I started off with 2 snails many months back. Carpetbaggers from plants I bought at my LFS. I was against having snails, because my understanding was that once you have one, you have a LOT more...

Well.. that assumption is right. In my actual tank I noticed 2 more carpetbaggers I assumed they came with the last batch of plants I bought. Ok, no biggie right - I can pluck them if it gets that bad...

WEll.. for the past week now, on a nightly basis, I've had to remove my UFG tube and shake out 5 or so snails. I think somehow I have a colony under my UGF! I'm up to about 20 snails in the main tank, and the ones that are coming up from the UGF are small so There has to be some breeding going on somewhere...

I don't mind them so much, but my plants are getting shredded by them now. I'm sure there going to be so many more now too that I'm going to have to start getting rid of them. I plan on vaccuuming my UGF tomorrow to see what I can get out of it and if any snails come along for the ride.

How does one get "rid" of snails. I read something about putting chemicals in the water (copper something or other) but I really don't like chemicals even to get my params straightened out if there is ever any problem.

How do I get rid of them? One of the ideas I had in a post today was to get a puffer for my new 5 gal hex - I'm sure they'd make a tasty snack.

 

[Grumpy_Marine]

what tank has the snails?

I would suggest yo yo, sidthemunki or other botia loach that would eat snails up... puffers would too from what i hear. I have yo yo and other loaches in my planted tank and no snails to date.

 

[Grumpy_Marine]

Ok for some reason it will not let me edit the post i just made. My keyboard is messing up by opening things when i type letters scary stuff.

NE Ways... I saw on MFt putting lettuce in tank at night will aid in removal in morning of lots of snails.

Search MFT for snails and see what comes up maybe more usefull information available.

 

[s_anthony]

I'm sure the dwarf puffer that came home with me tonight from the LFS might help me out with this snail problem - I just gotta get enough of the small ones out of the tube before they get bigger

 

[Timbo]

Your puffer will love the snails. And the fins of his/her tank mates too...

Clown loach are my personal remedy for snails. I have some pond snails in a 4 foot tank in the back garden that I use to raise daphnia in. the problem is that I have to keep bringing them in for the Clowns (I also have polka dot loach who are good, but not quite as good as the clowns).
I have heard that khulis are good for small snail hatchlings, although personally know nothing about it. Although I do have some khulies in a tank with snails that do not appear to breed. That may be proof, but it may also be coincidence (I may have the only two gay hermaphrodites on the planet ! ! ! *SUPERSMIL )..
of course a lot will depend on the type of snail you have. If they are the burrowing live bareing variety , even a puffer can't crack the shell. But loaches can and do suck the occupant out of its home..

 

[NJmom2002]

I also had a snail problem in both of my tanks. A few people told me to get a yoyo loach. I bought two of them. As of now (a week later) my 29 gallon is completely free of snails and my 5 gallon is almost empty of snails. So I would also recommend the yoyo loach.. And many thanks to the people that recommended that..