Dr. Tanks #7 Snail Remover

[gimme30]

Apparently when I said I'd report weekly I was feeling a little too optimistic about any free time I might have to do so.
I really hate this time of year, work-wise.

Anyway I never did get around to doing any large water changes but managed 25% on both tanks last night. Other than an automated response I still haven't received any info on what's in this stuff, and at this point it looks like I'll never know.

What I do know is that nothing other than snails died. Again, I don't have any particularly delicate fish, unless you count the ottos-which I don't.

Both tanks are still snail-free and I am so glad squishing is removed from the daily routine. I never really liked that anyway.

 

[GaryE]

I wish I knew what this was. I'd be tempted to remove fish to another tank (a luxury I have), zap the tank and then do a few water changes to clear it out. But not knowing what it is is a cause for concern.

I have a few tanks infested with a larger burrowing/trumpet snail than I've encountered before, and they eat fish eggs. The production of the next generation of uncommon fish in those tanks has ground to a halt. I'm back to trapping them and doing manual removal.

I was careless with cleaning plants, and you always seem to pay for carelessness... I had no burrowing snails for close to 2 years, and those were the good old days for those tanks.

 

[Magnum Man]

when I 1st started cleaning up tanks, after my 30 year break, I pulled out the gravel, and under gravel filter plates, and 2 tanks were completely full of trumpet snail shells under the filter plates, literally an inch deep... that was part of the reason a few of my 1st tank restarts, didn't reuse the under gravel filters... it's funny, because I didn't really remember seeing them, and if I did, I'm sure it was just one or two, I was blown away filling half a shop vac full of shells preparing them, to restart them....

 

[GaryE]

when I 1st started cleaning up tanks, after my 30 year break, I pulled out the gravel, and under gravel filter plates, and 2 tanks were completely full of trumpet snail shells under the filter plates, literally an inch deep... that was part of the reason a few of my 1st tank restarts, didn't reuse the under gravel filters... it's funny, because I didn't really remember seeing them, and if I did, I'm sure it was just one or two, I was blown away filling half a shop vac full of shells preparing them, to restart them....

It's experiences like this that leave me in wonder when people think these creatures are valuable contributors to a tank. Every snail shell you find had an animal in it that decomposed unseen in your gravel. That in turn fed ammonia.

The smaller the tank, the worse they are.

As survivors, they're admirable creatures, and if people like them, they should have their own tanks. One you have them in a tank, the damage they do is far greater than the good, if you keep fish. Cockroaches and rats are also admirable survivors, but I don't wish to share my human space with them. Burrowing snails are able to flourish with very little food, and breed incredibly well. They are of no value to a healthy fishtank, and ideal if you want a snail only tank with invisible residents.

I know people with snail only tanks, and burrowers can be part of that. But for a fishtank, they are roaches, and the use of poisons against them can have longterm repercussions.

 

[gimme30]

The majority of my working days were at the phone company, and as I progressed through various duties for a while I went into installation and repair.
I can't tell you how many times I pulled a non-working jack off the wall to find it literally packed with cockroaches. Not the big 'uns you see in Texas, but equally as disgusting. They create some sort of goo that corrodes copper.
As much as I hate them, I'd MUCH rather deal with snails!

 

[GaryE]

A scenario for a nightmare - if pond snails and cockroaches could interbreed... I wouldn't go to that movie.

 

[plebian]

It's very easy to rid yourself of snails. All it takes is 24 hours. Transfer your fish to a holding tank. Then add the equivalent of 5mg of copper sulfate to the problem tank. Wait 24 hours and then do a 90% water change. Refill the tank and repeat. The tiny amount of copper that remains will not harm the fish and will actually benefit the plants.

 

[gimme30]

That sounds like a lot of work compared to dropping in a few tablets! Anyway I thought I'd read that the eggs are resistant to copper sulfate?

 

[GaryE]

Copper sulfate raises a few questions I haven't found researched answers on. I've always erred on the side of caution, if I've erred.

Hobby lore says copper gets into the silicone, as methelyne blue does. I don't care what it does to inverts (other than killing snails), as I don't keep them, but seemingly anecdotal evidence suggests it can reduce fertility, as a spermicide in very low concentrations. For me as a fish breeder, that matters.

Has anyone found grounded research on that?

 

[gimme30]

I'm beginning to think whatever is in this stuff must be pretty mild. As before, everything is thriving, but today I spotted one of the dreaded mobile snot machines. A quick squish remedied that but I'll have to keep an eye on it. I'm thinking an egg (hopefully just one) must have survived the treatment.

 

[Davina]

I'm beginning to think whatever is in this stuff must be pretty mild. As before, everything is thriving, but today I spotted one of the dreaded mobile snot machines. A quick squish remedied that but I'll have to keep an eye on it. I'm thinking an egg (hopefully just one) must have survived the treatment.

Truly hoping you continue to update because I have a ramshorn infestation that I am desperate to eliminate. I have no issue removing them manually but A: this method is temporarily effective but not long-term (eggs) and B: I am unwilling to cast living creatures into the trash (even though I hate their souls.) But I have one Otto and 7 corydoras and I am unwilling to compromise (in the name of snail eradication. )

 

[gimme30]

@Davina I understand your desperation, I think all of us that hate these things have felt the same way at one point or another. As far as I'm concerned, a chemical solution is never the answer when natural methods can accomplish the same goal, but in this case I decided to make an exception because those methods absolutely were not working. And I'm glad I did.
I'm one of those types whose squishy finger gets itchy just by looking at pics of tanks with the little turds 'o the sea in them.

I'm currently in the middle of another experiment with this stuff. I've got a little 3g that's been running for almost 4 months now with nothing in it but plants. It has cycled, and has settled in, but it's not what I'd call mature or seasoned. And for about a month it was snail-free. I don't know where they came from but now the rotten demon spawn are everywhere. I let them be to take care of clean up, and because they're gold AND they fight. A color and behavior I've never seen before. (otherwise same as any other bladder snail)

Thing is, I have CPDs that are breeding machines. I can't leave eggs alone so for the past two weeks I've been throwing some of them into the 3g to hatch. I already know they're unaffected by Dr. Tanks because they hatch fine in the grow out tank with the stuff in it, but I wanted to see if there'd be issues in a relatively newly set up tank. A week ago I started dosing #7 and the eggs are hatching at the usual rate, (every 3 or 4 days) and the fry are healthy, active and eating well. I realize this isn't exactly a "scientific" method of determining anything but fry are fragile and I'd expect them to be affected if there were something detrimental in the treatment, especially in a potentially unstable environment.

I'm doing the second treatment today and am not going to bother with the recommended water change after treatment just like before. This isn't the magic bullet I hoped it would be-a few weeks ago I squished one that had appeared in the 20l and yesterday saw another that I couldn't reach-but it is at least 95% effective. I suspect after another round they'll be gone for good. The bowfront is still 100% free of snails.

At least, until I put more plants in.

At this point I think it'd be safe to say go ahead and give it a try. I've got ottos in both tanks and panda cories in one and they are doing fine. I haven't had the misfortune of being overrun with ramshorns--a nerite I missed was killed but it took longer--so if you try it make sure you let us know how it worked out!

 

[gimme30]

Ok after the last treatment in the 20 almost a month ago I think they're gone for good. I'm not seeing any in the 3g but I suspect there may be eggs in the hollowed-out chunk of spiderwood I've got in there--I have enough tablets left for another dose if need be. The bowfront is still 100% shelled-turds free and all fish, shrimp and plants are A-OK.

I'm going to order another vial for future plant quarantines. Reverse respiration hasn't worked for me and I've killed too many plants with bleach to want to try that again, so this looks like the ideal solution even though it will take longer.

 

[anewbie]

Well..... for me i found the magic to kill snails without poisons. Just borrow my trusty zebra loach for a week end vacation - let it rip (or rip snails) and then return it back home. In theory the small dwarf chain loach will also eat snails but i've never owned them so no first hand commetn. As for zebra - i have two groups of 20; one in the 600 and another in the 180. zippy do zippy da up and down the zebra goes on a crusade. And best of all they won't touch the plants