Snail Infestation

[nem2k2]

I'm trying to rid my small 10ga tank of a snail infestation. I bought a product from the LFS (basically copper sulfate solution, 1g/L) and have followed the directions (10ml per 10ga, repeat after 3 days).

I'm not sure what to do after all the snails are dead... the bottle says that copper sulfate is toxic to fish in soft water (the tank water is soft) so how should I prepare the tank for fish? Perform a whole lot of water changes? Like 75% 3 times, or 25% 5 times, or what? Obviously (being a former chemist!) It will be impossible to remove it all, I just wanna make sure it will be safe for when I restock the tank.

 

[jarmado]

I'm trying to rid my small 10ga tank of a snail infestation. I bought a product from the LFS (basically copper sulfate solution, 1g/L) and have followed the directions (10ml per 10ga, repeat after 3 days).

I'm not sure what to do after all the snails are dead... the bottle says that copper sulfate is toxic to fish in soft water (the tank water is soft) so how should I prepare the tank for fish? Perform a whole lot of water changes? Like 75% 3 times, or 25% 5 times, or what? Obviously (being a former chemist!) It will be impossible to remove it all, I just wanna make sure it will be safe for when I restock the tank.

will putting carbon sponge/media on your filter help?

 

[OohFeeshy]

Using chemicals to get rid of snails will just casue more problems. As already mentioned, the meds could be fatally toxic to the fish, but also, you'll have all the snail bodies rotting in the tank (and they rot very quickly) causing an ammonia spike and generally doing no good at all. Cut right down on feeding, take out as many as you can with lettuce leaves.

 

[jarmado]

Using chemicals to get rid of snails will just casue more problems. As already mentioned, the meds could be fatally toxic to the fish, but also, you'll have all the snail bodies rotting in the tank (and they rot very quickly) causing an ammonia spike and generally doing no good at all. Cut right down on feeding, take out as many as you can with lettuce leaves.

the lettuce leaves didn't worked as well.
i am back to manual labour!

 

[nem2k2]

Sorry, I forgot to mention that there aren't any fish in the tank I treated to kill the snails.. so spikes are not too much of a concern. I have removed all decorations and plants (save one, I didn't have any lettuce so the plant will have to do) so hopefully the combined treatment/enticing lone plant will help me get rid of the things once and for all.

It's not the snails themselves that are the problem, just how fast the little buggers breed! I put a loach in there for a week and I thought he had cleaned the place out, but they STILL came back