Snails From Nowhere!

[misancha]

Hi, I would appreciate your thoughts on the problem I am having with snails. My aquarium is becoming over run with them and I don't want to use chemicals if possible so would like to hear how others have dealt with the problem please.

Its most irritatting not even knowing for sure how they got in there in the first place. I have over the years had the problem when adding new live plants - it seems no matter how well you scrutinize them one of the little darlings always manage to hide somewhere. This cannot be the case this time because I now have only artificial plants. When I moved home 8 months ago I took the opportunity to change every item of hardwear (namely the pump, gravel, rocks and began to use artificial plants) now the only items I can see that are the original would be the fish. All I can think is that perhaps snail eggs could have been floating in live food i have added.

So my questions are - has any one else had this mysterious problem ?

and secondly - how do i get rid of them without chemicals or resorting to completely refurbishing the aquarium again?


Misancha - Fareham, Hampshire

 

[fi$hys]

hi rite they would have hithiked in your food maybe but it is more likely they came on plants.To get rid put a lettuse eaf in there on some string leav it over night or all of today them pull it up do this for a few days and they will be gone or just use snail away it really works.
Thanks
Mat

 

[Nina]

We found that the darling snails sometimes came in with the actual fish.

If when you purchased them the LFS caught some of their gravel at the same time as the fish there my have been small snails in that. And then you poured the fish and everything from the bag into the tank then the snails would have been transferred as well.

As for getting rid of them without meds - I spent weeks picking them out of the tank by hand before resorting the meds and even then some survived.

If you have a sand bottom then you can use a small flour sieve to sieve the sand as the holes are small enough for the sand to go through (I did this last week when empting one of my small tanks). If you have a gravel bottom then can't help I'm sorry.

Best of luck though

 

[misancha]

thank you for the prompt replies. very interested in the lettuce leaf theory - have got one floating as I write.

Misancha

 

[Clownfish11790]

Clownloaches are said to keep snails under control. Except the can get pretty large for a small tank.

 

[misancha]

Clownloaches are said to keep snails under control. Except the can get pretty large for a small tank.

that is very interesting becasue I did have 2 beautiful clown loaches which both died within 2 weeks of each other ( water condition problem following a week away!) They were beautiful and i was so upset when i lost them.

I did not have any snails during the time i had them. Maybe I should consider replacing them, along with the daily lettuce leaf addition lol

I too have tried reducing the numbers by hand - which is why i am at the end of my tether lol.

and of course because its been a problem for a while the tiny ones are too small to get, and squashing them, while easy, is not really the answer.

 

[fi$hys]

the leaf needs to be on the substrant

 

[whip]

Use a rubber band and a small rock to secure the lettuce leaf to the bottom. The snails will be around it and you can remove them by hand. If you have a small tank, Yoyo Loach's may be a better choice. I had a small clown loach that wouldn't eat. He was slowly wasting away. I got some snails from the lfs, and he went crazy eating them. He has since started to eat flakes and pellets, and is doing fine. They do love snails!

 

[misancha]

aha the lettuce leaf was floating all night, that will be why there are only a few snails on the leaf.

 

[fi$hys]

yes that will b y just drop it to the bottom with string to pull it up or with no string and use your hands

 

[seanc]

whip suggestion is probably the easiest way to remove the snails.. Yoyo (aka pakistani as they are sold round fareham/portsmouth ) are very effective, reasonably sized, and peaceful.

 

[misancha]

Am off to go loach hunting today - thanx for the tips folks.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi misancha

I've also heard that Apple snails will help keep the population of pond snails down by eating their eggs. I can't say I know that it works for sure, but they won't cause you a similar problem since they lay their eggs above the water line and they can easily be removed.

Another thing you should know is that the little snails usually only reproduce like crazy when there is lots of food available. Perhaps you have been overfeeding your fish. If this is the case, just clean it up and feed your fish sparingly. The number of snails in there should gradually decline until it is no longer a problem.