Snails

[Tiggle]

Hi

ive got a new tank that is two weeks into a fishless cycle. i added some plants over a week ago that i bought from my LFS, except now ive got lots of little snails. i havnt got any fish in the tank yet, so im not over feeding and the tank has yet to develope any alge and the snails appear to be eatting my plants though the numbers havnt got high enough to be doing any major damage yet.

i bought some snail control stuff today which contains coppersulphate. the plan was to dose the tank now, before i get any fish, then do a 100% water change and run the tank with carbon before adding fish when the cycle has finished.

my question is:
1. is it a good idea to use chemicals to kill snails
2. will dosing with copper sulphate affect my cycle?
3. will the copper sulphate affect my plants?

Thanks

 

[Mr.September15]

Well first off I cant answer the questions about the chemical problems. I can however tell you that I heard from other people that you can use a piece of lettuce and let it float in your tank for a while. Then after a day you will see the snails attached to it. I think its a better solution to do that then intoxicating your tank before its finished cycling. And are you sure you would want to do a 100% water change? Wouldnt that make you start your whole cycling period all over again since your changing 100% of the water? . All I can give you is the lettuce thing, remember to take them out and maybe fill up a small tupperware filled with water and leave them in there feeding them plants or maybe if you'd like you can use the chemicals you bought to kill them in there Isolated tupperware.

-Arrowhead

 

[Torrean]

I haven't tried this personally because I like my snails but from watching them I am pretty sure it'll work. Take a small cup and put an algae wafer in it. Put it in the tank and let it sit for a couple hours maybe checking on it every half hour or so. when you see snails pull it out kill all the snails then put it back. Repeat until all snails are dead =) Just a theory.

The poison thing is a bad idea unless you wanna go through your substrate picking out snail corpses. The rotting snails will probably polute your water after the 100% water change. BTW I don't think a 100% water change would completely destroy your cycle. Just make sure you add AMMO after. The bacteria live in the gravel and filter right? So as long as it isn't dry for too long it should survive.