how do i get rid of ramshorn snails without harming my algae eaters?

Answer 1

Try introducing snail-eating fish like yoyo loach (Botia almorhae).

Answer 2

Get something that eats snails, like a yoyo-loach (they look neat, too). I would not recommend using salt - the amount of salt necessary to kill snails would seriously harm your fish. High salt messes with their ability to regulate their osmotic pressure... Unless your fish are mollies or platies, which are actually brackish fish and can live in saltwater.

If you don't want / don't have room for the loaches, try squishing the snails with your finger whenever you see them. It won't eradicate them, but you can control the numbers that way. That's what I do, and I see about 2-5 snails per week now. Not bad.

You can also trap them - take an old battery film case (or similar, small container) poke some holes in it big enough for the snails. Put some rocks in it to weigh it down, and put some cucumber, zucchini, lettuce, and close it. The snails will wonder in to eat, and you can just remove them. Again, it won't complete eradicate them, but it'll remove the bulk and you can control the numbers.

It's pretty hard to get rid of snails! Another, more involved option would be to put your fish in a bucket, and remove all plants, ornaments and gravel and clean them in hot water. You can also remove 80% of the water into the bucket, with the fish, and then add 1.5-2tbsp of salt per gallon in the remaining water, where all the snail eggs and snails will be, and kill off the snails. Let the salt water sit for a while, take a paper towel and rub everything down with the salt water, then remove as much as you can of whats left. Replace the water, put the fish back and the water in the bucket, and with some luck you'll have killed all the snails.

Answer 3

Another good fish for snails is the Clown loach, peaceful and looks good too. It will clear your tank of snails after it's large enough to handle them. I have one Tetra tank with snails and I collect and feed them to my other tanks. Yoyo loaches(botias) are also very good although sometime they like to chase other fish around, just in play it seems though. Meds should be your last choice. Good luck, Peter.

Answer 4

Aquairum salt, api, doc wellfish ect, add 1.5 table spoon per gallon of water. The snails can't take the salt and will die. I had 100's of snails in my tank, they killed my filter and I salted them and won the war!!!