so i got some plants from a petstore, and after a few days i started seeing little snails! At first i saw two and i got them both out and flushed um! But i keep on finding more! Any ways to get rid of them without hurting my freshwater fish?(besides waiting till they go on the side of the aquarium and flushing um down teh toilet)
2006-12-01 13:38:18 · 14 answers · asked by ziddyziddy 3 in Pets ➔ Fish
Yeahh those are pesky snails!
Once you get em, you probably can never get rid of them. You just have to control their numbers. They aren't particularly detrimental to your tank, but they don't help, either.
My method is to squish any of the snails I see on the glass with my finger (fish love to eat the squishes snails).
You can also trap them, by using an old camera film case or a small tupper... you just poke some holes in it, put some rocks and lettuce in it, and the snails will be drawn inside.
If you MUST get rid of them all, put 80% of your water into a bucket and put the fish in the bucket, then wash all of the ornaments in hot water. In the remaining tank water, dump some aquarium salt (1tbsp per remaining gallon) to kill any remaining snails or eggs, and clean the tank. Then remove as much of the salted water as possible and vacuum the gravel, put your water and fish back in, and top off the tank with however much more you need to fill the tank.
Good luck!
Oh! IF they are trumpet / unicorn-horn-shaped, they are Malaysian Trumpet Snails, and they are very good for your tank. But snails that look like little brown ovals, or those orangey snails that look like coiled up playdough-snails, kill those.
Try to avoid using snail-killing chemicals. I would not use chemicals that could kill snails in the water with my fish.
Lastly, depending on the size of your tank, you could get a group of yoyo loaches (if you have 15-50 gallons) or clown loaches (if you have 50+ gallons). Make sure to get at least 5. They will eat the snails.
2006-12-01 13:48:17 · answer #1 · answered by Zoe 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
some snails are actually good for your tank, the ones you got with the plants are usually pond snails, they get rid of algae and wastes. But their numbers do get out of hand.
Do not use the chemicals. Few are designed to be used with fish and plants in the tank.
What you can do is put a piece of blanched lettuce in the tank, within a few hours there should be snails on there, then you can remove it.
You have to remember, you can't get rid of all of them, as there will be a few remaining.
Use the lettuce along with waiting till they're on the side and smashing them, just leave the smashed ones on the tank as fish will enjoy snails for lunch.
Another possibility is getting fish that eat snails.
depending on the size of the tank: loaches
Goldfish also eat snails.
bettas, dwarf puffers, and a few others will...but these require "alone" tanks, meaning no other fish in their tank.
2006-12-02 01:25:10 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The new plants you got probably had snail eggs on them and now the eggs are hatching. They have chemicals that are supposed to get rid of snails but I don't know how successful they are. When you get new plants before you put them in your tank, you can sort of "sterilze" them so any hitchhikers will be killed by soaking the plants in a 1 part bleach, 9 parts water solution. And then there's always the snail-eating fish like loaches and puffers who would gladly help eliminate any snail you want to give them.
2006-12-01 13:42:40 · answer #3 · answered by Inundated in SF 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have a few options!
Put some squash in there and wait till they are all on it then remove it and give the snails to a Friend or pet store.
get a snail trap (sold at small fish stores or pets mart) then give away
OR
get the liquid that kills them (bought at fish stores or petsmart)
buy a loach fish that will eat them up!
2006-12-02 03:12:04 · answer #4 · answered by angelmwilson 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't flush them down the toilet! They might come back up and multiply. My friend has the same problem. Your best bet is to empty the tank, put the fish in another bowl, and flip the tank over and let it sit somewhere where snails can crawl out if they live. Do this for about a week- any shorter and you run the risk of getting them back.
2006-12-01 14:08:52 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
no desire for chemical compounds. overwhelm a bite of lettuce over night. the snails will have an interest in it and it is often coated in the morning, merely do away with it and each and all the snails. NO puffers is merely no longer solid tank acquaintances with guppies. they are going to consume the guppies or on the least beat the crap out of them. the puffers although will consume all your snails however. i'd provide the snails on your puffers no longer the guppies.
2016-10-04 15:02:18 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
this will work if the container the plant is in is big enough and the snails are small enough.. find a container small enough to fit into the plant container so it will not crush the plant but be buried just deep enough so the top of the thing is just level with the soil..then pour in beer up to nearly the top but not too full..the snails will go for it and fall in and drown.. they will go for stale beer so just scoop them out.
2006-12-01 14:08:26 · answer #7 · answered by pbear i 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I thought snails helped eat the crap in the tank?
2006-12-01 13:39:47 · answer #8 · answered by E B 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if they are Japanese snails there are great for your aquarium they eat the slime . go back to the pet store and ask to see there snails for aquarium and see if they are the same if they are differant tell them your story and they should be able to help .
2006-12-01 13:48:40 · answer #9 · answered by chotpeper 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
----so many answered your question wrong---
YOU HAVE SPIDER OR SPIRAL SNAILS. THEY CAN MULTIPELY BY THEM SELF'S. AVOID CHEMICAL. BUY A CLOWN LOACH THEY'LL GET THEM ALL IN 2 DAYS
U WILL HAVE 200 SNAILS IN TWO WEEKS. GOOD LUCK
2006-12-01 16:22:30 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋