# Snails



## NewBKaeK (Jan 23, 2008)

I've recently had a huge population explosion of mystery snails in my tank =x
I know they aren't harmful but they get on my nerves.
How would you suggest I go about controlling/eliminating the snail population?

I've heard some people stick some zucchini or lettuce in and it acts like a snail magnet. Does this work? Also would guppies and tetras nibble on the veggies?


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

How big is your tank? With smaller tanks (less than 10 gallons) if you religiously remove them, after a few weeks there's definite decline and if you keep it up, you can make it snail free (done this before).

Larger tanks may need to employ (literally) some fish to eat them. I've never tried this, but a group of loaches would do the job.

I find the baiting method doesn't work well, as some of the snails become well fed and reproduce better.


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

Are you sure these are mystery snails? Mystery snails aka apple snails crawl out of the water and lay their eggs above the waterline. To control their population all you need to do is wipe the clutch off with a tissue. 

It sounds like you have pest snails rather then mystery snails.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

I think he means mystery as if he doesn't know what they are, not the wonderfully patterned mystery snail. If it is the latter, then population control is easy: invite forum members to all-you-can-pick mystery snails!


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## NewBKaeK (Jan 23, 2008)

Yeah I meant I don't know what snails they are "mystery" snails.

My tank is 45gallons. And I think it's far too late to try to hand pick them out =x
I would really rather not get a fish to eradicate them. 

Are there any articles floating around about snail control?


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

you could get cool snails to eat the pest snails.. ^^ Kat has some i think LOL


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## NewBKaeK (Jan 23, 2008)

Don't they grow huge though? Like almost the size of a fist? I'm trying to keep the denizens of my tank on the small side (1-3 inches). It would be a good idea otherwise.
side note: They eat other snails? Arent they herbivores? =x


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## MrAL (Feb 28, 2008)

I had the same problem before and handpicking them is a long and stressful process.. at least it was for me. I got rid of them by getting 4 loaches.. But if you don't want to use loaches, you can build a snail trap like this guy..

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/40580-snail-trap.html

Not sure how well it works but i'm guessing it will be better than hand picking them. You can also use a water bottle as a trap if you don't have those equipment.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/shrimp/59919-diy-shrimp-trap-shrimpimp.html

But instead of standing the bottle up, lay it down..

Good luck.


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

FYI, ever since I got my angelfish, they have eaten every pond snail in the tank and are starting on the trumpets! They'd better leave my apple snails alone or they're in big trouble!!!

(BTW Kat, they laid another clutch and I found the purple 1/2 way across the living room again this morning!)


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## js97 (Jun 11, 2008)

Put a small jam jar and a piece of blanched spinach, cucumber, kale etc... 

they will all go there.... from there... i can come and pick them up and dispose of them for you? lol (i have a Puffer fish!)  

p.s.

snails are an indication that you might be feeding your tank too much. lots of excess food = explosion in snails


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## NewBKaeK (Jan 23, 2008)

0.o the snail escaped and went across the room? LOL

@js97: If I manage to capture the snails, sure. I don't mind you coming to take them. It's better than having them dry up on a counter before throwing them out. What area are you around? Unfortunately I can't deliver as I'm extremely busy for the summer =x


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

NewBKaeK said:


> 0.o the snail escaped and went across the room? LOL


Yeah, open top 90 gallon tank (with curved corners so a standard lid won't work)


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

a big sheet of 1/2" plexi will...


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

That would be ugly me thinks. HOWEVER, last time I was at Pacific Mall (the LFS behind), they had a lid to match which appeared seamless. Can't remember how much it was though. Would certainly cut down on the amount of evaporation.

[/hijack]


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

If you're still interested in the loach approach (yes, I said it, and yes, I'm all about the lowest form of literary humor), then a group of sidthimunki (dwarf) loaches (botia sidthimunkia) would be good. They are stay under 3" so a group of 5 or 6 will fit nicely in your tank, and they are some of the nicer looking loaches too.

I might go down to menagerie myself to get me some of these 'killer' snails. Interesting things they is.....


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

jewel-stavroula said:


> We got 150 Anetome Helena (snail eating snails) at Menagerie.. They will literally suck the Chinese trumpet snail out of its shell. I have no idea how they react to Nerites but, they should take care of the pest snail issue.. Your tank isn't big enough to house clown loaches anyway.


While they will help eliminate some snails they won't erradicate them completely. Antonome helena's have periods of dormancy and allthough they will cut them back a great deal unless you put large amounts into your tank they will not erradicate them completely.

I keep them in all of my 60's, they are an absolutely beautiful snail but loaches are much more effective. I have observed them try to gang up into groups on larger snails give up and head back to the smaller one's. I haven't ever observed mine eating MTS, interesting. Their snail of choice seems to be the smaller physa's, rams and planorbids.

There are also smaller loaches that will also do the job just as well as clowns.


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

js97 said:


> Put a small jam jar and a piece of blanched spinach, cucumber, kale etc...
> 
> they will all go there.... from there... i can come and pick them up and dispose of them for you? lol (i have a Puffer fish!)


Great advice



> snails are an indication that you might be feeding your tank too much. lots of excess food = explosion in snails


As stated the explosion is a good indicator that you should ease up on your feeding schedule.


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## redclove (Feb 26, 2008)

Are these helena snails safe for shrimp tanks?


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

redclove said:


> Are these helena snails safe for shrimp tanks?


Yes they are. I've been keeping them in my shrimp tanks for several months now without incident, they are much to slow to catch any shrimp.


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## js97 (Jun 11, 2008)

How much are those bad boys (Anetome Helena)? That would be interesting to see.


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## lili (Dec 15, 2007)

Another option, sounds cruel, is to let a loach do the "cleaning". My yo-yos are .... snail killers.
Warning: they kill any kind of snail ...or shrimp !!!
L


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## Cory_Dad (Apr 18, 2008)

lili said:


> Another option, sounds cruel, is to let a loach do the "cleaning". My yo-yos are .... snail killers.
> Warning: they kill any kind of snail ...or shrimp !!!
> L


I'll bite. What's a yo-yo?


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## Calmer (Mar 9, 2008)

Cory_Dad said:


> I'll bite. What's a yo-yo?


This http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yo-yo
Or this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoyo_loach


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

For a smaller and attractively patterned botine loach, look up botia sidthimunki (dwarf loach). It's the smallest in the family, so won't out grow most tanks, but you'll still need to keep a group of at least 5.


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