# killing snails, the parasite ones that take over



## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

I have a 55 gallon that has alot of snails in it that I would like to clean up. I am able to remove all the feeder guppies that are in there easily enough. Now clearing the tank isnt the real issue, the main problem is getting them out of the cheap painted gravel that is in the tank, the kind you cant wash in hot water. I also assume bleach would ruin the paint on the gravel

Is there an easily attained temp that will kill them all? I can get the temp to probably around 19 or 20 if I take out the heater but I assume that won't hurt them. I could also heat it up a fair bit but within the range of aquarium heaters.

I guess worst case I can just toss in 4 yoyo's and they will probably feast on them but it would take days I assume for them to do the job. Maybe I can toss in 2 clown loaches to. I'm sure these loaches won't bother any guppies or guppy fry. Or if I am wrong about the safety of the smaller guppies, I can remove them all and then I could even toss in my festivum who loves to be hand fed snails.

I would prefer a quick way that can be sure of removing every snail.

Just a side question, would the snails be a problem for molly fry? I'm pretty sure they wont do anything to molly fry but I could be wrong. I have a plant hospital/growing tank that I tossed some lyretail mollies in to keep up nitrates and to have the fry survive to sell later on.

For those who know about my 90 gallon tank rebuild, I am using the new dark sand I found and I put some potting soil in first. Just tested and the soil doesnt seem to be leaching ammonia and my rebuild of the tank seems to be stable, been taking my time before moving stock over. I am not getting the temp up to the right level so I can start the transfer. I put in 2 300 watt heaters so I am hoping they will heat things up in a short time so I can start moving stuff tonight maybe. I also need to move one of the heaters back to the 75 gallon that is holding all the stock for the 90 before the temp goes down too much.

Once I have the tank all back in order and the back of the tank painted black again, I will post some pics of the full setup with the new sand


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## KING KONG (Oct 24, 2012)

*snail issues*

well the easy and fast way to solve your issue is to remove all livestock that you want to keep and put them in another tank for 2-3 days.

Drain as much water off the tank, then start boiling water or run your bath faucet with really hot water into your bath tub and then pump the hot water into your 90gallon.

then just sit in front of your tank and watch them all die, hehehehe


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

hot water will ruin the coloured gravel so not an option, and its my 55 that I need to clean out


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## KING KONG (Oct 24, 2012)

Remove the carbon media in your filter but keep the filter running. get some clout and overdose the tank severly for 2 days or untill all snails are dead lol

This medication will stain your silicone blueish.

to remove the MEDS place carbon back in the filter and do a 50% WC


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

I don't want to stain things blue, I'm trying to sell this tank


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## Jackson (Jan 30, 2009)

Take the gravel out take one or two large black garbage bags spread the gravel out on them let dry for a few days and your problem is solved with them in the gravel. Or put it out in the freezing cold. 
Then you have to scrub and keep an eye out on the tank to make sure there are no eggs or baby snails in there. 
Soak any decor in boiling hot water. 
I did this when I got screwed with them by adding some floating plants I bought off a member here. 
Three tanks were infested. 

HTH


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

gravel out in the cold is an option but I would have to empty the tank, but best option so far, thanks


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## Amazongypsy (Oct 21, 2010)

If you don't mind using meds...I would dose the tank with flubendazole. One dose will absolutely kill all snails. I use Kusuri dewormer. Med is inactive after 72hrs. I have used it on incoming plants to prevent those pesky, tiny spiral snails that always come with plants. It will not harm your plants, fish or bio of your tank.


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

Potassium Permanganate might help too, research it though. I use it to kill bugs on incoming plants / filters / etc..., it may kill snails too if you use it in a large enough quantity (ie higher than 20ppm). If you dont have plants in the tank, you can go higher (20ppm is good for many plants, though not all), and it will disenfect and kill any living things in your tank. Leave it for a few ours, then, add Hydrogen Peroxide (cheap way) to completely nulify the Potassium Permanganate and render it harmless. Then you can sell your tank in peace, knowing whoever gets it wont have any buys (parasites) or snails. Note, if you have sand substrate, and have MTS, not sure how well it will work. Another note, be carefull, use glove and glasses when adding Potassium Permanganate.


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## Amazongypsy (Oct 21, 2010)

zfarsh said:


> Potassium Permanganate might help too, research it though. I use it to kill bugs on incoming plants / filters / etc..., it may kill snails too if you use it in a large enough quantity (ie higher than 20ppm). If you dont have plants in the tank, you can go higher (20ppm is good for many plants, though not all), and it will disenfect and kill any living things in your tank. Leave it for a few ours, then, add Hydrogen Peroxide (cheap way) to completely nulify the Potassium Permanganate and render it harmless. Then you can sell your tank in peace, knowing whoever gets it wont have any buys (parasites) or snails. Note, if you have sand substrate, and have MTS, not sure how well it will work. Another note, be carefull, use glove and glasses when adding Potassium Permanganate.


PP will work if you keep the water pink for 4 hoursat least and turn your substrate, but the clean up in an established tank will be horrible and slimey

**caution...both PP and flubendazole will kill all shrimp***


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

correct, PP is only if you dont have living being at high dosage, and not really good for shrimps even at lower percentages. Also, will kill your good bacteria thus you must remove all filter element and put them in a bucket with an air stone while you are doing this. Sorry if i had forgotten to mention that.


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## Amazongypsy (Oct 21, 2010)

zfarsh said:


> correct, PP is only if you dont have living being at high dosage, and not really good for shrimps even at lower percentages. Also, will kill your good bacteria thus you must remove all filter element and put them in a bucket with an air stone while you are doing this. Sorry if i had forgotten to mention that.


No worries I use PP for complete disinfection of plants and empty tanks, its great and will kill snails!
After reading Anna's experience with her shrimps and the article in PFK I felt I needed to mention these meds are not shrimp safe.


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

it is good you did mention it, thanks.


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## xriddler (Feb 16, 2012)

i want to keep my snail population DEAD but i want to add shrimp to my tank. It has been running for 1 month with fish as fauna. Will my fish get affected if i dose either of these meds? and how long after i dose these meds will it be shrimp safe again? I have soil substrate and gravel capped.


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## xriddler (Feb 16, 2012)

wow apparently no inverts will survive after meds. Someone dosed flubendizole and even after 3months with carbon filter changes and large water changes, could not keep inverts alive in his established tank anymore.


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## malajulinka (Mar 29, 2008)

Honestly sometimes it's best and safest to use "natural" methods. I cured my tank of pond snails with an assassin and the daily removal of a piece of cucumber literally covered in them. My folly was in getting anthropomorphic and buying my assassin some friends - now I have dozens of those instead! But they don't breed as fast, and it isn't a bad thing to have a cleanup crew living in the substrate to eat leftover fish food.


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## xriddler (Feb 16, 2012)

I'm guessing the red ram horns would cling to the cucumber too?


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## Jackson (Jan 30, 2009)

What I do is take one of those containers you put olives in at a grocery store. Poke a few holes half way up and put the lid on. I put a piece of food/pellet in and take it out in the morning. 
Oh Put a rock inside to weigh it down. 
This is what I use to collect my smaller spixi snails it works great. 
Cucumber will work but stinky fish foods are a lot better at attracting them.


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

Do note that Potassium Permanganate will be completely neutralized when color changes from purple to brown, and this can simply be done by adding Hydrogen Peroxide.


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

however, it can be very stressing to use medication, and there are always risks, and the other techniques take time, but are safe and easy.


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## NuclearTech (Mar 23, 2008)

malajulinka said:


> Honestly sometimes it's best and safest to use "natural" methods. I cured my tank of pond snails with an assassin and the daily removal of a piece of cucumber literally covered in them. My folly was in getting anthropomorphic and buying my assassin some friends - now I have dozens of those instead! But they don't breed as fast, and it isn't a bad thing to have a cleanup crew living in the substrate to eat leftover fish food.


+1 for assassin snails.

I bought plants from my LFS and didn't rinse them. When the pond snails that hitched a ride into my tank started to become noticeable, I added a single assassin snail (tank is 5.5g) and have noticed a "significant" decrease in the pest snail population. All within a week. Cherry shrimp call this place home.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

I guess I should see about trying to find assasin snails for my loachless tanks. Once I have them, I can move them around and they will always be there handy. If they turn out to be really hard to find, then when they breed, I can probably sell some. Im in kingston not GTA


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Maybe you can try to get them while your Mom is doing her back and forth trips. I can have a look at the local stores to see if anyone has them.. or post on the Buy/Sell, and see if anyone is selling some.
Depending what exactly it is, I could likely hold some things.. such as plants or snails.


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## malajulinka (Mar 29, 2008)

I have tons of assassins and won't be running out anytime soon. Free for the taking. If you and Fishfur and your mom can work something out, I'm game, and near Bloor/Keele if that helps.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

Its going to be another month about before my mother in law is in the area, maybe then. Thanks


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