# I got a problem



## Fishman479 (Aug 13, 2017)

Hey all so I am attempting a few first for me. Freshwater shrimp and plants. I got a 40 gallon breeder scapped as can be seen bellow I think I like it but let me here what you think. So here's the issue. 


Now I know snails are a good thing and I got some nerites but I don't want these guys in here. I don't really understand how the survived as I bleach dipped everything. So I noticed this little guy about week and a half ago. I immediatly removed my snails put in a seperate tank followed by a trip to my lfs and got some zebra loaches. (they were outta yoyos) I have removed a few snails here and there including 3 today. My shrimp come in next week and I gotta get rid of them before the shrimp get here. Any thoughts? I can take all fish out as I have other tanks I can put the two oto cats and 3 loaches and I don't want to kill plants. Was thinking maybe crank the co2 and then do a big water change Tuesday or Wednesday add some bacteria back get shrimp on Thursday? That is the thought I got but maybe you guys can help out. Also thanks for reading the post this far in.


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## darkangel66n (May 15, 2013)

Just get a few assassin snails. They will keep the snail population in check. The only way to ensure you kill snails is with copper but that is also fatal to shrimp.


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## Fishman479 (Aug 13, 2017)

I have heard that but won't they breed uncontrollably as well? That's my main issue with these.


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## slipfinger (May 11, 2016)

Co2 will not kill them all either. It weakens their shells overtime and will kill them but for everyone you kill there are 10 other ones still thriving and living.

Why do you need to get rid of them all before your shrimps come in?

Other than getting a few assassins as mentioned above, best just to learn to live with them. Snails and planted tanks go hand in hand.


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## Fishman479 (Aug 13, 2017)

because personally i don't like them/ want them in there and I gotta take care of it before the shrimp arive because once they arive my option become more limited.


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## Fishman479 (Aug 13, 2017)

because personally i don't like them/ want them in there and I gotta take care of it before the shrimp arive because once they arive my option become more limited.


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## slipfinger (May 11, 2016)

You are in for a serious battle. 

Keeping pest snails out of a planted tank is no easy task.


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## Fishman479 (Aug 13, 2017)

Whay if I do a big water change and not de clorinate for 24 hours any thoughts on that would Thay harm the plants


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## infolific (Apr 10, 2016)

Fishman479 said:


> Whay if I do a big water change and not de clorinate for 24 hours any thoughts on that would Thay harm the plants


Snails are pretty hardy. I doubt your above idea will make any difference.

I second the assassin snail suggestion. They've worked for me multiple times. I keep reintroducing pest snails whenever I trade plants with someone 

While the assassin snails may breed, they're very, very slow compared to other snails. And as their food supply declines, so will their activity.

There's some thought that assassins will attack shrimp, but I've repeatedly seen my shrimp "explore" assassins with no harm. They've fed on the same food at the same time too.


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## carl (Feb 11, 2010)

It won't harm the plants or the snails


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Snail eggs have a shell that protects them from most things. Bleach dipping plants will kill the plants before killing the snail eggs.


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## Fishman479 (Aug 13, 2017)

thank you all for the input i appreciate it. would it be possible for one assassin snail to take care of it? like i said i really don't want uncontrollable amounts of snails hence why i was using nerite snails


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## infolific (Apr 10, 2016)

Fishman479 said:


> thank you all for the input i appreciate it. would it be possible for one assassin snail to take care of it? like i said i really don't want uncontrollable amounts of snails hence why i was using nerite snails


I don't think 1 assassin is enough. I needed 5 before I started to see an impact in my 45 gallon. When I added 10, I started to see empty ramshorn snail shells everywhere so that's now my target number.

I understand your concern about being overrun with assassin snails, but you'd be the first that I've ever heard to have that problem.

I must've missed that you wrote that you had nerites. They're in danger from the assassins. I've kept nerites and assassins together before and the nerites seem good at defending against the assassins, but I don't believe they survive 100% of the time. In the past I've often pulled my nerites when there are assassins in the tank just to be safe.

It would be good to find a snail solution that works for you because you'll probably have to deal with them multiple times. They don't just come in with plants -- I once got a limpet snail with a shrimp order.

Since we're talking about snails, I've found that pomacea diffusa to be good in a covered planted tank. They don't seem to able to breed without a dry area to lay their eggs which I don't provide. They eat rotting plant material and, except for limnophila sessiliflora, they don't eat healthy plants. They get pretty big, but their colour makes them a nice addition, in my opinion.


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## Fishman479 (Aug 13, 2017)

thanks for the input. my snail population is under check ATM due to the loaches that have to go once shrimp arive so I thought maybe 1 could keep them there it may be completly imposibble but is there any way they will be eliminated by the loaches/ assassin or is that a false hope.


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## darkangel66n (May 15, 2013)

Short of starting a tank from scratch using everything new and only buying 1-2-Grow plants or other plants that are produced that way you will find it nearly impossible to be snail free. It just is not going to happen. Once you have them they are there for good.


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## Grey Legion (Mar 20, 2006)

Snails are hard to beat if they start to breed, and breed they will...

Sounds like you started well in your battle against snails.. 

keep us posted!


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## slipfinger (May 11, 2016)

So I need to know, did you win the battle or raise the white flag?????


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## John_C (Dec 17, 2007)

*Love the SNAILS!*

Snails are so vilified I see but as a shrimp breeder and planted tank enthusiast, to me they make life EASIER! Here's a story on why you shouldn't get rid of the snails...

When I use to service aquariums I had one client who would complain about the so called "pest" snails, the thing is though they kept the tank spotless... All the dead leaves from the plants, fish waste and the over feeding they would commit sometimes was all kept in checked by the snails... They insisted that they wanted them gone so in went the assassin snails.

The Assassins ate all the snails and started breeding themselves, then the tank CRASHED! The assassins didn't eat the detritus, waste, leftover food, dead plant matter, so the substrate became a sooty mess and 6 week maintenance schedule turned into weekly until they admitted defeat and we had to start the tank all over again..

ANother benefit of the snails is that the baby shrimp feed on the biofilm left over by the Ramshorn snails, so i make sure to have a good population in all my shrimp tanks. The Malaysian trumpet snails turnover the gravel by burrowing aiding in gas exchange, limiting toxic dead spots, or ammonia pockets, so again VERY BENEFICIAL for any shrimp tank...

Think twice before getting rid of your clean up crew!


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## Grey Legion (Mar 20, 2006)

John_C

That is some really good insight into snails. I think the issue that most if not all people have is not dealing with them early on to keep things in check, I know I am guilty of this. One day you just have the "OMG" when you look at the 1000's of snails that are not in there, clogging your filter and covering everything. Like any thing in the aquarium it is up to the owner to control. While we are all trying to create the "perfect environment" it is very difficult to find the perfect balance. Even after 20 years I am still learning, struggling and at times failing.


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## slipfinger (May 11, 2016)

John_C said:


> Snails are so vilified I see but as a shrimp breeder and planted tank enthusiast, to me they make life EASIER! Here's a story on why you shouldn't get rid of the snails...
> 
> When I use to service aquariums I had one client who would complain about the so called "pest" snails, the thing is though they kept the tank spotless... All the dead leaves from the plants, fish waste and the over feeding they would commit sometimes was all kept in checked by the snails... They insisted that they wanted them gone so in went the assassin snails.
> 
> ...


If there was a like button I'd hit it 100 times!

Great post.


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## ashtonfitzgerald (Apr 11, 2017)

Personally I let the pond snails populate and help me maintain balance. I keep planted tanks, shrimp and fish together.

My wife despises pond snails in her tanks and waged war on them through manual removal and introducing nerite snails to hopefully out compete the pests. It helped some, but still it's a constant battle.

At one point she treated one tank for a Hydra infestation and used No Planaria which is shrimp safe. This seemed to eradicate all the pond snails as well as the hydra. Shrimp were fine. Since then they have snuck back and we're seeing some babies here and there. 

A blanched cucumber or zucchini slice left in the tank will act as bait to easily remove them manually if needed. They swarm those at night. 


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## slipfinger (May 11, 2016)

ashtonfitzgerald said:


> Personally I let the pond snails populate and help me maintain balance. I keep planted tanks, shrimp and fish together.
> 
> My wife despises pond snails in her tanks and waged war on them through manual removal and introducing nerite snails to hopefully out compete the pests. It helped some, but still it's a constant battle.
> 
> ...


Oh oh. I hope she checked those Vals over.........


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## ashtonfitzgerald (Apr 11, 2017)

slipfinger said:


> Oh oh. I hope she checked those Vals over.........


Lol--The plants were pretty clean and we have them sitting in quarantine anyway at the moment as the 55 isn't quite ready yet. Oddly enough she's okay with snails if she put them in there--not if they hitched a ride in

The plants look awesome BTW Mark, thanks again for the hookup! Excellent quality.










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## Fisheye (Jan 13, 2015)

Hey Fishman,

If you are determined to get rid of a whack of snails, it might be worth trying the sera snail trap as a non-toxic option.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=21339

Quite a few videos on Youtube showing amazing results.

Best of luck.

Jackie


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## slipfinger (May 11, 2016)

ashtonfitzgerald said:


> Lol--The plants were pretty clean and we have them sitting in quarantine anyway at the moment as the 55 isn't quite ready yet. Oddly enough she's okay with snails if she put them in there--not if they hitched a ride in
> 
> The plants look awesome BTW Mark, thanks again for the hookup! Excellent quality.
> 
> ...


Thanks, no worries and anytime. Glad it was worth the drive.


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