# Help!!! (I got Snails!!)



## serrasalmus_collector (Mar 9, 2003)

Hey&#8230; Does anyone know how to get rid of snails???? I got a real bad infestation in a tank a set up for breeding experiments&#8230;Apparently it came from newly planted plants&#8230; Snails are worst than sluts... The do themselves mom, dads, and just grow to astronomical number fast&#8230;I have heard of a few chemicals, but they have a copper base not good for piranhas&#8230; Because the tank is set-up for breeding, I want to avoid upsetting the nitrogen cycle, or chemicals. I have also heard of clown loaches, but my piranhas are Serrasalmus species&#8230; I don't think the clown loaches will have a long life expectancy&#8230;. The only thing I can come up with is strip the entire tank down&#8230; Dose it with a heavy salt solution, then disinfect with bleach&#8230; Fill many times, and use my chlorine removers until I get a zero chlorine, chloramine level&#8230;. If there is an easier way, and still keep my natural biology going I would appreciate the info!!!!

I hope slut wasn't offensive.. I don't know if the forum has an age limit... If so Sorry...Just a metaphore to describe the snail activity


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

Outside of adding meds and adding fish that will eat snails, you can control the number of snails by baiting them with a slice of cucumber. It might not eradicate them, but will keep them under control. Just place a slice of cucumber in a bottle small enough that your fish can't get into. The next day, you should have a bunch of them dining on the cucumber. Remove them and replace with a fresh bottle until they are gone.


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

DonH's method is good!!!







I usually dont have patience at times and buy chemicals to kill off snails. Try SnailAway or Snail-A-Cide.. worked on my tank before and killed Ps ASAP!!! Just remember to have filters stocked with active carbon to kill away the chem after snails are gone


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## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

Clown loach eats snails but since you have piranhas just pick them out.


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

snails are not really a problem, why not just leave them to it?


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## serrasalmus_collector (Mar 9, 2003)

Innes said:


> snails are not really a problem, why not just leave them to it?


 When breeding they screw with my mico-organism count. I have noticed little to no breeding behavior with snails. I cant' validate they stop spawning, but when they came in large numbers, my fish stopped breeding. If they did breed, they didn't use the nest material, and just scattered a few eggs amongst the plants. *Fish may view this micro-organism growth, and part of the breeding stumuli. And when it diminishes they slow down.*

The highlighted area is just something that may be possible.

There were well over a 1000 in the 100gallon tank.


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

serrasalmus_collector said:


> Innes said:
> 
> 
> > snails are not really a problem, why not just leave them to it?
> ...


 do snails really effect breeding?

and if so, is it more than stressing out the fish as you try to remove the snails?


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## serrasalmus_collector (Mar 9, 2003)

Innes said:


> serrasalmus_collector said:
> 
> 
> > Innes said:
> ...


 I don't know if they affect the breeding or not. This fish hasn't been breeding for years. I just noticed when the snails were in large amounts they stopped. The snails would feed and hang out in the nest materials by the hundreds. I just don't like um, so I killed um&#8230;LOL

I honestly don't think removing them stressed them. They were put in a 50gallon plastic bin. When I was done with the tank. Temperature, PH, hardness, were identical to the snail infested tank.

I have called home, and hear they are fine. It's true I lost all my micro-organism, but the nest material is all organic. Leaves twigs, and a variety of things. With the natural sunlight, they will start to grow in large numbers again. In 2 weeks if you take a sample near the gravel, you can actually see the organisms alive.

Once again I don't know if this helps or not. I just try to keep everything identical as in the past. No new variables like snails. Some fish trigger from small organisms, and things such as mosquito larvae. Obviously no one would use mosquito larvae in a home. But in many fish the growth of organisms, kind of lets the fish know spring time is here. The rebirth of the river has begun, and they will breed.

I am still uncertain of all factors contributing to a successful spawn of these fish. My parameters my be a little extravagant, but they are repeatable. To me that's all that matters. Repeatable variables with a constant outcome. But these fish don't always breed. I let them have 4-5 months just being fish. Swimming eating, and playing the *give me some tail game*&#8230; LOL

Spring is right around the corner, so I want all my tanks just like last year. And that means.

No SNAIL!!!


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

SC by just catching the fish you will stress it









oh and when did these fish last breed?

and how old are they?


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## serrasalmus_collector (Mar 9, 2003)

Innes said:


> SC by just catching the fish you will stress it :nod:
> 
> oh and when did these fish last breed?
> 
> and how old are they?


 Ha ha ha...YOu got me on that on. I caught the fish in a net, and stressed them... Got me on technicality... Very goood...









They are the ones everyone know about herel. The S.Maculatus colony. They have started their breeding, but the snails were multiplying so quickly in the nest material, .... Well let's just say I don't like the snails. They have bred a few weeks ago. I just remember last year, they stopped when the snails came. I got 5 spawns last year. I will try for maybe 7 this year.

I was actually amazed at the size of my biggest one. Damn near 9 inches. I didn't know they were that big. Haven't moved them in months.

They are about 2 and a half years old now.

I will try to get pic with the ruler...

Then no one can say I got fish barely 6 inches. They are almost big as my shoes. They just didn't apear that big, untill I was looking down on them.


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## Sanguinea (Feb 19, 2004)

Get a crayfish..... They are suppose to make quick work of snails..... though you might want to take it out if your Ps are breeding because they would probably eat the eggs.


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## fwsec (Jul 31, 2003)

Snails are also good they work on those filter pads an algae i would take them and trap a few of them a week but keep a cuple just to keep a clean tank.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Drop the Ph to lower than 6.2. The snails will dissolve. Snails don't help breeding, they eat eggs. Also the only help besides bringing diseases/parasites to an established aquario, they might bring in some infesoria (sp).


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## Rikimaru (May 3, 2004)

The cucumber qworks perfectly.
I also had a pretty infested tank.
At first i used he medicin gastropex it had some litlle effect.
Then somebody told me the cucumber story PERFECT!!!
Also try to get rid of the adult snails
That also should help pretty much


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## Atlanta Braves Baby! (Mar 12, 2003)

damn thats one huge Pacu!


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