# Snails in my planted tank.



## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

Here's the issue.

I used gravel that had been previously used in another tank. And now I have a colony of snails going on in my 20 gallon. Which is evil and horrible. They're ordinary pond snails from what I can tell.

I'm guessing these things would be harmful to my live plants, right?

And what is the best way for me to kill them off? I was thinking about using something like Had-A-Snail since I don't currently have fish or plants in the tank. Just the gravel. But I'm afraid to use any copper-based solutions as I would eventually like to keep some shrimp in this tank. Trace elements of copper may kill them.

I also don't want anything that is going to harm future plants I put in there. Or fish for that matter. My dad used Had-A-Snail once on an established tank with plants and fish (and snails, obviously) and he killed all the snails but also lost some fish and had a minor plant die off.

Cheers.


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## Guest (Apr 2, 2006)

So the tank is pretty empty? Why not try the lettuce technique?

I never trust copper based solutions.


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

Mettle said:


> Here's the issue.
> 
> I used gravel that had been previously used in another tank. And now I have a colony of snails going on in my 20 gallon. Which is evil and horrible. They're ordinary pond snails from what I can tell.
> 
> ...


Nothing clears out an infestation of snails as safely and effectively in a planted tank as the right species of loach. Clown loaches are the best. Get at least a trio of 2"ers and you'll be entertained while they do their work (I've got six 2-3"ers in a 20 with a pearl gourami - they get hand picked snails from my piranha tank). Dwarf chain loaches aren't bad either, but are harder to get and usually more expensive (also more prone to ich IMO). Other botia species can work, but are usually more aggressive and less social. Quarantine them in a seperate tank while adjusting them to your water parameters to prevent ich (Kordon Prevent Ich would be helpfull). Don't worry about the snails doing too much damage in the mean time...more free food for the loaches when you plop them in!


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

I have some clown loaches in my flowerhorn tank. I could just try and net s few and put them in the 20 gal.

Right now there's nothing but substrate in the 20 gal. Not even a filter or anything.

I think I'll try a snail trap.

I'm going to save them and make little breeding colonies I think. Puffers are really popular around here for some reason and people are always looking for breeding colonies of snails. Maybe make a couple bucks off of it in the process (ha, yeah right!)...


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## therizman1 (Jan 6, 2006)

Snails are dirty nasty creatures IMO.

Clown loaches work pretty well (though I think mine is lazy). Nothing works better then a nice piece of lettuce on the bottom of the tank overnight though. Esepecially if nothing else is in the tank, they will swarm to that like kids to a candy shop.

Also, I have used Had-A-Snail while having red cherry and ghost shrimp in a tank and nothing happened to the shrimp... just my personal experience.


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## 2PiRaNhA~2FuRrY (Nov 1, 2005)

i got the same sh*t dude! it look like apple snail. it getting more and more every day.

i do alot of water change, salt....it going away but i still have some.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

> I used gravel that had been previously used in another tank. And now I have a colony of snails going on in my 20 gallon. Which is evil and horrible. They're ordinary pond snails from what I can tell.
> 
> I'm guessing these things would be harmful to my live plants, right?


They are not harmful to plants.. they eat algea


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

DiPpY eGgS said:


> > I used gravel that had been previously used in another tank. And now I have a colony of snails going on in my 20 gallon. Which is evil and horrible. They're ordinary pond snails from what I can tell.
> >
> > I'm guessing these things would be harmful to my live plants, right?
> 
> ...


Really? Are you sure?

I'm going to try a few out in my betta tanks to make sure they don't eat plants.


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## tnpeter (Dec 17, 2005)

i cant get clown loachs my rbps will eat them, i have tryed the cucumber thing my rbps just ate it, i will try the lettece, but i think if that dosnt do it iam gonna get had a snail


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## BigChuckP (Feb 9, 2004)

Mettle said:


> > I used gravel that had been previously used in another tank. And now I have a colony of snails going on in my 20 gallon. Which is evil and horrible. They're ordinary pond snails from what I can tell.
> >
> > I'm guessing these things would be harmful to my live plants, right?
> 
> ...


Really? Are you sure?

I'm going to try a few out in my betta tanks to make sure they don't eat plants.
[/quote]
I've got a colony of snails in my tank as well and I can tell you they don't eat plants just the algae off of them. I see them snailing around on the leaves and there are never trails of eaten plants behind them
I'd personally get a raphael catfish especially if you have piranhas. They are nocturnal, have good armor, bark when attacked and love snails. I've had the same guy for 1 1/2 years, he's now in a tank with really aggressive pygos and he's still kickin' it.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

there are snails called Nerite snails, they can live in salt or freshwater..

They are excellent for eating algea off the tank's glass


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

A tad unrelated...

But I dropped a few in with one of my bettas. To see if they'll harm plants or not. (I have hygro in the tank.) And the betta attacked the snail, grabbed it, whipped it about like a dog with a chew toy and then finally left it alone. Funny stuff!


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## Guest (Apr 3, 2006)

GET THE DEAD SNAIL OUT ASAP! Trust me bro, you will know when a snail is dead in your tanks.

Good luck with the planted tank tho!


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

DannyBoy17 said:


> GET THE DEAD SNAIL OUT ASAP! Trust me bro, you will know when a snail is dead in your tanks.
> 
> Good luck with the planted tank tho!


It's not dead.


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## Malok (Mar 26, 2006)

if you can get some river cray fish quarnteen um and put um in your p tank they eat the sh*t out of snails and when the moult your ps will eat them food chain its great?


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

Malok said:


> if you can get some river cray fish quarnteen um and put um in your p tank they eat the sh*t out of snails and when the moult your ps will eat them food chain its great?


Crayfish unfortunately eat the sh*t out of plants too.


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