# Good Time To Kill Snails?



## jimyycon (Dec 4, 2006)

I recently contracted a snail infestation. It is annoying, an eye sore and I have a live planted tank so it won't be good for my plants.

I am about to move into a different house and will need to drain my tank. I'm thinking this will be a good opportunity to attack these snails. But i dont want to have to completely remove plants, rocks, gravel, etc etc.

is there anything I might consider trying while I at least have the water drained? Will they die being out of the water for a few hours maybe??

Thanks


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## Us And Them (Dec 4, 2008)

They are tough as hell to get rid of them. Eggs get into your filter , in the sand , on the plants , glass , you name it.
The safest way to do it is by hand. I don't like feeding them cucumber as bait. it feeds them and then they multiply like crazy.

also , cut down on your feedings . I noticed that when I barely fed my piranhas' that the snails dropped in numbers considerably and I dedicated a good 20 minutes to hand picking them. they can survive out of water. For how long? im not quite sure. Give your substrate a good wash , you can get gravel Wash from your LFS. and dipping your plants in salt water will also kill all the eggs.

Persistence is the only way you will rid your self of this problem.


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## I Can Mate (Apr 8, 2010)

isnt there a chemical that kills them?


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## jimyycon (Dec 4, 2006)

There are chemical alternatives but I have heard they are bad for your fish too because they are just a poison essentially.

I thought about, since I have to take my P out of the tank and into a bucket for a few hours during the move anyway, I could just dump in the chemical and let it run through the system BEFORE I empty the water. But it all depends on how long the chemical needs to whipe out the population. I don't want to try to leave my P in a bucket for 12-24 hours or anything


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## scotty (Oct 3, 2007)

I just leave them alone. I got one that's about an inch and a quarter long now. The infestation seems to control itself somehow. Damn things probably come from the many failed attempts at keeping plants from petco. Honestly I think they help keep my tank cleaner ,"snail-away" doesn't work.


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