Sheepsnana Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 Hey All My tanks have got a few too many snails. I've identified them as ramshorns, they hitch-hiked on some plants that I bought about a month ago. It started off as one or two snails... needless to say, now there are lots. I've read that Clown loaches or dwarf puffers are the best way to get rid of them, but that the loaches will eat the plants too and the puffer will be aggressive against any other fish in the tank. Here's my question: has anyone tried salt? Snails in the garden start bubbling straight away when you put salt on them. (I understand that I will need to move all of my fish to a separate tank while treating). I was thinking that I could put all the fish into the display tank while I get a puffer to eat the snails. The problems I found with this idea was that the puffer MAY not want to eat them at all, and he won't be able to eat any that are spawning in the filter. Any other ideas are welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketman Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 copper will kill them, problem is that the dose to kill the ramshorns and the dose tht may affect your fish kidneys/liver is a very fine line indeed... Try remove as much as you can manually, eventually you'll make a dent in the numbers. Not the easiest, but safer than potentially coppering your tank out... Try the salt thing, see if it makes a difference for you, It didn't for me...but I didn't use a large dose, cos I CBB moving fish... lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
si_sphinx Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 Two words... "CLOWN LOACH" is the best way IME. Ive never seen them eat plants. 3 do a good job in my 800ltr tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketman Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 Two words... "CLOWN LOACH" is the best way IME. Ive never seen them eat plants. 3 do a good job in my 800ltr tank :thup: alot comes down to individuals... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Li@m Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 i just used my finger, crushed the eggs and removed the snails by hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 Get a Koura tank set up... they quite like chomping away on snails Apart from that I've seen people chuck veges into tanks, wait for snails to gather on them and then throw them out in one big hit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redracer77 Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 I use gold zebra loaches in my 300L tank that was infested with Trumpet snails. I had 4 loaches and just cut back to 2 as I haven't seen a snail in months. The zebra loaches stay smaller than some of the others and don't eat plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 Striata's are good loaches as well. but seriously get a dwarf puffer, im sure you can find a mini tank to keep it in and trust me that lil 1.5cm fish will eat every snail you can give it and more. plus they are as close to pokemon as you can get in a real animal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amtiskaw Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 I used copper sulphate. I took all the fish out, turned off the filter, used a really strong dose for half an hour, did 2 100% water changes, then moved the fish back in. No snails since. I'm really careful to check plants before they go in the tank now, and give them a brief soak in copper sulphate solution if I suspect there's any snails or eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris b Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 i brought 150 snails for my clowns to eat, they lasted about 3 days!! lots of sheels left over after tho. Smaller clown loaches should be fine with plants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepsnana Posted July 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 Thanks for all the replies :thup: Try remove as much as you can manually, eventually you'll make a dent in the numbers. Not the easiest, but safer than potentially coppering your tank out... A dent will only delay them coming back. Two words... "CLOWN LOACH" is the best way IME. Ive never seen them eat plants. 3 do a good job in my 800ltr tank Don't these guys get quite big? And again, chances of the snails coming back? i just used my finger, crushed the eggs and removed the snails by hand. As above.Get a Koura tank set up... they quite like chomping away on snails Apart from that I've seen people chuck veges into tanks, wait for snails to gather on them and then throw them out in one big hit Koura tank sounds great, I'm sure the colder temp would slow the snails down, but what would I do with my large community? I use gold zebra loaches in my 300L tank that was infested with Trumpet snails. I had 4 loaches and just cut back to 2 as I haven't seen a snail in months. The zebra loaches stay smaller than some of the others and don't eat plants. Did you sell the fish on? Striata's are good loaches as well. but seriously get a dwarf puffer, im sure you can find a mini tank to keep it in and trust me that lil 1.5cm fish will eat every snail you can give it and more. plus they are as close to pokemon as you can get in a real animal. I was considering it, but as mentioned above, not sure on the long term effect. I used copper sulphate. I took all the fish out, turned off the filter, used a really strong dose for half an hour, did 2 100% water changes, then moved the fish back in. No snails since. I'm really careful to check plants before they go in the tank now, and give them a brief soak in copper sulphate solution if I suspect there's any snails or eggs. I have new plants in a quarantine tank. How were the fish after the two water changes? Any Ammonia spikes? where do you get the copper solution from?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepsnana Posted July 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 As above. Wait, you could see the eggs?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 My loach tank has few or no snails at all, I rarely see any. If they are found, they do not live long. I don't think snails in a loach tank ever do well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karina Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 I have clown loaches in my planted tank and don't see them eating plants. A plant I got a while ago had ramshorn snails on it but the loaches saw to them and I haven't seen any new snails. You could always trade the loaches when they get too big Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmillanm Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 I have clown loaches in my planted tank and don't see them eating plants. A plant I got a while ago had ramshorn snails on it but the loaches saw to them and I haven't seen any new snails. You could always trade the loaches when they get too big I agree with Karina. I've got 4 types of loaches including clowns and have always had a planted tank. I've found clowns and chain loaches great for eating snails and loaches are popular so easy to sell on if needed. Anything's better than copper if you have any sensitive fish. If they are multiplying fast it may also mean there's too much food for them. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepsnana Posted July 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 I agree with Karina. I've got 4 types of loaches including clowns and have always had a planted tank. I've found clowns and chain loaches great for eating snails and loaches are popular so easy to sell on if needed. Anything's better than copper if you have any sensitive fish. If they are multiplying fast it may also mean there's too much food for them. Good luck! Will take this under advisement, will definitely try a clown loach before copper. Will I need a school of them? They prefer schools, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmillanm Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 I think that like most schooling fish the more the merrier. Ive got 3 in my 180L, which is the minimum you should get with any schooling fish (& remember they will eventually get big) & mine seem happy! They are lovely fish to watch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dachende Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 I thought that schooling fish should be in groups of 6 + , the more the merrier but not under 6 ? :dunno: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris b Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 I thought that schooling fish should be in groups of 6 + , the more the merrier but not under 6 ? :dunno: +1 and they are addictive to haha you will have 20 in no time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 Wait, you could see the eggs?!? are you talking about the common ramshorn??? which have jelly like egg masses with small eggs visible in them or the more annoying 'Mini ramshorns' which will breed what ever you do and cannot be stopped!!! (nah jokes, chain loaches LOVE them) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karina Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 I went against the norm and currently have 2 clown loaches in the 430. I also have 2 zodiac loaches who are characters as well. I did plan to get more but when big enough they will go in with my larger south americans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapperhead Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 How about buying snail rid from the petshop? I keep ramshorn snails and feed them with cucumber. Ways you can reduce the population by a lot, can be luring them into a trap with cucumber or just placing cucumber in the tank, then pick it up the next morning. Overnight the snails swarm all over the cucumber and devour it! They absolutely love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 Snail rid is copper sulphate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amtiskaw Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 Thanks for all the replies :thup: I have new plants in a quarantine tank. How were the fish after the two water changes? Any Ammonia spikes? where do you get the copper solution from?? No fish or plant issues at all. No spike, but I have a lot of filtration. You might get one if you don't get all the dead snails out. I used copper sulphate from the garden section at Bunnings - it's called blue stone. The snails died after 5 minutes, but I left the copper in for half an hour to be sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepsnana Posted July 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 are you talking about the common ramshorn??? which have jelly like egg masses with small eggs visible in them or the more annoying 'Mini ramshorns' which will breed what ever you do and cannot be stopped!!! (nah jokes, chain loaches LOVE them) Sadly, the mini ramshorns. How about buying snail rid from the petshop? I keep ramshorn snails and feed them with cucumber. Ways you can reduce the population by a lot, can be luring them into a trap with cucumber or just placing cucumber in the tank, then pick it up the next morning. Overnight the snails swarm all over the cucumber and devour it! They absolutely love it! My bristlenose and pleco love cucumber, so there's no chance of any remaining overnight. I'm not sure that this would remove them all, just reduce numbers. I am currently squishing them between fingers, hoping my Kribs will develop a taste for them. No fish or plant issues at all. No spike, but I have a lot of filtration. You might get one if you don't get all the dead snails out. I used copper sulphate from the garden section at Bunnings - it's called blue stone. The snails died after 5 minutes, but I left the copper in for half an hour to be sure. Good to know, but I will reserve this as a back-up plan. Thank you for the info :thup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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