# Plants and Snails



## windchill (Aug 2, 2006)

I purchaced a few wisteria plants and have them in a bowl by themselves to try to get rid/prevent any snails getting into my tanks. The plants were treated by the lfs but I have read a few stories that indicate snail removal is an ongoing battle.

I will be getting more plants such as hornworts but I dont have the room to quarenteen more.

My questions are these:

What is the best snail control methods?

How long do I have to watch these plants so I know they are snail free?

How do I find snail eggs?

What freshwater tropicals eat snails?

Any other tips on snails?


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## Dr_House (Aug 15, 2006)

I've never had problems with snails, so I can only regurgitate what I've heard. What seems the best method to me is to cut down on feeding your fish, thus starving the snails. While you do this, put a piece of zuchinni in the bottom of the tank. The snails will eat it and when it's full of snails, you pull out the zuchinni and throw it in the trash can along with the snails. Repeat until snails are gone.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

When you get the plants, give them a good rubbing under running water. Loaches and puffers eat snails.


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## Guest (Aug 17, 2006)

Cucumber will also work for pulling out snails. I tried feeding some to my otos and cories, but they didn't eat it. The next morning I had around 15 snails on it...so I just threw them away.

I don't have a problem with snails in my 55g, probably because there are yoyo loaches in the tank. I do have some bigger ramshorns that don't bother anything. I feed the fish every other day though, so maybe not overfeeding helps keep the population under control.
In my 29g though I have tons of ramshorns. I pick them out whenever I see alot of them on the glass, but they don't bother my plants, so I don't usually worry about them.

I've heard you can dip new plants in potassium permanganate (sp?) to get rid of snails, but I've never tried it.


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

I would recommend against getting puffers as a means of snail control, especially in a tank with other fish.


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## PHAYLANX (Sep 23, 2005)

an alumn rince will remove most free moving snails-----two trys about 3 weeks apart should do the trick-------snails take longer than that to mature and lay eggs

my snail problem is just the opposite---how to raise snails that are free of parasites-----my skink is not able to survive in capitivity infested with snail parasites-----yet he eats live snails----help


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## Mr Aquarium (Jan 18, 2005)

You can do a bleach/water dip for them plants as well, 19-1 is what a most will tell you, i forgot off hand how many seconds or what ever it is to dip them but they sware by it for new plants,
Anyone else do this methed or cleaning plants?


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## windchill (Aug 2, 2006)

Thanks for all the different answers! 

Its good to have multiple choices to try out and find what works best for a situation.


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## girth vader (Apr 24, 2006)

Mr Aquarium said:


> You can do a bleach/water dip for them plants as well, 19-1 is what a most will tell you, i forgot off hand how many seconds or what ever it is to dip them but they sware by it for new plants,
> Anyone else do this methed or cleaning plants?


most plants wont survive a bleach bath, and the ones that do dont like it very much  I wouldn't recommend that route.


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