# Snail Infestation, HELP!



## Zappity (Oct 15, 2011)

*didn't know where else to post this, so feel free to move if in the wrong spot*


Hi 
I have a 5 gallon, filtered and heated tank with 2 male guppies. I've had them for at least 2 months. I also have 2 moss balls, 1 anubia nana, and wysteria. Last night, when I was looking at the guppies, I noticed tiny white things on the walls of the tank. Looking closer, they almost looked like teeny tiny shrimp, but then I saw shells, which means snails. I have NO idea where they came from, or why they're there. I counted at least 10. One or two have pointed snails and the others all look rounded. They're really really small, some as big as a dot that a pen makes, and others a little bigger. How do I get rid of them? They scare me and my mom, lol, so we want them outta here.


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## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

They came on the plants. You can try hitting the tank with a copper based medication. IMO once you have snails you are pretty much stuck with them. Unless you really hate them. Getting rid of them IMO isn't worth the effort since they are harmless.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

Well they came from your plants most likely. They pointed shell one is mostly Malaysian trumpet snail and the other probably pond/bladder snails. 
They won't hurt anything and are quite beneficial in a tank but if you won't them gone there is a few thinks you can try. Put some lettuce or cucumber in the tank over night and the snails will be on it in the morning and you will have tank the piece out with the snails and depose of them. Another thing is use algae waffers they loves those as well.


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## Zappity (Oct 15, 2011)

And here's this, cause I like filling things out xD

1. Size of tank? 5 Gallons

2. Water parameters 
Last time I got it checked it was..
a. Ammonia? 0
b. Nitrite? 0
c. Nitrate? Almost 0 (don't know exactly)
d. pH, KH and GH? N/A
e. Test kit? N/A

3. Temperature? 79F

4. FW (fresh water) or BW (brackish)? Freshwater

5. How long the aquarium has been set up? Almost 3 months

6. What fish do you have? Male Guppies
How many are in your tank? 2
How big are they? I don't know.. a little over an inch probably.
How long have you had them? Almost 2 months

7. Were the fish placed under quarantine period (minus the first batch from the point wherein the tank is ready to accommodate the inhabitants)? Umm..no..but they've never had any health issues (other than the other 3 dying..heh)

8. a. Any live plants? Yes, Wysteria, one Anubia Nana, and 2 moss balls. Fake plants? Nada
b. Sand, gravel, barebottom? Gravel
c. Rocks, woods, fancy decors? A little house my Betta used to have.. Any hollow decors? The house, I guess.

9. a. Filtration? Yes
b. Heater? Yep

10. a. Lighting schedule? Most of the day, but only in the morning and then when it starts getting dark to probably midnight. What lights are used? No clue
b. Any sunlight exposure? Yes How long? Most of the afternoon.

11. a. Water change schedule? 20% once a week, probably 50-75% once a month.
b. Volume of water changed? See above
c. Well water, tap water, RO water? Tap
d. Water conditioner used? Yes
e. Frequency of gravel/sand (if any) vacuumed? Once a month

12. Foods? Flake and once in a while Freeze Dried BloodWorms.
How often are they fed? once, twice a day.

13. a. Any abnormal signs/symptoms? No
b. Appearance of poop? Um, normal..
c. Appearance of gills? Normal

14. a. Have you treated your fish ahead of diagnosis? No
b. What meds were used? None

15. Insert photos of fish in question and full tank shot if necessary.


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## Zappity (Oct 15, 2011)

Okay, thanks to both of you  Will my tank get over-run with them and their bio-load?


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

Zappity said:


> Okay, thanks to both of you  Will my tank get over-run with them and their bio-load?


Not as long as you don't over feed you fish. The snail population will only grow if there is plenty of food for them to eat. Other words lots of food lots of snails. Little not as many snails


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## TwilightGuy (Oct 22, 2011)

I dunno, I must have been really unlucky a few years ago. I put some live plants in a 10 gallon tank and sure enough it blossomed with snails that proceeded to eat every bit of living vegetation in the tank. I tried picking them out, 30-40 a day, tiny little pin head sized brown shells, til I got sick of doing it, I tried the stuff called "Had-A Snail" which didn't work either. I finally gave up, moved the fish, drained the tank and there it still sits to this day.


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## chevysoldier (Oct 14, 2011)

I agree that the snails came with the plants. There isn't really anything to worry about (if they don't destroy your plants) and in fact they can be a good thing. They help aerate the substrate to keep gas pockets from building, clean up left over food, and clean the sides. They also will help you judge if you are over feeding. If the snail population booms, dial back your feeding. I added some MTS (Malaysian Trumpet Snails) to my tank for those purposes.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Snails are in my view extremely useful and I am delighted to see them. They get into places the aquarist could never reach, and they perform tasks that nothing else does by breaking down waste into smaller bits that the bacteria can then more easily and readily handle. As has been mentioned, they will populate to the level to eat the available organics. 

If they are Malaysian Livebearing snails (the conical, "horn of plenty" shaped shells) or the pond or acute bladder snails, they do not eat healthy living plants. They will browse leaves for algae and bits of microscopic food, and they will eat decaying leaf tissue; but not live healthy leaves. The Ramshorn snail (named from the shape of the shell) is another small snail sometimes seen, and while most sources say they too will not harm living plants, some members here have written differently.

If you do try to remove some of them [as someone said, you will never eradicate all of them], use safe natural methods. Meaning, bait them with lettuce or something and in the very early morning remove the lettuce with the snails. Or manually remove them or squish them as you see them with your finger. I would never use chemical preparations to kill snails; they are quite likely to be detrimental to some degree on fish.

Byron.


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## paybackranch (Nov 20, 2011)

Boredomb said:


> Not as long as you don't over feed you fish. The snail population will only grow if there is plenty of food for them to eat. Other words lots of food lots of snails. Little not as many snails


The Malaysian Trumpet Snails are really very beneficial because they keep the substrate stirred up and you are less likely to develop pockets of sulfur type gasses which can kill your fish. I consider snails great gardeners. They usually only nibble on dying or damaged leaves. They do help keep plants and glass clean also. As suggested, if you put sliced cucumber weighted down on the substrate, you can collect and remove them that way if you feel it really necessary. Be careful using meds to kill them because you may end up killing your fish and unbalancing your tank.. Not worth it.....

Cheers

Melanie


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## caseybrett (Nov 3, 2011)

Hi, i am new to fish keeping, but i had the same problem with the snails. I mentioned them when i was purchasing some fish and the girl recommended buying an 'assassin snail'. Sounds crazy i know, to BUY a snail when u want to get rid of the snails! But she said that this particular snail will eat all the unwanted snails and keep them under control, (beleive me they just keep multiplying- i counted 30 after about a month! and same thing you described how they look). This assassin snail eats them and doesnt breed itself she said. Well this was about a month ago now and i can honestly say that the snail population has decreased about as quickly as it increased! Whats more is i havent even seen the assassin snail since the day i put him in there! So just an idea. It really worked for me.


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## Jwest (Nov 15, 2010)

you can keep snails in check with assassin snails. just a thought


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## paybackranch (Nov 20, 2011)

Most loaches will do a good job on snails as well....or cichlids. Do research first to see which ones would be good with your fish / plants and which ones have a good track record of eating snails. Not all are good community tank fish and some get darn big.... clown loaches. 

Melanie


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## Zappity (Oct 15, 2011)

Thanks for all your help, everyone! 
Anyway, last night I put a piece of cucumber in a plastic cup that I weighted down with some gravel, and sunk it down to the bottom. This morning, there were no snails in the cup! I saw snails on the gravel making their way towards the cup last night! How is this possible?


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## paybackranch (Nov 20, 2011)

You need to nuke it first so that it is soft. I have never tried that with a slice of cucumber, though. I use zucchini. The shrimp & snails make a bee-line to the goodies and actually I can have them eat a very large section (halved with seeds removed) by morning. I bet if you put the veggie in the microwave for 15 seconds or so until the veggie is soft, let it cool and THEN put it in the container, you will see a difference. Daytime or nighttime, they go for it. 

Melanie


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## Zappity (Oct 15, 2011)

paybackranch said:


> You need to nuke it first so that it is soft. I have never tried that with a slice of cucumber, though. I use zucchini. The shrimp & snails make a bee-line to the goodies and actually I can have them eat a very large section (halved with seeds removed) by morning. I bet if you put the veggie in the microwave for 15 seconds or so until the veggie is soft, let it cool and THEN put it in the container, you will see a difference. Daytime or nighttime, they go for it.
> 
> Melanie


Thank you sooo much, Melanie! I will do that now


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

Everything's pretty much already been said, but I'll weigh in...

Snails are good for the plants and the ecosystem of aquariums.. They break down pieces of waste into smaller-sized particles that the bacteria can digest.. 
I've never seen snails eat healthy plants... (And I've had pond, ramshorn, and MTS.)

If you trim a plant, make sure you use extremely sharp scissors. If you crush a part of the stem, the snails will eat it.. And the wilt on the stem will slowly expand, giving your snails an expensive treat.

I would also be really careful to not overfeed your fish. Snails are a great way to signal whether you are... 2 adult male guppies should not need more than 2-3 flakes a day, and food should be skipped one day a week. Excess food will go to the snails.

I also love assassin snails... They breed extremely slowly- 2-3 will be plenty, and you'll probably only ever have three. Snail treatment is toxic, and may damage your fish...


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