Snails are unwelcome animals in aquariums; adult specimens or their eggs enter the tanks through live plants or wet and dirty decorations that are transferred from one aquarium to another, from the water bags with which new fish are brought home or when moving animals with a net from one container to another. A single specimen is enough to create a real colony; these molluscs reproduce very quickly and in a short time they can infest the whole tank. Getting rid of them can take time and effort, but it's worth doing to keep the aquarium free of these invertebrates.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Getting rid of the snails
Step 1. Avoid overfeeding the fish
An excessive amount of food can lead to a developing snail population. Try not to overdo the feed (add only what the fish can eat each time) and see if this can solve the problem of clam overlap.
Step 2. Use a chemical
The most common and safe for fish, but deadly for snails, is copper sulfate. When using it you must strictly follow the directions on the package, to make sure that the fish survive the treatment. Most of the time this treatment leads to a massive die-off of snails, which causes the water to become nauseating. If this is also the case, you must take the time to eliminate all dead molluscs and restore the chemical values of the water to ensure its quality and guarantee the life of fish and aquatic plants.
Step 3. Place traps in the aquarium
You can find different models for sale online or in pet stores. However, a very simple solution is to place a large lettuce leaf by hooking its sturdy stem to the wall of the aquarium; leave the "trap" in place overnight. The next morning remove the leaf, on the back of which you should find a large number of invertebrates attached. Repeat this process for a few consecutive nights to get rid of a large number of snails.
You can also grab them individually when you see them; this is the most effective method when there are few; however, since they are mainly nocturnal animals, it can only partially solve the problem
Step 4. Add predators to the tank
Cleaner fish are perfect, as they also feed on snails. If you have a small aquarium, try the Zebra Danio or the Ambastaia sidthimunki; if the tank is rather large, you can add Chromobotia macracanthus or Pimelodus pictus, both of which are effective for this purpose.
There are also killer snails that feed on animals of their own species; they do not reproduce very quickly and therefore do not create an infestation problem as occurs with common ones
Step 5. Try multiple solutions
There are obviously several methods of getting rid of these problem animals. Since they can infest the aquarium rapidly and dramatically increase in number, their control should become your priority to protect the animals present; you should try a couple of different methods to get rid of shellfish.
Step 6. Clean everything
If the situation is totally out of control and you want to fix the root problem, you need to do a deep cleaning of the tub. This means removing everything from gravel to decorations and plants, removing the water, thoroughly cleaning and drying each element before restoring and refilling the aquarium.
Method 2 of 2: Preventing Possible Snail Infestations
Step 1. Check each item you place in the tub
By not introducing weed molluscs into the aquarium you save yourself a lot of time and hassle. Before placing them in the container, inspect the plants and decorations for snails or their eggs and, if you notice them, remove them before they end up in the water.
Step 2. Keep the items in quarantine before introducing them into the aquarium
Aquatic plants should remain in another container designed for this purpose; keep them aside for a few weeks and check them for snails.
Step 3. Before adding them to the aquarium, soak all accessories in a solution that kills snails
Soak the plants in a bleach mixture to get rid of the snails and their eggs. to prepare it, pour one part of bleach into 19 parts of water, which is equivalent to about 200 ml for every 4 liters of water. Leave the plants to soak in the solution for 2-3 minutes and then rinse them thoroughly under running water for 5 minutes.
- It can be a bit aggressive treatment for some of them and is therefore not guaranteed not to cause harm to certain strains.
- You can also put the plants in a solution of aluminum sulfate and water, which is capable of killing snails. Add 2-3 teaspoons of product for every 4 liters of warm water and mix to dissolve; then immerse the plants and leave them at least 2-3 hours, up to a maximum of 24 hours; when you remove them from the liquid, be sure to rinse them well before placing them in the aquarium.
Advice
- The presence of a few snails in the aquarium is not a problem; they are scavengers and can prove useful.
- A rather common infesting snail is the Melanoides tubercolata; it loves to live hidden under the gravel of the aquarium and is especially active at night. You may not notice its presence until it reproduces enough to see the gravel move. Apple snails are also snails that develop quickly and can infest the aquarium.
- The smaller and younger ones can be used to feed certain types of fish.
