Dealing with snail issue

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dhavalsp

Members
I am a having a hard time controlling snail population in my tank...just too many and I am afraid that at some point it will start affecting my fish. I have tried picking them out, 100s at times, but that is not a solution and they catch up to their high numbers within 2-3 days...

What I have:
56 G tall aquarium. Planted, driftwoods and PFS.
Fish: 4 discus, 7 neon tetras, 2 corys, 2 very small bristlenose plecos.
Feeding: generous and might be adding to the problem as left over is feasted by snails!

I read online for solutions but I am having a hard time determining a particular route to proceed

A. Loaches - worried about compatibility.
B. Assassin snails - worries about their population taking over the tank
C. Physically picking them out usin a narrow neck bottle and food- I am tired! It is a pain to reach the bottom of that tall 56 tank.
D. Chemicals - scared to use ( has anyone has positive impact without affecting the fish in any way?!)

My major concern is diseases and bio load. I am sure snails act as host and must be adding in someway to the overall bioload (any idea?!).

Do they impact water chemistry in anyway?!

Can anyone please help Me decide how to go about this based on their past experiences. Need to do something before I start getting nightmares about snails crawling on the walls of apartment!

Thanks,

Dhaval
 
mchambers

mchambers

Former CCA member
i think Assassin snails are the way to go. They won't take over your tank, because they don't reproduce that quickly. Plus, if they do reproduce, you can sell them at Club auctions.

It will take time for assassins to deal with the other snails, however.
 
Jmty

Jmty

Members
tie a fishing line to your bottle,loaches will do good in any tank but need a group of them.
 
JLW

JLW

CCA Members
You are correct in that heavy feeding is likely contributing to this problem, and I think fixing this should be your first step. In a way, snails are helping you. Excess foods being converted into snail; remove the snail, it's going to become algae, ammonia, etc.
 
J

Jt731

Members
I have a couple of tanks with hilarious amounts of pond snails and ramshorn snails.

Can't speak to bioload, all of my tanks have way too much filtration. A group of loaches had a grand time in one of my tanks, although at times they looked like Conan the loach sitting on a bed of shells.
 
D

dhavalsp

Members
Thanks everyone..

I am going to stick to physically removing them and try to get some assassin snails.

Any thoughts about water chemistry? I was told that dead shells generally lower the PH... Is that applicable in case of snails?
 
M

mccube5

Members
this is a great conversation, I am also having the same issues. Read that putting some zucchini slices in overnight might attract them, but it didn't do anything. pondering my next move.
 
H

halak

Members
I like to crush them (except for MTS's); it's a great supplementary food for my fishes/shrimps.
 
D

dhavalsp

Members
i think the best bait for snails is meat...put a shrimp or a small piece of meat....they just go for it straight...just make sure you remove it the morning...
 
JLW

JLW

CCA Members
Living snails will lower your KH and GH, as they grow and remove calcium from the water. Theoretically, their shells will then buffer the water once they're no longer actively removing calcium (when they're dead).

They won't have a direct effect on pH, but may indirectly raise it once dead, and lower it while living. Of course, decomposing snails (or other biomatter) has the effect of lowering pH, too.
 
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