Getting rid of tiny snails

[sfarkhan]

Respectfully to all the snail lovers out there. My tank is swarmed by tiny light colored snails. I'd like to get rid of them.

I have Angelfish, neon tetra, cory cats, oto cats, and a hillstream loach.

If they were pretty, colorful, large snails - I'd consider culling and keeping them but these guys stay small 1mm in size and swarm the tank.

I've read pennies and I can also treat the tank with Quick Cure (Formalin and Malachite Green).

Short of buying clown loaches what are the safe effective ways of wiping out the critters?

[halak]

Just squash them, and the fish will eat them with gusto.

[sfarkhan]

Thanks, but there are too many and I would risk destroying my aquascape.

[halak]

Just squash them when they are on the glass. That's what I do, and there are never too many.

[jweis]

Assasain snails do a great job eating pesky small snails.

[JLW]

Quick Cure will not kill snails, but will kill your neons.

You can use copper from the marine section of the aquarium store, which will kill them. HOwever, consider what's happening to your bioload when you have a million dead snails in the tank.

Check out :

http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-experts ... iding.aspx
and
http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-experts ... -wars.aspx

[krisw]

I know you mention not wanting Clown Loaches, and I don't blame you as they turn into whales, but there are plenty of other small loaches that are entertaining to watch, and will enjoy your snails. Y. sidthimunki is one I've kept in the past, and they stay about 2.5" long at adulthood.

[sfarkhan]

I thought about the bioload but I will be moving the fish to a new tank in the next week, the bioload will be changed regardless - the old substrate will be dried up.

I will be doing daily water changes as needed and there is an Eheim Pro II filter that's priming on the (current) old tank for the last two weeks. It's packed with Purigen to help polish off organics.

The instructions for Quick Cure give a dose that's safe for Tetra and Loaches. I bought and used when they got sick with no losses. It was before the snails got into the tank. I was mistaken thinking it affects inverts.I

[sfarkhan]

I know you mention not wanting Clown Loaches, and I don't blame you as they turn into whales, but there are plenty of other small loaches that are entertaining to watch, and will enjoy your snails. Y. sidthimunki is one I've kept in the past, and they stay about 2.5" long at adulthood.

I love Clowns - really entertaining! I am resisting getting more critters but I will take a look

[jweis]

The Assasain snails worked wonders for me.