How to kill snails and keep them out?

[glenoweth]

What is the best way that you all have tried ,or done that worked on killing small snails? I tried cichlid salt, but it did not seem to work.

[glenoweth]

Another option is to put snail-eating fish in your tank. Any respectable Clown or Yo-Yo loach would give their right fin for a snail dinner. They will sift through the gravel, sucking any snail they find right out of its shell. Loaches will even dive under the substrate in their snail hunting quest. Labyrinth fish, such as Bettas and Gouramis, will also eat snails. However, they are not as adept at tracking them down in their home under the gravel.

hum was looking for a reason to get some clown loaches!

[angel]

And clown loaches are so attractive in the tank too! But for those who can't have them with their current stock, assassin snails work great. They eat volumes of snails! Had a few here and they took care of a huge snail outbreak.

[allierw]

Salt will not kill snails...I salted a tank heavily for ich and it didn't affect the snails at all.

clown loaches like large groups (5-6) and they get huge...they grow slowly, though. Yo yo loaches stay a lot smaller. I have both in my Front tank.

The lazy man's way of catching snails is to put a piece of squash or cucumber in your tank...the snails will get all over it...just remove the cucumber. Keep doing it and keep removing it with the snails until the snail population is almost gone.

[rickl]

My mom went with allie's lazy method at first. They had a *ton* of snails. In the end they got rid of 100% of the snails... by breaking down the tank (which is now dry, in their garage, waiting for me to come get it, whee!)

-Rick (the armchair aquarist)

[glenoweth]

LOL rick,

[allierw]

I broke down a tank for about 3 weeks, filled it back up and the snails are freaking BACK!!!! Pond snails, you can't kill them!

[mruble]

Throw a handful of assasin snails in the tank. They will not eat plants and should get your problem under control.

[glenoweth]

Aug 3, 2011 16:12:23 GMT -6 mruble said:

Throw a handful of assasin snails in the tank. They will not eat plants and should get your problem under control.

They eat othere snails? lol

[glenoweth]

Update: I have yet to buy the assasin snails. but i did however but 2 yo yo loaches ,and wow they cleaned up the snails fast! i need about 6 more! They even look really cool! They will be a must in all my tanks! you guys should look in to geting a few even if you dont have snail problems.

[brentstrong]

Where did you get them? Sounds like something I'd like to look into!

[glenoweth]

Aquarium shop, they were about 6$ each

[allierw]

They usually have them at the chain pet stores too, like Petco and Petsmart. I think I got mine at Petsmart but it's been 3 or 4 years ago. I don't remember seeing them at the Critter but they might carry them.