# algaecide to kill snails?



## AsEpSiS (Oct 16, 2012)

I recently bought some plants and got absolutely bombed with snails now. I've tried plucking them out one by one, but they're literally everywhere. I also have been battling a small black beard algae issue too. 

I'm considering using an algeacide to nuke the snails, and hopefully zap some of the algae as well. My main concern is whether it will harm my fish(red bellied piranhas) or not. Can i get some feedback on what to do please.

I'll be using "no more algae" by tetra. Its main ingredient is copper sulfate which i know is used to kill snails.


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## jester56 (Oct 28, 2012)

I wouldn't use anything with Copper Sulfate. There are several threads about API AlgaeFix. Kills most algae. If you have Marino balls, it will aggravate them. I take them out and put them in a 5G. Snails? It will wipe out most of the little and medium sized snails. That has been my experience, so much that I have cut down on it's use just because it killed my cool looking snails...


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## vnghost (Sep 21, 2012)

algaefix wont do much for bba


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## jester56 (Oct 28, 2012)

Sorry. Forgot to mention that. Was more interested in steering away from copper sulfate...


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## keithy (Jun 8, 2010)

I spoke to a friend a while back about tetra algae after I dismantled my 20gal long due to green water. According to him, it will not do anything to pond snails, but will kill other snails. He made it specific that assassin and apple snails were the snails that died on him during his treatment. So, yeah there you have it. It will not do much for pond snails. 

I have not tried this personally nor do I want to try it.


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## goldengirl (Jan 7, 2013)

My 2-month-old 29G planted tank was starting to get a snail problem. Put 2 Assassin Snails in about 6 days ago, haven't seen any of the nuisance snails since!


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## jn.mancy (Jan 24, 2013)

Algaecide is meant to kill algae and not snails. Natural algaecide can help remove algaes in your tank without harming your fishes but synthetic ones such as copper sulphate and polyquat can be very toxic to them. I have two solutions for snails. One is to put a lettuce leaf and wait for the entire family to swarm on it and then scoop them out. The other would be a snail eating fish such as Clown or Yo-Yo Loach, Loaches and Labyrinth fish. I am not quite sure which can go well with your fish though. If none of them will work out with your fish inside the tank, you can also consider removing your fish first and transferring it to another tank while you wait for all snails to be removed by the snail eating fish.  - JN


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## RyUGuy (Feb 4, 2012)

API AlgaeFix wiped out 100% of my snail infestation, never had a single one since been 2 years. It was also unintentional :red_mouth.


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