# limpet removal



## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

They bloom twice a year for about a month each time, just wait and theyll go away. Right now they are blooming, same with my tanks.


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## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

Thanks. I hope mine follow the same schedule as yours.


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## ch3fb0yrdee (Oct 2, 2008)

Some people say that limpets will die out after a while, but I have limpets inside 2 of my tanks for a year now and my limpet population is stronger than ever. From my experience the only way to remove them is a hard reset. 

I've just about given up trying to remove the limpets in my tanks. I just try my best to no infect my newer tanks with limpets. I just treat the existing ones like snails. I pretend they're my little clean up crew to cope with the fact that I have limpets.


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

Excel kills them. I'm about to Excel the hell out of my 13g to kill them and the mini-ramshorns before I get shrimp. 

-Lisa


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## FriendsNotFood (Sep 21, 2010)

Do you have to OD the Excel or can you just dose normal doses? My tank is overrun with limpets too ): Stupid me, I saw one and thought... what a neat little creature, it's not doing anyone any harm and I never see it move. Little did I know I'd have hundreds in weeks. But I can't OD Excel because I have a ton of moss balls in the tank and I've already killed them once doing just that.


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## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

Would excel harm the shrimp?

Low tech guy here <-----


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

You'd have to OD the excel — beyond the OD amount you'd use to treat algae — because Excel never killed my limpets. Limpets are basically snails. I've never heard of Excel killing them, but maybe if you nuke the entire tank or something?

I got rid of mine with assassin snails. It was actually by accident since I had given up on getting rid of them. I had limpets in my 5g RCS tank for several years and nothing worked. When I put assassin snails in the tank, the limpets disappeared. It's been months now, and I haven't seen any since.


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## FriendsNotFood (Sep 21, 2010)

Awesome, I bought an assassin snail just in the hopes that he would get hungry enough to eat the limpets. He hasn't made a dent yet but I'm hopeful.


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

I agree on the Excel not killing them, I triple dose Excel on my 50g high tech tank and its having a limpet bloom right now.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

I just smoosh the larger ones. Not sure if the bloom dies down but killing the larger ones definitely stops egg laying.


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

FriendsNotFood said:


> Awesome, I bought an assassin snail just in the hopes that he would get hungry enough to eat the limpets. He hasn't made a dent yet but I'm hopeful.


I had about 5 in my 5g RCS tank. I let them lay eggs, then I removed them. They eventually ate every snail in the tank. So I don't know if they went for the limpets first or because that's all that was left. Now the assassins eat along side the shrimp (they really love replashy) since the snails are all gone.


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## wicca27 (May 3, 2009)

i want limpets..... my oebt ate them all i thought they were cool


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## FriendsNotFood (Sep 21, 2010)

Wait what... your OEBTs eat limpets? Please explain. I have OEBTs in another tank, I'd be willing to risk putting a couple in with the betta if they ate the damn limpets! I'll mail you 100 limpets for free if you want.


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## will5 (Sep 30, 2005)

Just what is so bad about limpets?


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## FriendsNotFood (Sep 21, 2010)

will5 said:


> Just what is so bad about limpets?


Haha that's what I thought until they exploded. Cute when there's one, REALLY unsightly when there's hundreds of little white flying saucer looking things attached to the glass.


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

mordalphus said:


> I agree on the Excel not killing them, I triple dose Excel on my 50g high tech tank and its having a limpet bloom right now.


It did for me. And it killed the mini-ramshorns. The only change in that tank was the Excel and they all started dying. 

-Lisa


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## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

I thought assassins won't touch these things?


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## aznrice247 (Feb 1, 2012)

For some reason... they all died out after I neglected my RCS tank for like 1-2 weeks. like i didnt even turn on the lights so it was dark for the tank. I had 10 RCS and 3 amanos in there. Then i turned on the lights and bam all the limpets are gone and about 3 or 4 rcs's


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

will5 said:


> Just what is so bad about limpets?


Like any other pests, it makes me feel like my tank is dirty. Like I made some noob mistake, like not dipping my plants or overfeeding. I guess they make me feel like I somehow failed. But I'm overly hard on myself. 

-Lis


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

Another Social Disease of the planted tank

Practice Safe Planting, people :icon_excl:icon_excl:icon_excl

Don't let your lust for that new plant over-ride common sense. Next thing you know there's a tread with the OP saying, "I only did it once" or "I never thought it would happen to me"

10% Bleach dip is your friend.

:icon_mrgr


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

DogFish said:


> 10% Bleach dip is your friend.
> 
> :icon_mrgr


Potassium permanganate is better than bleach because delicate plants and mosses can't tolerate the bleach dip. 20 minute dip in the PP then a 30 minute soak in water with a lot of dechlorinated water and you're good to go. Some people prefer alum but I've searched high and low for it in grocery stores and can't find it here. It's used for canning. 

-Lisa


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## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

what are the directions for alum?

where can I get PP?


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

Soothing Shrimp said:


> what are the directions for alum?
> 
> where can I get PP?


I don't know about the alum, but someone here uses it, can't remember who. 

I got my PP in the fish section at Walmart. Jungle Clear Water. You're unlikely to find it anywhere else but online. If you buy online, make sure you get the liquid, not the crystals or pond tabs. 

-Lisa


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## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

Is pp dangerous to shrimp if I don't get enough off?

Just soak in straight pp?


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

Soothing Shrimp said:


> Is pp dangerous to shrimp if I don't get enough off?
> 
> Just soak in straight pp?


Get some kind of container you don't care about losing. I use one of those cheap use-n-toss Tupperware type containers; I marked mine in big black letters "FOR PLANT DIPPING ONLY." Fill it with enough water to submerge the plants. Put in enough PP to turn the water a dark pinky purply color--you won't need a lot--then put in the plants. I do delicates like mosses for ten minutes, tough stuff like anubias for 20. Rinse under the sink then into a container with a huge OD of Prime for about 30 minutes. Then rinse again and you're ready to go. Some people get extreme and soak for days but I guess it's up to each person to decide for themselves. I've personally never had critters survive a 10-20 minute dip in PP. I get a sick pleasure from looking at all the dead things in the bottom of the PP container. :icon_twis

-Lisa


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## Overgrowth (Feb 19, 2012)

Kunsthure said:


> Potassium permanganate is better than bleach because delicate plants and mosses can't tolerate the bleach dip. 20 minute dip in the PP then a 30 minute soak in water with a lot of dechlorinated water and you're good to go. Some people prefer alum but I've searched high and low for it in grocery stores and can't find it here. It's used for canning.
> 
> -Lisa


If I were to choose between PP and bleach I would use bleach; I think you only need 45 seconds to get all the nasties off the plant. I believe it's better to risk killing the plant and not having pests rather than not killing the plant but having pests. I haven't had very good luck with PP anyway.


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

Overgrowth said:


> If I were to choose between PP and bleach I would use bleach; I think you only need 45 seconds to get all the nasties off the plant. *I believe it's better to risk killing the plant and not having pests rather than not killing the plant but having pests.* I haven't had very good luck with PP anyway.


What?!?!?!?!?! You've obviously never bought expensive plants...

-Lisa


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

PP is only "Better" if you don't might turning everything _*PURPLE*_ :hihi:

I do tend to keep Rare Crypts and Buce vs. dainty stems so you may have a valid point, admittedly I don't have experience with them.

I have used a spray bottle with 10% bleach and my Taiwaan Moss lives on. 

The point of the post was don't bring in the nastys in the 1st place. :wink:

Hard to imagine one can't find Alum down south? Are you up in the Hills?


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

Overgrowth said:


> If I were to choose between PP and bleach I would use bleach; I think you only need 45 seconds to get all the nasties off the plant...


I feel much safer with the shorter dwell time for Bleach.


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## Overgrowth (Feb 19, 2012)

Kunsthure said:


> What?!?!?!?!?! You've obviously never bought expensive plants...
> 
> -Lisa


Most of the plants I have are available at Petco, like HC, so they're pretty cheap. :thumbsup:


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

I highly recommend PP as well for a dip. Much safer for the plants than bleach.

As for Limpets, I actually like the little buggers meself. I some how managed to erradicate all the ones I had. Not sure how I managed that feat. They don't bother me like Bladder or Pond snails do.

And here's a little tiddy that most don't know about Limpets....they will actually rasp on GSA.


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

DogFish said:


> PP is only "Better" if you don't might turning everything _*PURPLE*_ :hihi:


I've never had PP turn anything purple. Does this look purple?









I have been dipping a lot of plants recently while I was selling them so if PP would turn anything purple, it would be this. 



> Hard to imagine one can't find Alum down south? Are you up in the Hills?


I wish I were in the hills (I'd probably be able to find it there). But I'm near Richmond, VA.

-Lisa


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## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

Thanks Lisa. I think I'll do this with my softball size of java moss that I've been getting these unwanted critters from.


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## HighDesert (May 8, 2012)

Kunsthure said:


> I wish I were in the hills (I'd probably be able to find it there). But I'm near Richmond, VA.
> 
> -Lisa


Alum is used in pickling, so I wonder if you could find it in the canning section at Wal-Mart or Ace Hardware or something? If you can't find it out your way, let me know. I can pick some up and toss it in with your cholla.


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## hedge_fund (Jan 1, 2006)

I crush the limpets in my tank so shrimp can eat them. I do it every 2 days. I am actually having a bloom right now but they should disappear in the next few weeks. I don't think it's worth tearing down a healthy tank and sterilizing everything just to kill off some tiny snails. It takes time to get a nice healthy cycled tank going....definitely not worth it in my book.

I have a nice metal measuring scoop that you buy in the baking section...any limpet that I see on top of the tank gets crushed. This definitely keeps the population down.

On a side note....my limpet population usually goes up when I start removing pond/ramshorn snails. Limpets are very slow moving and eat algae the same way other snails do. If you kill off their competition then limpits should explode in numbers.


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

HighDesert said:


> Alum is used in pickling, so I wonder if you could find it in the canning section at Wal-Mart or Ace Hardware or something? If you can't find it out your way, let me know. I can pick some up and toss it in with your cholla.


I don't think my husband checked Walmart, but I'd bet they have it. I'm happy with my PP for now (how dirty does THAT sound?) so no need to take up precious cholla space for it.  I'm sure my limpets came in on my mysteries, not on plants. 

-Lisa


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## HighDesert (May 8, 2012)

You all may laugh at me, but where would I actually procure limpets? I have a tank I'd love to let them go to town in.


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## HighDesert (May 8, 2012)

Kunsthure said:


> I don't think my husband checked Walmart, but I'd bet they have it. I'm happy with my PP for now (how dirty does THAT sound?) so no need to take up precious cholla space for it.  I'm sure my limpets came in on my mysteries, not on plants.
> 
> -Lisa


Wal-Mart almost always has stuff like that this time of year.  It sounds VERY dirty... especially with mention of your husband in the preceding sentence... just sayin'... ;-)

I've got some loverly cholla picked out for you! ;-)


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

HighDesert said:


> You all may laugh at me, but where would I actually procure limpets? I have a tank I'd love to let them go to town in.


Somehow, I think Kunsthure has some she's be willing to give away! :hihi:


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

Complexity said:


> Somehow, I think Kunsthure has some she's be willing to give away! :hihi:


Yes, I'd love to give them away but I have no idea how to get them off the glass without killing them. 

-Lisa


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## hedge_fund (Jan 1, 2006)

HighDesert said:


> You all may laugh at me, but where would I actually procure limpets? I have a tank I'd love to let them go to town in.


I can send you 10-15 if you pay shipping. Reason why I say around 15 is that is how many I would catch before I lost my patience.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

When the heck is alum used for pickling? 
I pickled and can things all year long and this is the first I've even heard of it 0.o...
I feel like im missing out on a really obvious secret lol..

Also what the heck are mini ramshorns? Is it really a tiny ramshorn? Cause I would adore that.


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## cantsay39 (Jun 10, 2011)

i am netting them out... because i swirl too much.. or my hands is dirty.. one of my blue pearl dies.. and i change the water right away~


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## jczernia (Apr 16, 2010)

What type of PP does Wallmart is selling is it: Pond AmQuel Plus Instant Water Detoxifier 
Please help


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

jczernia said:


> What type of PP does Wallmart is selling is it: Pond AmQuel Plus Instant Water Detoxifier
> Please help


Jungle Clear Water. 

I can't think of a way to get the limpets off the glass and I highly doubt they'd survive shipping in this heat. 

Mini-ramshorns are pest snails that don't do anything. 









Instead of the shells being straight up, they're laid on the side. They're small and irritate me so they get smashed. 

-Lisa


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Those would be Gyraulus sp.


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## Michiba54 (Nov 24, 2011)

We use PP to clean something with are water softener, am not really sure what honestly... but I know we get it from Lowes. The container it comes in would last you the rest of your planted tank keeping life. Keep it sealed tight!

Here is a PP calculator, it recommends a 2hr dip at 20 ppm (parts per million...)

Dogfish, how much water and bleach do you normally use? You said 10% so would that be about 1 gallon of water to 12oz of bleach?

EDIT: link below is the same stuff we get.


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## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

http://menards.com/main/housewares/...lb-potassium-permanganate/p-134449-c-7106.htm

Found it at Menards. $26.37 for 5lbs

The same amount of Jungle clear water (roughly $2 per 2 ounces) would be $320.00


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## jczernia (Apr 16, 2010)

so this is it :


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## ValMM (Feb 22, 2011)

I really like my limpet. My roommate and I named it dinky. He is always on the glass, munching away on the algae. The bladder snails are always on the plants.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

ValMM said:


> I really like my limpet. My roommate and I named it dinky. He is always on the glass, munching away on the algae. The bladder snails are always on the plants.


Prepare to give name to hundreds more haha


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## ValMM (Feb 22, 2011)

sayurasem said:


> Prepare to give name to hundreds more haha


The thing is, I've had him for almost a month now. No babies yet. 
(we are hoping for more, my roommate wants a snail and limpet only tank)


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## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

ugh. I may have wanted them because they looked and sounded cute- IF I didn't know what a true nuisance they are to me now! (sigh)


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