# Removing ramshorn snails in tank



## vwboy53 (Mar 31, 2005)

I have an infestation of ramshorn snails in my tank. Started off with one little blighter, and now tones. I have tried manually removing them, I thought I got rid of them, but every time they come back. 
My thought of the matter is that I use GULP ... poison... GULP , actually snail killer, the one for aquariums! 

Now I know many of you oppose the idea but I don't want to tear the tank down, namely cause I got a large nasty golden sucker, which is a very nervous sort and when I change water, it normally freaks out, and if I try to catch it it will probably hurt itself by smashing into the glass. 

So... I thought that I can remove all the snails I can find, and then use the poison to kill any hidden snails, and hopefully kill any eggs attached anywhere.

My Questions
1) Will it kill the eggs?
2) Any harmfull effects to the fish?


Any other advice / thoughts would be helpful.


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## Marc (Oct 13, 2004)

well some fish are known to eat snails. like dwarf puffers.


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## uncskainch (Feb 22, 2005)

I recently got a pair of clown loaches and the ramshorn and pond snails in my tank declined dramatically within the first few days. Mine seem to prefer the pond snails -- I see more empty pond snail shells at the bottom of the tank than ramshorn shells -- but I've seen them dispatch the ramshorns, too, and there was a noticeable decline in both populations very quickly.


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## Piscesgirl (Jan 20, 2004)

As a general rule, if your snail populations are increasing, then you are feeding too much. Try to reduce feeding and see how that goes.


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## vwboy53 (Mar 31, 2005)

I had a clown loach and did not really see to much of a difference, it died a few months later.
I never had a dwarf puffer, do they go well in community tanks?

Also the population has been steady, but I have been decreasing the food, now down to pinch of flakes twice a day, and two 3/4 piece of algae wafer discs, one in morning, other at afternoon. (other 1/4 for my small planted tank  )
I got 2 golden suckers, 5 albino cory's, two patched cory's, few playts, 2 cherry barbs, 1 dwarf gourami.

I normally don't see any leftover algae wafers after a few hours and I doubt it is getting in the filter.
Any tips or recommendations to what I should be decreasing my food to?


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## greerh (Jan 29, 2004)

I'm glad that I'm not the only one with a vegetarian clown loach. Mine's been hanging out with the SAE's to much. It's cute the way they school together. I have crushed snails and put them on the bottom before and he still goes for the flake food first! Also I've heard puffer's can be fin nippers. I think there are other loaches that also eat snails or perhaps buying a larger clown loach. I wondered if size was a factor. It might be worth looking at 
www.loaches.com
Heather
PS - If going the chemical route... the stuff that kills algae (algone) kills snails as well but isn't supposed to hurt fish. (Just make sure no java fern is in the tank.)


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## GraFFix (Feb 21, 2005)

I had a small baby clown loach, maybe an inch in size I bought for snail control. in about 2 weeks time he completely rid my tank of all snails...I think he took a few baby cherries as snacks also  it was fun wathcing him actually knock snails off leaves and the glass then race to the bottom to eat them. 
I actually wish i had a vegetarian one now...I had to take him back to the LFS so my baby cherries would survive. but he was a very fun fish to watch.


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## uncskainch (Feb 22, 2005)

My two clown loaches are young/small, too -- I'm not sure if their size makes a difference in their snail consumption or not. It could be that some just have a taste for snails while others don't? Mine have put a serious hurtin' on the snail population in a very short time, though.

Zebra loaches are also supposed to be good snail eaters. Dwarf puffers will eat a lot of snails, but from what I've read on this forum, they are not good fish to have in a community tank with other species. 

Slowing down the feeding ought to help, though. You can also try baiting the snails by putting a piece of vegetable matter at the bottom of the tank (weight it down with plant weights or skewer it on a fork) then remove it in the morning -- it should have lots of snails on it when you do.


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## aquaverde (Apr 15, 2003)

I had a whole lot of ramshorn snails. Now I have a pair of Angelicus loaches and whole lot of ramshorn snail shells.


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## Piscesgirl (Jan 20, 2004)

If you feel your feeding is about as low as it can get -- is there a lot of decaying plant matter the snails are eating? Otherwise, I would do as suggested above, float lettuce, etc. and remove them manually. Unless you like and want loaches, I would suggest buying them just for snail control. I have a tank full of loaches that I wish I could keep some snails in too.


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## vwboy53 (Mar 31, 2005)

It does seem the snails like snacking on my plants. I have tried baiting them with some special snail trap, but the problem is that my darn fish always end up in the trap trying to get food. When this happens, the trap opens up (in two halves) then fish and snails go their seperate ways in the tank.
Maybe I will have a go with a loach first (again!) and hope it's not vegetarian!


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## k_the_c (Oct 23, 2004)

Crush the shells (not with your bare hands) and let the fish eat the snail meat.


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## SnyperP (Dec 31, 2004)

My dwarf puffer did the job pretty well. The snails aren't completely gone, but they're drastically reduced. Theres still enough snails in there to breed and produce more food for him, but not enough to make them noticable or look unpleasant.


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## vwboy53 (Mar 31, 2005)

Just an update,
Well I decided to give another try at clown loaches, so I got two. They seem happy, and suddenly there seems to be less snails. I don't know if the loaches are having a feast, or the snails are hiding in fear :icon_twis .
Hope it works! 
Funny thing now is that I saw that my LFS sells ramshorn snails, and I asked if I bring some in, if I can get store credit. They said yep, but now my snails are disappearing!! Counter Productive!!!

Well I just hope to keep the snails in control, in order to make a nice planted tank. 

Thanks for all your help everyone!!!!! roud:


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## bigpow (May 24, 2004)

I think snails are slightly "challenged" to feel scared 

I have no doubt that your clowns would make the snails population completely extinct in a few weeks time.


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