# Ponds snails kill EVERYTHING



## Kehy (Feb 5, 2012)

Seriously, mine keep eating my plants, had to rescue my java fern, crypts, dwarf lillies, Alth. Renekii, and I've even seen them going to town on spiders and shrimp (guess I know where my shrimp went, darn).
I do feed them sometimes, but there's probably 50+ in just one 1.5 gallon tank...any hope, or do I need to call in the assassins?


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## Bananariot (Feb 28, 2012)

You should probably introduce assassin snails. They might attack your shrimp but I doubt it. Also, I don't know if its your snails causing the deaths. Most of time they rapidly multiply because of excessive feeding or such. They USUALLY, I say this because nothing is a certainty, don't eat plants. They are also WAY to slow to catch and eat shrimp, assassins are able to do it because they can stun but pond snails can't. So I would investigate what is killing your shrimp, because it isn't the snails hunting em down.


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## austin.b (Feb 9, 2012)

If your overfeeding your tank, your params will reflect it. What are they?


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## AW0L (Jan 15, 2004)

Pond snails are s mostly scavengers. If they are eatting your plants then the plants could be unhealthy/ rotting or dificient causing some of you water peramaters to go out of wack which in turn could kill shrimps. Check to see if tour providing enough light or mediuim for your plants aswell as water parameters


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

I have it on word from Msjinkzd herself that assassins won't go after shrimp if there are plenty of snails to eat. 

The Petco in the fancy part of town is selling assassins, so if you have a fancy one, check it out. But I see assassins in the SnS all the time. 

-Lisa


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## Kehy (Feb 5, 2012)

I don't have shrimp anymore, this tank seems to kill them, the snails just went after the bodies, so for the longest time I couldn't figure out where they went. As far as plants go, these were very healthy crypts, lillies, and so on. They almost always went for the lilly first though, probably since its leaves are much more delicate. After that, it was new leaves on all the plants, again, probably more tender and delicious. I really doubt I was over feeding - I only fed every other day, and half a mini algae wafer. Could it be from starvation instead?


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## reefdive (Aug 16, 2011)

Drop a piece of vegetable weighted with something ( a fork ) on a string and pull as many out as you care to . Crushed they are also great food for many fish and Shrimps . Assasins are a heck of a lot prettier though but it takes a while for them to clean a tank 6 months to more than a year


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

I agree, try to trap and remove them. They might really be starving and going after the only thing to eat. I know it's gross, but I smash them against the glass or I crush them and feed them to my rainbows. That has significantly dropped the population. Also look for egg sacs above the water line. I'd say they're about 1/4" wide, gelatinous and you can see little white specks in them. Remove those too. I went from finding multiple a night to finding one maybe every few days now. And I know the assassins aren't getting them because I haven't seen any pond snail shells in the tank.

-Lisa


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## Kehy (Feb 5, 2012)

These are pond snails, they lay their eggs on plant leaves under the water, which makes them much harder to find. I have been trapping and flushing them. Also, nearly OD-ing your tank with co2 until they start coming out of the water works pretty well. Got at least 30 from my 2.5 vase, still more in there. Poor guppies though, but they're doing ok. I'll probably get a couple of assassins for long term control, even with trapping.


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## Bandit1200 (Dec 11, 2010)

Why are you flushing them? You should realize that's where the problems with invasive species come from. That's also why we have legislation banning species thereby preventing ME from having those species legally.


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## Kehy (Feb 5, 2012)

I have faith in the ability of humans to create toxic waste strong enough to kill snails, and then flush it down the toilet. Seriously, dorm bathrooms after tacobell nights. 

Also, I really don't have anywhere else to put them. They crawl out of my garbage. I could dump them in the yard, but then the birds might pick them up and take them to the local waterways. By flushing them, I allow the brilliant sewage system we created to clean the water to do its job. The chemicals we intentionally and unintentially put down the drain can make it hazardous to humans, much less aquatic life.


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## CatB (Jan 29, 2012)

Kehy said:


> I have faith in the ability of humans to create toxic waste strong enough to kill snails, and then flush it down the toilet. Seriously, dorm bathrooms after tacobell nights.
> 
> Also, I really don't have anywhere else to put them. They crawl out of my garbage. I could dump them in the yard, but then the birds might pick them up and take them to the local waterways. By flushing them, I allow the brilliant sewage system we created to clean the water to do its job. The chemicals we intentionally and unintentially put down the drain can make it hazardous to humans, much less aquatic life.


well, that's why you smush them i mean... if you don't have anywhere to put them. at least smush before flushing. stranger things have happened than a snail surviving the sewers.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Hm... It's already been stated but pond snails are not known for killing shrimps. Sure.. they might eat your plants (if your plants are already dying) but nothing living.

Can you take a picture of said snails?


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## comet (Jun 10, 2006)

Boil a pot of water and cook them. Don't flush them live or put them outside. 
Plant scraps; dry them out in a warm (250deg.) oven on a cookie sheet until they are crispy!


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