# Killing Snails with Chemicals?



## Willcooper (May 31, 2015)

Have you seen any snails themselves? I see you mentioned eggs and then you removed them. I'm sure there could be more eggs that you missed but I would be hesitant to add snail killing chemicals. I'm sure someone here will point you to one but it would make me nervous. Maybe if you notice an actual snail invest in an assassin snail and let it clear them (it will do so fast) and then sell it back to your lfs. Just a thought from someone who hates to add anything chemically


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## wmnash (Dec 14, 2015)

There are several medications for eliminating parasites, especially planaria (flat worms) that also wipe out gastropods. I've never had the need to use any of them. But some members here can explain more, although you'll probably get the usual "I prefer not to use chemicals" or "Snails are harmless" opinions. Point of fact, sometimes we have no recourse but to use chemicals and snails are not harmless. They frequently are the source for introducing disease into a clean tank and depending on the species will happily eat many of your plants. 

Whenever I introduce new plants to one of my tanks I always let them soak for a couple of hours in a gallon of water in which I've mixed 2 tablespoons of Alum (hydrated potassium aluminum hydrate). Mixed in water it is incredibly astringent and acid. Snails basically pucker up and die, including their eggs. After a couple of hours I simply dunk the plants in fresh water then rinse them under running water. The worst that happens to the plants is that they suffer a shock of potassium for a brief period, but it doesn't hurt them at all. And any traces of alum that may remain on the plants quickly bonds with naturally occurring trace sulfates, ammonia and other minerals in your tank water. Alum is often an ingredient in your grandmother's pickle recipe. Humans have been using it for millennia. And you'll more than likely be adding a stronger version of potassium regularly to your tank if you dose the water column with Seachems or some other liquid "magic" for plants aka "chemicals." You buy alum in little containers at your local grocery store in the baking section where you'll find baking soda, pickling spices, and baking powder. It works great for getting rid of snails. Much better than dilute bleach. 

Good luck.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

I noticed a quick dip in meth blue, stains the eggs and make them easier to find, especially MTS with their easily hidden flat egg packs.


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## nbr1rodeoclown (Feb 6, 2015)

+1 assassin snails. They wont hurt your shrimp, they're too slow.


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## 3rdworldmon (Jul 22, 2015)

Yes, but assassin snails breed don't though? Isn't that just getting rid of one problem only to have an assassin snail population I can't rid of now?


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## boothie (Dec 20, 2015)

Is it too late to pull the plants out and soak them to kill the snail eggs? 

If so, then alum can be used to get rid of them. A quick rinse and the plants should be safe for the aquarium again.
InvertePonics: Getting Rid Of Unwanted Snails


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

I'll never understand the extent people go thru to get rid of snails? I never chemically treated anything, QT or whatever. Snails are only a problem with high organic levels and dying leaves. If your keeping shrimp that should be your goal anyway.


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## 3rdworldmon (Jul 22, 2015)

My goal is to not have snails. Sorry mate if that is something you don't understand.


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

3rdworldmon said:


> My goal is to not have snails. Sorry mate if that is something you don't understand.


I could understand not wanting snails to take over your tank. If that is happening it's a barometer that the tank is either being feed too much, dead or dying plant leaves aren't removed or maybe too many fish. That is the snails food source, so if those things are taken care of the snail population is held to a helpful number since they eat algae and process some of the decaying matter. 

Just suggesting that a few snails are good for your tank and you don't have to use chemicals to get rid of them.


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

The time to dip/soak or treat plant's for egg's of snail's is before you put the plant's in the tank.
Assassin snail's don't breed fast enough to become a problem.
Snail's in my tank's are welcome.
They move about through first few centimeter's of the substrate and around base of plant's and other area's where I cannot see the bit's of food that may be lying there, or decaying plant matter, and they eat the stuff and excrete that which they have eaten back onto the substrate where it becomes plant food.
Easy enough to catch them with bottle trap,or by placing a slice of zucchini inside a net placed flat on the bottom of the tank at light's out, and remove the net at first light where the majority will be found swarming all over the vegetable matter.


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## Willcooper (May 31, 2015)

I agree that snails play a positive part in my tank but if you don't want them I totally understand that as well. Assassins don't breed quickly enough to cause a problem. They will rid the tank of a lot of snails within a couple weeks and then you can just remove it or them. The veggie in the net over night is good to bring down a population but won't rid them as you desire. Someone mentioned chemicals not being bad and akined it to fertilizer. I disagree with that. But snail killing Chems I'm sure can be effective but just don't like the idea of something that kills that I can't see and that may not be terribly easy to completely remove from a tank


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## 3rdworldmon (Jul 22, 2015)

10-4 Right now I am waiting out the fishless cycle. I think my course of action will be as follows:

1. If no snails in the next couple of weeks add shrimp
2. If see snails before shrimp I will hit the whole tank with copper pennies or some chemical and use carbon to filter out (could take weeks however long to get the chemicals out)
3. If snails spotted after adding my shrimp/fish I will plop a couple of assassins and have a tank ready for them to go in after I remove from my 12 gal.

I appreciate your help guys and to clear things up, I don't mind snails normally it's just this tank I wanted a very specific way. I wanted it to be pristine nothing on the glass. Any of my other tanks are a good to go for snails just not this one.


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

3rdworldmon said:


> 10-4 Right now I am waiting out the fishless cycle. I think my course of action will be as follows:
> 
> 1. If no snails in the next couple of weeks add shrimp
> 2. If see snails before shrimp I will hit the whole tank with copper pennies or some chemical and use carbon to filter out (could take weeks however long to get the chemicals out)
> ...


 Very little copper in pennies.:wink2:


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## 3rdworldmon (Jul 22, 2015)

Don't forget to check out my tank journal post

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/12-tank-journals/1047266-3rdworldmon-12-gal-long-iwagumi.html


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