# Removing Pond Snails



## DishyFishy (Jul 17, 2011)

Algae wafers work too if you've got any of those. Stick a few in and they'll be covered in snails in like an hour.


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## JasonG75 (Mar 1, 2011)

lettuce in a jar NEVER worked for me.


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## goodeye--sniper (Apr 2, 2012)

I love the wafer idea but all of my fish LOVE them. They'd be gone before the snails even got there


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

The lettuce trick never worked for me because they'd all fall off as soon as I'd move the lettuce. 

If you don't want to go the assassin route, don't feed as much and pick them out by hand. Just a few every night and eventually they'll be gone. Be vigilant for egg sacs and destroy them. 

Something to note, assassins prefer pond, bladder and ramshorn snails to MTS. Once an assassin has taken care of the snails, RAOK him to someone else who needs an assassin. 

-Lisa


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## blissskr (Oct 9, 2007)

A yoyo loach would eradicate them within a short time if you can get one but if keep it you'd need a bigger tank. But if you can temporarily house one then return it for credit or something to your lfs it could solve your issue.


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## Soujirou (Jun 16, 2008)

If you are going to use a betta container, you may have to cut it down to size and smooth the sharp edges. You could buy a petri dish (and cover) for less than $5 (includes shipping) on Amazon. I use one for Repashy food and my ramshorns swarm it, so it'd be pretty easy to reduce their population if I needed to.


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## In2wishin (Aug 10, 2011)

I never had much luck with the lettuce trick either. Cut down on the amount you are feeding and hand pick them out. Go in the room when the lights are out and use a flashlight to see them on the glass. You will be able to get more of them in one trip that way.

Also, any snails you remove, make sure they are dried up and completely dead before disposing of them. You don't want to start a local infestation of non-native anything.


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## DishyFishy (Jul 17, 2011)

U could put the algae wafer in something the snails could get into but not ur fish.


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## goodeye--sniper (Apr 2, 2012)

Would it help to ziplock the snails and then throw them out so they can't escape?

Would the yoyo kill my MTS or RCS? That might be an easier route for me and then return it a week later.


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

goodeye--sniper said:


> Would the yoyo kill my MTS or RCS? That might be an easier route for me and then return it a week later.


Yes and possibly. But this is the worst and cruelest option. You're stressing the fish by putting it in your tank then stressing it again by taking it back. Loaches are very susceptible to Ich when stressed, so you may very well kill it. You don't want Ich in your tank and the LFS owner doesn't want Ich in his, or a dead fish he can't sell. If you want the lazy option, get some assassins, don't be cruel to an innocent fish. 

Or you could just stop overfeeding and pick them out by hand. 

-Lisa


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## goodeye--sniper (Apr 2, 2012)

I didn't even think about the loach! I feel terrible 
I think I will just have to pull them out by hand over the course of the next few weeks. Hopefully that helps cut down their population


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## DishyFishy (Jul 17, 2011)

I don't get why everyone is so against stressing/hurting fish. But squishing/crunching/throwing away hundreds of snails is just not big deal. Technically, you're still hurting innocent little animals.

Not attacking anyone, b/c I too squish snails. It's just weird how I am all sad if I lose a fish, but I can make a bloodbath out of some snails and totally not have the same feelings lol. I guess it's b/c they annoy us!


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

I made a snail trap by using a rubber band to attach a string to the mouth of a test tube. I bait the trap with food and place in the tank, with the string hanging out. Then simply pull out the trap when it has snails in it.

I have one tank with Zipper loaches the extra snails go in there. With diligence you can eliminate the pond snails selectively with out resorting to chemical warfare.

I keep Red Ramshorns and MTS. So I want them to survive. I do cull the Ramshorns from time to time. removing the adults. I also cull out the brown Ramshorns.

I will say that my fish and even my cherry shrimp do like to feast on smooched snails :hihi:


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## goodeye--sniper (Apr 2, 2012)

I would love to give my shrimp the extra food supply (they've yet to breed, probably because my fish eat everything before it can get to the bottom of the tank) but just the feeling of the shell cracking under my finger freaks me out so much! I feel awful killing them


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## In2wishin (Aug 10, 2011)

goodeye--sniper said:


> Would it help to ziplock the snails and then throw them out so they can't escape?


I wouldn't take the chance. Just drop them into a glass or bowl big enough so they can't escape and make sure there is no water in it. If you have family close by or a neighbor, you can always ask them to squish the snails for you so you can feed them to your shrimp. 

I just thought of something: If the issue is the crunch under your fingers, put them in a plastic bag and use a book or something to squish them.


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

DishyFishy said:


> I don't get why everyone is so against stressing/hurting fish. But squishing/crunching/throwing away hundreds of snails is just not big deal. Technically, you're still hurting innocent little animals.
> 
> Not attacking anyone, b/c I too squish snails. It's just weird how I am all sad if I lose a fish, but I can make a bloodbath out of some snails and totally not have the same feelings lol. I guess it's b/c they annoy us!


Because fish can be stressed, suffer and die lingering deaths. Smashing a snail is instant death. If you want to try a truly cruelty-free way to kill snails, put them in the fridge or freezer. The cold puts them to sleep and they never know a thing. 

-Lisa


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## DishyFishy (Jul 17, 2011)

Kunsthure said:


> Because fish can be stressed, suffer and die lingering deaths. Smashing a snail is instant death. If you want to try a truly cruelty-free way to kill snails, put them in the fridge or freezer. The cold puts them to sleep and they never know a thing.
> 
> -Lisa



Really? I might do that next time.


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

DishyFishy said:


> Really? I might do that next time.


That's what I was told by the snail expert on my previous fish forum. 

-Lisa


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## EntoCraig (Jun 7, 2010)

Why not just pick up an assassin snail or 2? They guys keep my snail populations under control.


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