How to get rid of snails?

[oldstone]

i found after i introduced two ballon rams into my tank, all the baby snails are gone (about tens of them)! that might be a esay way to control the snails in the tank. but i actually want to keep the baby snails.haha..
not sure if the ram will die or not after eating the snails.

[beetroot]

There many many species of aquatic snails. Different snails have their own different requirements (diet included).

What is the shape of the shell like?

Here you go... this is the 3mm little snail. So is it a pond snail? A pest? How big would it grow?

[Quixotic]

Yes, common pond snails, but I think they are the smaller species, so will stay small. However, they are hermaphrodites and I think they are able to self-fertilise. So watch your feeding, any excess food may induce a population explosion, which would then be considered as pests.

But if their numbers can be controlled, they will help remove uneaten food and clear algae in your tank.

[beetroot]

Thank you, sir . Will monitor situation then.

[beetlejuice403]

Here you go... this is the 3mm little snail. So is it a pond snail? A pest? How big would it grow?

Hi beetroot,

have these snails before also in my tanks (guessed they come from the plants that I bought from the LFSs...). The biggest that I had before was abouth 1cm+/- before it died on me... [However, while it was alive, it produced far too many baby snails of its kind inmy tank also... ]

PEST if it over-populates your tank (overfeeding your fish/shrimps); PETS if you manage to control its population & let it clean up your tank efficiently... [The difference is just in the spelling... ]

Regards.

[beetroot]

hahaha, thanks beetlejuice403. so you kept them as both pets and pest. but 1cm+ = not cute . i'll keep and see how it goes... cheers .

[andrew73]

What do snail eggs look like? Is that in the AQ gallery too? Don't want to come back from my upcoming trip and see my tank infested with snails!

[beetlejuice403]

What do snail eggs look like? Is that in the AQ gallery too? Don't want to come back from my upcoming trip and see my tank infested with snails!

Hi Andrew73,

will try to get a shot of snails' eggs if possible (finding it in my tanks should be no problem but not sure if my mobile can take sharp enough pictures for that... )

Normally if there's no/little overfeeding, there should not be an explosion in the snail's population...

Cheers!

[andrew73]

I managed to take some shots, albeit pretty crappy ones! Hope someone can help me identify the snail species and if the gelatinous thing are indeed snail eggs, which I'd have to get rid of, considering I'm going to be away for a week! I don't want to come back and see the tank windows infested, although that might mean a feast for a mini puffer! Haha!

[beetroot]

Urgghh... are those snail eggs in Andrew73's post? Never seen them before. Looks slimy and creepy....
Beetlejuice, do they look like that?

[Quixotic]

Yes, andrew73, those are the common pond snail eggs covered in jelly like substance. Those snails are from the same family as beetroot's, just difficult to differentiate and identify to the species level.

[andrew73]

Quixotic,

So I guess I'll have to wait and see in a week how my tank turns out! I'm dropping a 3day food pellet after the last feed so that should 'control' the feeding?

What's your suggestion, Quixotic? THanks!

[beetlejuice403]

Yup andrew73 & beetroot, those are eggs of common pond snails species. Their eggs are normally laid in a clump of softer (to me more yuckier) jelly-like gel to the touch...

Managed to take some pics of Ramshorn's eggs in my tanks below but need to find out how to delete photos previously uploaded into AQ first... To me, Ramshorn's eggs are less slimy, harder... Each clump can hatch to around 10 snailets (+/-)...

Andrew73, do you mean you are dropping in 3 days' food into your tank just before you leave for your trip? Do you have a food timer instead as I'm afraid that it may cause the water quality to turn bad with those unfinished food in the tank... Furthermore, this may further attract the snails to increase its 'production' instead... Possible to ask some relatives to feed your fishes for you while you are away?

Regards.

[beetlejuice403]

Ok, managed to search around on how to delete images (very siong man... )

Here are the 2 pics I'd taken on Ramshorn's eggs:


Eggs laid on plants


Eggs laid on the glass surface

Both clumps of eggs looks ready for the snailets to be hatched soon in a few days time...

Hope it's useful...

[andrew73]

Beetlejuice,

Too late! I fed them a bit more than usual but dropped in a 3day food tablet, hoping it'll suffice. Was told that overfeeding them a bit in days leading to their 'hungry week' and dropping the 3day tablet would be ok, for up to a week.

In hindsight, I'll get my neighbour to drop by and feed them when he's able, I think. I'm keeping my finger crossed they'll be ok, regardless of whether the snails are there or not. If they've multiplied, I'll have a task of removing them. If not, I guess it's a lesson learnt!

I don't suppose I can sell those snail, can I? Haha!

[beetroot]

So andrew73, what has happened to your tank?? need a puffer now?