Getting rid of trumphet snails, totally

[carlfsk]

My tank was invested with trumphet snails and I wanted to get rid of them. These snails are really smart. Whenever I add in the puffer, they willhide themselves. Once the puffer is removed, they appear again.

May I ask what is the most effective method in ridding the gravel of these snails? How can I ensure all are gine, including their eggs, both on the tank wall and those in the gravel?

1) Should I soak the gravel in hot water and scrub the tank with salt (table salt?) water?

2) Should I buy those snails killing solution to soak the gravel? Will these kills the eggs as well?

3) Or any other best method you guys can suggest?

Really appreciate your guidance as these snails are really getting on my nerves.

[nasty12]

you can try the assasin snail! they barrow into the earth after them as well^^
but do remove the empty shells after.~

[Navanod]

These snails do not lay eggs...they give birth to live youngs that are very tiny.
To be 100% sure of getting rid of them, your only option is to bring armageddon to the tank and bomb it with something nasty or remove all lifestocks and pour boiling water.

Once infested, the entire substrate will be full of these snails, from the tiny tiny ones to the large ones popping more babies. They can stay buried forever, so puffers are not very effective.

Helenas kills too slowly to be of much use unless you bring in an army...

Try some Helenas and reduce your feeding. Invest in a battery operated gravel vaccum thingie that can be used to vaccum the substrate without removing any water from the tank. Can be bought for less than $20.

By reducing the crap in the tank and feeding very little, and having the Helenas around, the snails will starve as they hide underground. But it'll take a long time before they die out.

[mozaqua]

MTS are very resilient snails. They are also immune to many treatments that would kill regular Physa snails.

Treating the gravel as you described would be dangerous. I would not recommend it! Since you will be killing the Beneficial bacteria.

Puffers eat MTS? Never heard that. MTS also live in the substrate, so they can hide from most predators.

Killer/Assassin snails work very effectively. Problem with them is they will eat every snail, so if you have Pet snails don't use!

[stormhawk]

My tried and tested method:

1) Wait for nightfall, keep the tank dark.
2) They will start crawling up the sides of the tank when it is very dark.
3) Remove with a net, tweezer, even your bare hands if necessary.
4) Focus mostly on the adults, because they are the ones responsible for the tiny babies.

NOTE: They will react quickly if you switch on the lights. So remove them as fast as you can.

I did that and they never came back. You don't need Assassin Snails, don't need chemicals, don't need a puffer whatsoever. Just rinse and repeat every night till you don't see them any more.

[celticfish]

If you decide to go for armageddon make sure the volume of hot water is great.
The substarte can provide very good insulation for the lower layers so you will need to stir too.

Assasin snails work but very slowly.

I concur with stormhawk's suggestion but you will need to mechanically remove them youself!

The ones I hate most are the small ring like ones!!!

[stormhawk]

The ones I hate most are the small ring like ones!!!

Now THOSE are a pain, I agree.

I got a few, but have learnt to ignore them. Every now and then I'll find an empty shell, then I know my apistos have killed them.