How to Get Rid of Snails from an Aquarium?
A better way of saying is nailing aquarium snails infestation.
Actually, the presence of snails in aquarium is not necessarily a bad thing. Aquarium snails perform the role of a “clean-up crew” as they eat excess food, and decaying plants and fish matter. As they burrow through the substrate, they also help to oxygenate it.
However, aquarium snails multiply like wildfire, and a population explosion can lead to the destruction of your aquatic plants, mar the appearance of your aquarium, and even upset its ecological balance.
The aquarium snails themselves may be very small, and their eggs are even more minute! Thus, they can be easily introduced into an aquarium through plants, decorations, gravel or other items derived from external sources of infestation.
It may require a little effort to thoroughly clean or sterilize all items before you add them to your aquarium, but this better than tackling full-blown aquarium snails infestation.
Five Ways of Handling Snail Problems
1. Manual Removal
This is the most straightforward solution. Reach into the tank and pick the aquarium snails out as you spot them. This method requires plenty of patience on your part.
Another method is to weigh down a piece of food, such as lettuce, on an overturned dish and leave it in the tank for a few hours after turning off the lights. This attracts the aquarium snails, which will soon converge on the plates. Lift out plate and dispose of the snails.
If you have bottom-feeding fish, prevent them from getting to the bait first by storing the food within a canister with holes that are big enough for the aquarium snails to go through.
2. Control Feeding
Feed your fish as much as they can completely consume within a few minutes, as this means less food is left behind to nourish the aquarium snails.
3. Snail-Eating Fish
This is the solution that requires the least amount of effort, and you may end up acquiring new and interesting fish for your aquarium too.
Common snail-eating fish include varieties of Cichlids, Catfish, Gourami and Bettas. Some fish species are better at eating aquarium snails than others, and each may have their won preference for different species of snail.
How far the aquarium snails population declines will depend on the types of fish you decide to use, their feeding patterns, how much food the fish are provided with the types of snails inhabiting your aquarium.
4. Snail-Killing Chemicals
Avoid this method. Anything designed to kill aquarium snails probably isn’t all that great for your ish and plants either. Never add chemicals to your tank unless you know exactly what the risks and likely side effects are. Most snail-killing chemicals contain high levels of copper.
If the chemical used kills a massive number of aquarium snails, it will result in a large amount of decaying matter and, in turn, high ammonia levels to contaminate the aquarium. If you do choose such methods, follow up with plenty of small partial water changes. Change at least 10 per cent of the water every other day for a week, check the filter, and test the ammonia level regularly during this period.
5. Tear Down the Aquarium Setup Completely
This should only be done as last resort. The only way to rid your tank of aquarium snails is to start all over again - this means removing and sterilizing everything in the tank, including the gravel, filters, plants tank and even the aquarium hood (yes, it’s possible for eggs to be attached to it!). To do this, you must have a place to hold your fish while the aquarium undergoes a new cycling process (that is, establishing colonies of beneficial bacteria).
These methods will not help to eradicate aquarium snails completely – they merely keep the population in check. After the initial weeks of snail warfare, occasional intervention will still be required to keep the numbers from getting out of control again.
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Dec 22nd 2006
11:58 PM
Would you suggest having sails?
I’ve been keeping fish for years, since I was 13. I have never had a problem with snails.
I set up a tank at my girlfriend’s and them BAM! 100’s of them. Should I steal one or two from her tank?
Dec 23rd 2006
2:48 AM
Hi Baby Jebus,
Stealing one or two snails from her tank won’t help get rid of the snail completely. Snails multiply extremely fast, so you best bet is to follow the steps I lay out above.
Hope that helps!
Jan 15th 2008
8:18 AM
Hi there
I just read you’re very helpful article on getting rid of snails, I was wondering if you could advise me further on what to do. I read the article just after I had put one dose of ‘Snail Rid’ into my 80 litre tank (the instructions say to wait three days and put in another). At the moment my tank is a planted tank with no fish (it has been cycling for 3 and a half weeks) and I was hoping to put fish into it in a few days). I really regret putting the chemical in now and wondered what you think would be the best course to take. Its not over-run yet by snalis, I probably see about 6 or
7 when I put the light on. I have however had problems before with them over running my tank.
Thanks and regards
Robyn
Jan 15th 2008
8:20 AM
Hi Robyn,
I see you have a slimy situation here!
What’s done, CAN be undone. Since you have already wasted 3½ weeks without much success, I recommend you to start all over (hope I’m not too late!). What you think you saw may not be what it actually has, believe you me there are many more snails if you really scrutinize your plants and tank.
Remember to sterilize everything thoroughly and leave no stone unturned. Once you done with the cycling and adding the fish and plants, keep a close watch for the next few days. If you spotted a couple snails, you might want to use the first three steps I’ve outlined on the article.
Hope this helps! And thanks for visiting my site.
Feb 8th 2008
6:29 PM
Is it ok for these snails and eggs to go down the drain if we have a septic system??
Feb 8th 2008
6:32 PM
I just cleaned my tank out for the first time since my snail infestation. There are 100’s of eggs laid in my plastic plants. How do I kill them all?? Can I just boil the plants?? Help!
Feb 8th 2008
9:51 PM
Hi Jennifer,
To both of your questions, yes it is possible to do what you suggested but it is not going to get rid of them completely. Your tank still have to be thoroughly cleaned as well as other things you have in your tank.
Do follow the steps outlined above and see how it goes.
Hope this helps!
Mar 16th 2008
2:24 AM
To whom this may concern,
I have a forty gallon tank with four 5 inch piranhas. The tank probably has 100 baby snails, and they keep coming.Is it possible to add salt to the water to rid the tank of snails?
Mar 18th 2008
11:22 AM
you could kill the fish before you kill the snails. it’s best to smash the snails as they appear. even if it means stabbing them with a stick over the next couple months. sooner or later your time will be rewarded with a snail free environment.
Apr 27th 2008
6:43 PM
I’ve just found a single adult pond snail in my plant quantine tank. My plants have already undergone TWO seperate bleach baths and quarantine sessions. As my weakened sad looking plants could not handle another anti-snail treatment a different approach is needed.
Question: Would adding a few snail eating fish ERADICATE the snail problem? or just keep down the numbers?
Thanks guys.
Aug 14th 2008
10:26 AM
Read #3.. I don’t think it will completely solve the problem. I bought some african dwarf frogs a few weeks ago and shortly after I noticed a snail. I thought it was so cool, and was happy to have it.. until now. 100s of snails in my 12 gallon tank! I didn’t want to do it before, but it looks like I’m gonna have to go on a killing spree. Damn snails