Best way to clean my molly tank of snails?

[Salvelinus]

I have a 30 gallon hex tank that is running nicely (healthy plants,
good water quality), that has 5 adult mollies and 7 four week-old
babies in it.

The tank is being totally over-run by trumpet snails. Two months ago I
noticed a single large snail, and now there are hundreds if not
thousands of little ones. They are doing a good job of cleaning algae
and aren't eating the plants (which I understand trumpets don't do),
but I feel that there are just too many.

The water has some salt in it - about 0.5-1 tsp/gallon since the
mollies seem to like it better than when I had them in strictly fresh
water. pH is 7.5, and I keep it at 79 degrees.

I was thinking about temporarily putting a couple of loaches in to
clean up the snails. I just started a 55g tank and would move the
loaches into it once the snails are gone and the new tank is cycled.

How would the loaches fair in the molly tank? Would they get along
with the mollies, and are the water conditions ok for them? These
mollies are very engergetic, and use the whole water column in the tank
(even pick the bottom clean after a feeding - they are real pigs!).

[Marco Schwarz]

Hi..

> I have a 30 gallon hex tank that is running nicely (healthy plants,
> good water quality), that has 5 adult mollies and 7 four week-old
> babies in it.

Fine.

Best way to clean your molly tank of snails:

Dip some green salad into boiling water, then into
cold water, fix it inside the tank, 1-3 hours later you
are able to remove that leaf covered by snails.

Do that as often as necessary.

Good luck!
--
cu
Marco, green salad instructor.. ;-)

[Rocco Moretti]

Salvelinus wrote:
> The tank is being totally over-run by trumpet snails.
>
> I was thinking about temporarily putting a couple of loaches in to
> clean up the snails.

Note that Trumpet snail are notorious for being resistant to preditors
(hard shells, etc.) Before you commit yourself to biological control,
make sure that the species of loach can handle trumpets.

Probably the best way to control them is to control the amount of food
you give them - they'll only reproduce to the level at which they can
sustain themselves. If you watch how much you're feeding your mollies,
the food availible to snails will decrease, and the number of snails
will decrease. Couple that with manual removal, and you should be able
to bring the number of snails down.

[Salvelinus]

Thanks for the suggestions!

To clarify a couple of things:
1) will the snails go for the salad? They're completely ignoring the
tons of live plants (they do eat algae off of the live plants though).
2) by salad you mean lettuce? Any particular variety work better
(iceberg, romaine, etc)?
3) Won't the mollies go to town on the green stuff? They don't eat
live plant material, but do enjoy algae and will chow on the occasional
bit of green that I feed them, or when a leaf breaks free of a plant.

[Marco Schwarz]

Hi..

> 1) will the snails go for the salad?

Absolutely.

> 2) by salad you mean lettuce?

http://www.marions-kochbuch.de/index/0577.htm

That kind of green salad (picture).

> 3) Won't the mollies go to town on the green stuff?

Of course, mollies and other life bearers like to eat green
salad, too.

Try to catch the snails is in the evening when light is off.

--
cu
Marco

[Marco Schwarz]

> Try to catch the snails is in the evening when light is off.
- is


--
cu
Marco

[Elaine T]

Rocco Moretti wrote:
> Salvelinus wrote:
>
>> The tank is being totally over-run by trumpet snails.
>> I was thinking about temporarily putting a couple of loaches in to
>> clean up the snails.
>
>
> Note that Trumpet snail are notorious for being resistant to preditors
> (hard shells, etc.) Before you commit yourself to biological control,
> make sure that the species of loach can handle trumpets.
>
> Probably the best way to control them is to control the amount of food
> you give them - they'll only reproduce to the level at which they can
> sustain themselves. If you watch how much you're feeding your mollies,
> the food availible to snails will decrease, and the number of snails
> will decrease. Couple that with manual removal, and you should be able
> to bring the number of snails down.

I was just about to post the same thing. Feed less and you will
eventually have fewer MTS. Don't worry about getting rid of all of
them. They're great for maintaining the gravel bed in planted tanks.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[ToeKnee]

On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 12:44:52 -0600, Rocco Moretti
> wrote:

>Salvelinus wrote:
>> The tank is being totally over-run by trumpet snails.
>>
>> I was thinking about temporarily putting a couple of loaches in to
>> clean up the snails.
>
>Note that Trumpet snail are notorious for being resistant to preditors
>(hard shells, etc.) Before you commit yourself to biological control,
>make sure that the species of loach can handle trumpets.


100% one of my tanks has a huge MTS issue. I offer the Clown Loaches
regular ramshorn on a regular basis from one of the other tanks. I
did not notice the MTS in the mix. During my recent move I drained
and moved about 200 gallons of water from four tanks. This tank (45)
was completely drained. Holes/voids in the substrate were formed
during the move, the water was very evident on one side (slanted
resting place)

That is when I saw them... several hundred snails.. many around an
inch long. I've been slowly sifting the substrate (black sand) and
have removed tons and tons.

In my Snail farm tank (female guppies and a lone cory) I cull them by
starving the tank for a few days, dropping in a algae/veggie disk at
bed time, then scooping out a ball of snails when I get up in the
morning.always amazes me how many I get.

Good luck!


--Tony

[Charles]

On 9 Jan 2006 10:01:52 -0800, "Salvelinus" >
wrote:

>I have a 30 gallon hex tank that is running nicely (healthy plants,
>good water quality), that has 5 adult mollies and 7 four week-old
>babies in it.
>
>The tank is being totally over-run by trumpet snails. Two months ago I
>noticed a single large snail, and now there are hundreds if not
>thousands of little ones. They are doing a good job of cleaning algae
>and aren't eating the plants (which I understand trumpets don't do),
>but I feel that there are just too many.
>
>The water has some salt in it - about 0.5-1 tsp/gallon since the
>mollies seem to like it better than when I had them in strictly fresh
>water. pH is 7.5, and I keep it at 79 degrees.
>
>I was thinking about temporarily putting a couple of loaches in to
>clean up the snails. I just started a 55g tank and would move the
>loaches into it once the snails are gone and the new tank is cycled.
>
>How would the loaches fair in the molly tank? Would they get along
>with the mollies, and are the water conditions ok for them? These
>mollies are very engergetic, and use the whole water column in the tank
>(even pick the bottom clean after a feeding - they are real pigs!).


Convert the mollies to sal****er. Probably wouldn't do the palnts any
good, though. I have a problem with the snails as well. No solution,
yet.

[Roy]

Add a few thin slices of zuchinni squash to the tank in the evening
just before you turn the tanks lights out. In the morning, have a net
ready and just scoop out the floating zuchinni slices that should be
covered in snaills. Rinse em off and repeat every night until you
reduce them to the number you want. I have used zuchinni slices for
years to keep my snails at resonable numbers or to totally clean out a
tank of them.....Cheap easy and it works.


On 9 Jan 2006 10:01:52 -0800, "Salvelinus" >
wrote:
>><>I have a 30 gallon hex tank that is running nicely (healthy plants,
>><>good water quality), that has 5 adult mollies and 7 four week-old
>><>babies in it.
>><>
>><>The tank is being totally over-run by trumpet snails. Two months ago I
>><>noticed a single large snail, and now there are hundreds if not
>><>thousands of little ones. They are doing a good job of cleaning algae
>><>and aren't eating the plants (which I understand trumpets don't do),
>><>but I feel that there are just too many.
>><>
>><>The water has some salt in it - about 0.5-1 tsp/gallon since the
>><>mollies seem to like it better than when I had them in strictly fresh
>><>water. pH is 7.5, and I keep it at 79 degrees.
>><>
>><>I was thinking about temporarily putting a couple of loaches in to
>><>clean up the snails. I just started a 55g tank and would move the
>><>loaches into it once the snails are gone and the new tank is cycled.
>><>
>><>How would the loaches fair in the molly tank? Would they get along
>><>with the mollies, and are the water conditions ok for them? These
>><>mollies are very engergetic, and use the whole water column in the tank
>><>(even pick the bottom clean after a feeding - they are real pigs!).

--
\\\|///
( @ @ )
-----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------


oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder! Koi-ahoi mates....

[NetMax]

I've also read that a cooked piece of meat on a string overnight will
collect them that way.
--
www.NetMax.tk

"Roy" > wrote in message
...
> Add a few thin slices of zuchinni squash to the tank in the evening
> just before you turn the tanks lights out. In the morning, have a net
> ready and just scoop out the floating zuchinni slices that should be
> covered in snaills. Rinse em off and repeat every night until you
> reduce them to the number you want. I have used zuchinni slices for
> years to keep my snails at resonable numbers or to totally clean out a
> tank of them.....Cheap easy and it works.
>
>
> On 9 Jan 2006 10:01:52 -0800, "Salvelinus" >
> wrote:
>>><>I have a 30 gallon hex tank that is running nicely (healthy plants,
>>><>good water quality), that has 5 adult mollies and 7 four week-old
>>><>babies in it.
>>><>
>>><>The tank is being totally over-run by trumpet snails. Two months
>>>ago I
>>><>noticed a single large snail, and now there are hundreds if not
>>><>thousands of little ones. They are doing a good job of cleaning
>>>algae
>>><>and aren't eating the plants (which I understand trumpets don't do),
>>><>but I feel that there are just too many.
>>><>
>>><>The water has some salt in it - about 0.5-1 tsp/gallon since the
>>><>mollies seem to like it better than when I had them in strictly
>>>fresh
>>><>water. pH is 7.5, and I keep it at 79 degrees.
>>><>
>>><>I was thinking about temporarily putting a couple of loaches in to
>>><>clean up the snails. I just started a 55g tank and would move the
>>><>loaches into it once the snails are gone and the new tank is cycled.
>>><>
>>><>How would the loaches fair in the molly tank? Would they get along
>>><>with the mollies, and are the water conditions ok for them? These
>>><>mollies are very engergetic, and use the whole water column in the
>>>tank
>>><>(even pick the bottom clean after a feeding - they are real pigs!).
>
> --
> \\\|///
> ( @ @ )
> -----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------
>
>
> oooO
> ---------( )----Oooo----------------
> \ ( ( )
> \_) ) /
> (_/
> The original frugal ponder! Koi-ahoi mates....

[Larry Blanchard]

Salvelinus wrote:

> I was thinking about temporarily putting a couple of loaches in to
> clean up the snails.**I*just*started*a*55g*tank*and*would*move* the
> loaches into it once the snails are gone and the new tank is cycled.

I doubt the loaches will completely eradicate the snails, they'll just
get most of them. As soon as you move them out, the snails start
increasing again. At least that's been my experience.

Has anyone tried "Had-a-Snail"? Supposedly harmless to fish and plants,
but will kill invertebrates.

--
It's turtles, all the way down

[Charles]

On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 16:19:51 -0800, Larry Blanchard
> wrote:

>Salvelinus wrote:
>
>> I was thinking about temporarily putting a couple of loaches in to
>> clean up the snails.**I*just*started*a*55g*tank*and*would*move* the
>> loaches into it once the snails are gone and the new tank is cycled.
>
>I doubt the loaches will completely eradicate the snails, they'll just
>get most of them. As soon as you move them out, the snails start
>increasing again. At least that's been my experience.
>
>Has anyone tried "Had-a-Snail"? Supposedly harmless to fish and plants,
>but will kill invertebrates.


I tried it, it was harmless to the snails. at three times the
recommended dosage. I tried it with both soft and hard water.

[NetMax]

"Charles" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 16:19:51 -0800, Larry Blanchard
> > wrote:
>
>>Salvelinus wrote:
>>
>>> I was thinking about temporarily putting a couple of loaches in to
>>> clean up the snails. I just started a 55g tank and would move the
>>> loaches into it once the snails are gone and the new tank is cycled.
>>
>>I doubt the loaches will completely eradicate the snails, they'll just
>>get most of them. As soon as you move them out, the snails start
>>increasing again. At least that's been my experience.
>>
>>Has anyone tried "Had-a-Snail"? Supposedly harmless to fish and
>>plants,
>>but will kill invertebrates.
>
>
> I tried it, it was harmless to the snails. at three times the
> recommended dosage. I tried it with both soft and hard water.

I had similar results, though I'm fairly certain that if I had increased
the dosage some more, eventually the fish would have died, don't know
about the snails though, they looked pretty healthy to me ;~).
--
www.NetMax.tk