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 L# Planted Aquaria
  L# Had-A-Snail?
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SubscribeHad-A-Snail?
plantbrain
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Big Fish
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Registered: 23-Aug-2003
male usa
Overfeeding is the root cause for an explosion/infestation, start there, otherwise more will appear.

The fish choices suggested are good.
Clown loaches get hugem, but this can take awhile, mine get abiout 6 inches in 2 to 3 years.

Botia striata stay about 2.5 to 3" and are peaceful and come out in the daytime also.

Of all the snail eaters I tested, they are the best snail reaper I've ever used.

Small snails are great algae eaters, do not discount their efforts.

Regards,
Tom Barr


3rd annual Plant Fest July 8-14th 2005!
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Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:45Profile PM Edit Report 
harleysiber
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female usa
Thanks guys. Really good information. I guess there's never any good quick solution, just find and treat the problems. I'll deal with the snails and find a solution for the algae (more plants!!!!) and hope my betta actually starts eating his food before the snails do. I can deal with a couple I guess... they're kinda growing on me.
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:45Profile MSN PM Edit Delete Report 
plantbrain
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Big Fish
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male usa
Copper does kill BBa well, but unless you keep adding it, it will not stay away since the root cause was never addressed.

Copper has different effects on different plants, some are able to handle high levels and seem to do better, Crypts are one such plant group. Moss, Egeria, Hydrilla, Largosiphon and fine needled plants tend not to do so well and die with copper.

Copper is useful and one of the most widely used algicides on the planet. But focusing on plant health addresses algae issues much better and focuses on the goal, growing plants.

Killing algae is not a hobby, although some seem to think it is. Growing plants is a hobby. So focus on that and there are no significant algae issues.

If you do not over feed, the smaller snails will never be an issue and help eat algae. Quit picking on the poor snails when we are the ones to blame for the infestation by overfeeding.

That's the long term solution.

Regards,
Tom Barr





Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:45Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
bensaf
 
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Fish Master
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male ireland
Harley,
Anything that kills algae also has a chance to damage plants.

But it's a mute point Copper won't do a thing for the brush algae.

BTW I made a post in your other topic which may be of some help

Last edited by bensaf at 15-May-2005 21:35


Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:45Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
dogmai333
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Hobbyist
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male usa
i had an ifestation of snails and i used the had a snail and it did nothing

MONKEYS ARE COOL, BUT SEA-MONKEYS ARE BETTER.
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:45Profile Homepage PM Edit Delete Report 
harleysiber
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female usa
Thanks. I may start thinking of amano shrimp instead of treatments. The less chamicals and solutions I can put in my tank the better. I'd rather use fish/inverts to control issues. I guess I'll just deal with the snails.
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:45Profile MSN PM Edit Delete Report 
moondog
 
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The Hobnob-lin
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male usa
i don't know, i don't want to get any kind of algae that might need special treatment to get rid of but if copper kills it, i'm sure it must be ok to use pennies in the filter to try to get rid of it.



"That's the trouble with political jokes in this country... they get elected!" -- Dave Lippman
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:45Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
harleysiber
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Moondog, does that penny trick also work for brush algae, and will it harm fish or just inverts?

I 've been noticing what appears to be brush algae on my mini clover plants and java fern in the same tank, and it doesn't come off with just rubbing the leaves. I've read that treating with copper will get rid of it, or SAE's, but I have yet to find a true SAE in my area.
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:45Profile MSN PM Edit Delete Report 
monkeyboy
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i found myself, tat when i was setting up my new 55g tank, that after i put in some new plant, and it had died that snails took over. well that put a delay on stocking, so i went to a trusty lfs and got 3 jack dempys (this place takes trades so they will be going back in 2 weeks) but i had them in yesterday at 5 and all the snails were gone by 7pm. and mind all of these were the small ones but it worked.

and i dont know about clown loachs there. but here there between 10 and 35 each for the small ones

Last edited by monkeyboy at 15-May-2005 08:49

Fish tanks are an expensive addiction
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:45Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
moondog
 
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male usa
when i did the pennies trick, it took a couple days for the snails to start dying off. just be careful you don't get an ammonia spike from the die off, and you may never be able to get any other inverts to live in that tank, even after you take the pennies out of the filter again. if these snails are killing your plants then you should probably do something about them, but if they are the malaysian trumpet snails (the conical shaped ones) they are ok to have in your tank



"That's the trouble with political jokes in this country... they get elected!" -- Dave Lippman
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:45Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
harleysiber
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I just saw this online, and was wondering if anyone had used it... and especially if it works.

[link=http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=6649&N=2004+2021]http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=6649&N=2004+2021" style="COLOR: #800080[/link]

I'm a bit skeptical, but should I try this to help my snail infestation in my 10g?
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:45Profile MSN PM Edit Delete Report 
katieb
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female usa
Most of the more commonly seen apple snails Arent that hard to ID


www.applesnail.net/content/species/pomacea_bridgesi.htm

Pomacea bridgesi is one of the most common snails in the pet trade. Its not asexual nor will it eat plants. It is also pretty easy to ID. Look for the 90 degree sutures(shown in link). This apple snail feeds on leftovers and algae discs.

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Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:45Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
harleysiber
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Pennies huh? I've never heard of that. How long does that normally take to work? Right now there is nothing in the tank except the plants and the silly snails. I will be re-stocking this weekend though.
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:45Profile MSN PM Edit Delete Report 
moondog
 
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male usa
apple snails are hard to identify correctly, and there are enough species that are hearty plant eaters that i wouldn't recommend getting one for your planted tank. if you can get the cucumber/lettuce/zuchini trick to work, that would be the easiest, non-chemical way to get rid of your snails. i know that a few pennies in the filter will also work, but if you have other inverts you want in that tank they will also be killed by any treatment you use against the snails.



"That's the trouble with political jokes in this country... they get elected!" -- Dave Lippman
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:45Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
Untitled No. 4
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Big Fish
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male uk
My suggestion is to try one or two apple snails. They eat so much they will starve the other snails, and will also eat other snails' eggs.

However, they eat and poop so much so you will have to clean well your tank or it will look like public toilets very quickly.
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:45Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
harleysiber
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female usa
I tried the cucumber trick with Zuchinni, and it got a few, not many. I am planning on getting a male betta this week for the tank, as the pleco is now in the large tank. Will he be able to help the snail issue, or is it mainly females that eat snails? I was thinking of ottos in the tank also, how big do clown loaches get, and would they get along with the betta?
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:45Profile MSN PM Edit Delete Report 
wk
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Fingerling
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male singapore
I would not suggest adding fishes or chemicals to remove the snails. Maybe you can try this first, if it doesn't work, them you can consider adding snail eating fishes.
Put a piece of cucumber or lecture in the tank and wait for a while, say 30 minutes, for the the snails to get to it and start eating. Remove the cucumber or lecture and throw it away.
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:45Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
bensaf
 
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It may work, but it's always better to try the natural approach. I think most of these snail things are copper based which won't do the plants any good. Also having a lot of snails die off in the tank at the same time can lead to an ammonia spike.

Remove as many as you can manually whenever you see them. Employ some snail eaters like loaches or even female Bettas to help. African Butterfly Cichlids will also eat snails. Rams will eat snail eggs so are useful for keeping the population under control. Ease up on the feeding. Remove plant debris and old fallen leaves as soon as possible.

Doing a combination of these things can get the population under control pretty quickly. You don't need to eliminate them entirely, as Tom mentioned they have their uses, just keep them from becoming an infestation.


Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:45Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
plantbrain
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Big Fish
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male usa
Snails infestations are a sign you are over feeding the tank.

The snails are eating well and produce lots of "snailets".
I seldom have any issues with snails unless I over feed.
A snail eater is often a good choice, Botia striata is relatively small and a good choice, puffers also work, but can be mean to other fish.

The issue is not a lack of snail killer, you are over feeding the tank, back off and you will not have them at such high density.

Snails are good anyway, they eat algae and are easy to keep.

Regards,
Tom Barr


3rd annual Plant Fest July 8-14th 2005!
subscribe@BarrReport.com Get connected
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Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:45Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
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