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Question
i have snails in my tank cannot get rid of them old tank renewed everything and still got them back i have tetras and a lovely catfish and two shrimp loches my plants are being eaten as well gratefull for advise please

Answer
Hi Christine,

there many anti-snail treatments on the market that clear up the problem. However the effectiveness of these is usually negligble; also the death of hundreds of snails at one time is extremely detrimental to water quality.

You can try picking them out which is a long and drawn out process which no-one really wants to perform.

You can give up and decorate the tank with rocks, but that's boring and it ALWAYS ends up looking like a kids first tank without natural plants.

However, I have a trick up my sleeve which all aquarists would crucify me for, but, Christine, you're in luck because I will share the secret with you....if you promise not to tell that Chris Robbins (allexperts fish god) about it.

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Snail problems often occur in tanks that are overfed and poorly maintained. In small quantities, they are not a real problem and do not cause much damage. They help aerate and turn over the substrate, so they may benefit the tank ecosystem.

They do become a problem when they multiply in vast numbers. Unfortunately, most snail treatments are copper-based which can be toxic to the fish, the plants and your filter.

I prefer an organic alternative. You can remove the snails by baiting them with a lettuce leaf tied to a piece of thread. This can be removed the following morning with the snails attached.

Alternatively, siphon them out just before the lights go on. If you do this eight to ten times over a two-week period, you should reduce the snails by about 75%.

Another effective treatment is to have fish that feed on snails, such as loaches. If you do not feed Clown loaches, Botia macracanthus, for a few days, they will hunt out the snails.

The only problem is they are susceptible to white spot and I think they damage plants. Botia striata and Botia rostrata are cheaper and usually cause less damage to plants.

Good Luck

Tom