SNAIL PROBLEM

Question
Hi,
I have a pet Golden Mystery snail living with swordtails, platys, mollies and guppies. It is very healthy and active. I really like it and so do my parents. so months later I got a new one. It lived maybe 2 weeks or something and died in a couple weeks. Then 1-2 months later (now), my platies are pregnant and I was checking the filter for babies and guess what no baby platy but baby snails! around 5-6 but there must are more. Panicking I did extensive research on the web. I know they build a huge nest on top of the aquarium but I have not seen the nest. Today I see 3 in the tank a little larger than the ones in the filter. I really didn't want to but I do not want hundreds on snails in my tank, so (please don't be mad) but I threw those out (in the garbage not toilet) Personally one is enough maybe 2 but if I really have to I will get rid of my original. So question is how many snails will there be? what should I do? I don't want to just throw them out kinda but I don't want them. extra info: I have a 29 gal tank, I just bought 7 or 8 plants and slightly rinse them before I put them in the tank. Please help and if you could put it in word that a 13yr old can understand. But I have done a lot a research and have experience.

Answer
Hi Emily.  First off....NO, I am most definitely NOT mad that you threw the snails in the trash (don't tell anyone I did before too!!).  1 or 2 are not bad, but hundreds of them are NUTS!  The problem is, is that the snails deposit their eggs right at the waterline on the tank and it looks like a gookie ball of snot (ewww!!) stuck to the tank.  IF you see that, take a paper towel and wipe it out RIGHT AWAY.

Every time you put live plants in your tank, you can just about guarantee you are putting snails in there too.  There IS a rinse you can use for the plants which will kill anything "living" on them PRIOR to putting them in your tank.  This is probably the best place to start after you get the situation under control at this point.  http://www.aquajake.com/blog/planting-the-tank/preparing-a-plant-for-planting/di... or http://www.aquariumplants.com/Articles.asp?ID=111 .

You can also get a couple of loaches, who LOVE to feed on snails (small ones, not as large as your Golden Mystery). You could try any type of loach that stays relatively small.  Stay away from the Clown Loach as they get HUGE.  Dwarf puffer fish are also a good thought, however, they can get really nippy so I don't think you should take that chance right now.

They sell a product called "Had A Snail", which would help kill all the snails in your tank.....it works REAL well, but obviously you would need to find a new home for your snail friend while you use it.  Other then that, really all you can do is remove the snails as you see them (I've done it before!) and keep a watchful eye out for the gookie stuff at the water line and be sure to remove that immediately.  Then, prior to ever putting new plants in, be sure to treat them accordingly so you don't wind up with sick fish or a tank full of snails.  When they are very little, you can actually "squish" them right in the tank....the fish tend to eat them up as a kind of "treat", because when they are THAT small, the shell is not hard at all.

Be sure to clean your tank regularly, being sure to suck the mulm out of the rocks on the bottom. Many of the "baby" snails will be sucked up too, which also helps cut down on the #'s of snails you have.  It is all quite a pain in the neck, but there isn't too many choices you have.

I hope this helps you in some way.  Please feel free to write me back if you need me to explain anything further or have any more questions. I would be happy to try to help you!

BEST of luck to you!