Snail And Eggs. Will They Die If I Leave Them Out Of Water.

[Mahawka]

Hey guys,

This is a strange question. I am doing a "Dry start" tank and i am planning on transferring some of my micro swords in to this new tank.

My concern is, i have an out break of Ramshorn Snails, which i do not want in my new Tank at all. Since i am doing a Dry Start method do you guys think the Ramshorn snail/eggs will dry off and die during the Dry start period? and i will be Snail free when i flood my tank.

or

will the eggs get preserved and hatch when i flood the tank.

Thanks

Edited September 26, 2012 by Mahawka

[cullymoto]

i do not know what kind of lifespan snail eggs have... I do know that they can be a real B@$^( to get rid of... they will be everywhere if you as you say are having an outbreak. Heres what I would suggest. use bleach. seriously... if that scares you, use potassium permangenate (which should scare you)... either of these chemicals will erradicate any and all snails, eggs or otherwise. use about a cup per gallon of water. Soak everything, including your live plants (specially your live plants, this is likely where your snails came from in the beggining) give the plants 5 min soak, than a thourough rinse with tap water, than a soak in tap water with a triple dose of de-chlorinator (like a Seachem prime, or API Safe, basically any tap water conditioner will do) they will then be snail free. make sure to do your gravel / sand, decor, filter, everything for the same duration. PP is a little harder to use, can stain everything it touches (including you) and is equally as harmfull to living things, it is also harder to come by and more expensive. good luck

[fishclubgirl]

Here's an easier idea, get some assassin snails. They love ramshorns..... I have 18 planted tanks and may have the odd button snail and some trumpet snails but my "hired guns" devour the ramshorns like I eat a rib steak(seriously!!!!).

[skidbro]

I had a snail plague tank of Marisa cornuarietis, the apple snail that breeds underwater and MTS. Probably several hundred snails in just a 15 gallon tank. Introduced a few assassins to the tank and now they are the only snail species. The assassins reproduced and I have 20 or so now and now they are a bit lonely without anything living to eat.

EDIT: I meant to add that draining all the water will NOT kill apple snail nor harm the eggs.

Edited September 26, 2012 by skidbro

[BettaFishMommy]

ramshorn snail eggs are easy to see and remove from plants. they are laid in a semi hard round 'pancake' cluster, mostly on the undersides of leaves. i would just carefully look at all the plants you are moving to the dry start tank and scrape any eggs you find off with you fingernail. if you do happen to see snails in the tank at a later date, just remove them. no need for chemicals or critters that eat snails.

[Mahawka]

Thanks For the Advice Guys.

Also if any one is selling assassin snails in Calgary please PM me.

[skidbro]

PMed

[jewels]

Gas 'em.

Saturate the aquarium with C0₂

_{Plants grow, snails die - win/win}

[skidbro]

Gassing is a good strategy for nerites and MTS as they depend on the water and have gills - but pond snails, ramhorns and apples have lungs and are air breathers. Generally snails do surprisingly well in low oxygen environments, and simply by frequenting the oxygen rich surface. Also a warning, if successful in a sudden large scale die off by gassing or chemical treatment, the collective decaying biomass could foul the water and seriously damage plants and block light intake with cloudy water.

[jewels]

Gassing is a good strategy for nerites and MTS as they depend on the water and have gills - but pond snails, ramhorns and apples have lungs and are air breathers. Generally snails do surprisingly well in low oxygen environments, and simply by frequenting the oxygen rich surface. Also a warning, if successful in a sudden large scale die off by gassing or chemical treatment, the collective decaying biomass could foul the water and seriously damage plants and block light intake with cloudy water.

These future contingents do not apply categorically to the OP's current situation.

[skidbro]

OP has 2 options with gassing CO2, in the current plant tank or after flooding the dry start tank, both of which will damage the plants in the event of a bacterial bloom from decaying snails. I thought it was relevant to point out. But if the OP's sure he has Ramhorns, which I point out are air breathers, then he is best with a biological approach.