# Snail Disposal



## Minsc (May 7, 2006)

I've read many times of the zucchini trick for removing snails, ie: add zucchini slice at night, remove in morning along with snails. My question is, what do you do with the snails once they've been caught?

I'm probably just too much of a city boy, but throwing living aquatic creatures in the trash seems a bit cruel


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

You can send them to me. =P

Throw them in a zip lock bag with some water and some air, slice of zucchini, send them media mail or parcel post to me. =)


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## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

Snails make good food for some fish. I move snails into a tank with clown loaches. They do not eradicate the snails in the tank but they keep them under control. Softer shelled snails can be crushed and fed. 

You could try giving them to a local LFS or fellow hobbyist.

In general, do not throw animals directly in the trash. If desired to terminate the snails, put them in a bag in the freezer.


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

wiste said:


> Snails make good food for some fish. I move snails into a tank with clown loaches. They do not eradicate the snails in the tank but they keep them under control. Softer shelled snails can be crushed and fed.
> 
> You could try giving them to a local LFS or fellow hobbyist.
> 
> In general, do not throw animals directly in the trash. If desired to terminate the snails, put them in a bag in the freezer.


Yep, I was gonna feed my puffers if he Minsc did have some snails for me. =)


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## Shrimp&Snails (Mar 27, 2006)

I feed my pest snails to hubby's loaches....they suck em right out of the shell and it's over. I think it's much quicker than freezing or flushing.


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## aquaboyaquatics (Feb 22, 2006)

What type of snails are they? There are inverts that will controll them also. Some are snail egg eaters and some eat snails.

Mike


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

aquaboyaquatics said:


> What type of snails are they? There are inverts that will controll them also. Some are snail egg eaters and some eat snails.
> 
> Mike


Don't leave it at that! What are the invertibrates that eat snails and snail eggs? Do they bother shrimp?


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## lailastar (Aug 28, 2006)

I like to watch them get eaten. Food chain at work locally.


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## YuccaPatrol (Mar 26, 2006)

My snails get fed to my clown loaches. Sometimes baby snails are crushed against the glass and fed to the shrimp.

Circle of life. . . nothing goes to waste. . . .


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## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

hoppy, I've read that the long-armed macrobrachium shrimp will fiddle around with a snail, and then pinch and pull out the meat with the claws and enjoy the delicacy. They are supposed to be avid hunters, so it'd be safe to think of them as the invertebrate form of a puffer =].


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## sarahbobarah (Sep 5, 2005)

If you keep your tank water soft and slightly acidic, will that help keep snail populations down?


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## Minsc (May 7, 2006)

Thanks for all the responses everyone!

I would love to get a new tank and fill it with loaches, and consequently, have a convenient snail disposal solution. However, I would need either a bigger apartment or to throw away my wife's drafting table for that to happen...
Not very likely 
And my LFS certainly doesn't need any more snails 

aquaboyaquatics: I doubt a predatory invertibrate is appropriate for my tank, but I would like to hear about them regardless.

epicfish: I'm going to break down my tanks, a 10 and a 2.5 to replace them with a 15, probably next week. I'll probably end up with about 20 ramshorns and a single pond snail. If you want them, they're yours. If you throw them in a small tank and give them a tiny bit of food a couple times a week, you should have as many as you'll ever need.


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## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

sarahbobarah, since most snails reproduce quickly, soft/acidic water wouldn't really dent the population.


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## excaliborg (Sep 18, 2006)

Snails can live through anything, I took a load from my tank and put them in a tray outside with minimal water, a little bit of spare wood and a few strands of java moss. Havn't fed them for about 4 months and they're still alive! I was hoping a bird would fly down and eat them to be honest!


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## aquaboyaquatics (Feb 22, 2006)

Most crayfish will eat snails. The Asian algae eating shrimp and the Blue Neocaridina shrimp also eat snail eggs. The Penguin shrimp will eat the eggs also. Macrobrachium shrimp will chow the snails also. 

If you have shrimp in the tank already then I would lean towards a crayfish. The Macrobrachium are super efficient predators and shrimp would also be on the menu. If you could post a list of inhabitants I could narrow it down a bit. Is there live plants also?

Mike


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## vollman1 (Jul 25, 2006)

aquaboyaquatics said:


> Most crayfish will eat snails. The Asian algae eating shrimp and the Blue Neocaridina shrimp also eat snail eggs. The Penguin shrimp will eat the eggs also. Macrobrachium shrimp will chow the snails also.


This is interesting. Do you know the scientific name for these? I found the Blue Neocaridina but couldn't find the "Asian algae eating shrimp."


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## toddnbecka (Sep 20, 2006)

Amano shrimp are one species of Asian algae-eating shrimp.


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## onemyndseye (May 12, 2006)

Many kinds of sunfish that are native to the US will readily eat snails. The Redear Sunfish has specialized teeth in the back of its throat just for the purpose... Nick Named "Shell Cracker"

That was the best part about having my tank of Sunfish.....instant snail disposial (Oh...btw - MTS are MOSTLY too hard for them to eat)

Take Care,
-Justin
One Mynds Eye


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## Minsc (May 7, 2006)

A sunfish tank would be fun!
The way I ended up dealing with my snails was to give the post office four dollars to lose them for me:sad:


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## toddnbecka (Sep 20, 2006)

> A sunfish tank would be fun!


Sunfish are related to cichlids, and about as aggressive as Africans in an aquarium. They're fine if you have a large enough tank to keep them comfortably, but not suitable to mix with tropicals.


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## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

sarahbobarah said:


> If you keep your tank water soft and slightly acidic, will that help keep snail populations down?


My MTS are happily overbreeding in a KH that varies from 2 all the way down to .3 at times; it didn't even affect the Cherry's either. I think GH is more essential to them than KH.

Mike, I would happily buy any shrimp that happens to eat MTS avidly - please don't tell me they are off the menu. It seems nothing eats this snail, not even Loaches and Puffers seem to enjoy eating them. But at the same time, they would have to be pleco and Cherry friendly - did I narrow it down too much?


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## toddnbecka (Sep 20, 2006)

Shrimp will eat snail eggs, but MTS are livebearing critters. I'm doubtful that even a crayfish would be much help controlling them.


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## onemyndseye (May 12, 2006)

> Sunfish are related to cichlids, and about as aggressive as Africans in an aquarium. They're fine if you have a large enough tank to keep them comfortably, but not suitable to mix with tropicals.


You are most certainly correct. They should be kept in a species tank or in a native community of compatible fish ... The smaller ones (1.5inch-3Inch) can be kept for quite awhile and then reintroduced back into native water.. The Larger ones though require a bit more room... and they are VERY VERY aggressive. ALot of fun at feeding time though 

My last batch was a set of 8 of varying sizes from 3inches to about 6 or so in a 29Gal tank.. They did quite well - even spawned - which is what led me to take the tank down..... it was a soil tank you see... and just like cichlids.... sunfish dig (They did nests when spawning starts.. HUGE Mess 

Alot of fun though.... I usually try to catch them about this time of year... and then release them in the spring. They don't spawn under the cool temps of winter 

Id love to have a 125G Native Tank with all sorts of species in it. Our natural rivers, lakes, and streams sometimes make the best LFS on the planet 

I'm starting a small pond in the next few weeks that will be stocked with Natives. Should be a neat project.

-Justin
One Mynds Eye


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## elaphe (Aug 24, 2006)

It helps that I also keep 3 turtle tanks. I just pick out any ramshorns and throw them in the turtle tanks. Gone in no time. The MTS don't seem to overrun my tank right now. I think the really soft water keeps them at bay.

Turtles are also a great way to get rid of any plant clippings and dead /dying shrimp. They'll pretty much eat anything .

Brian


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## toddnbecka (Sep 20, 2006)

Do turtles eat MTS?


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## elaphe (Aug 24, 2006)

toddnbecka said:


> Do turtles eat MTS?


I haven't tried feeding them any MTS yet. With my soft water, that keeps them under control. I know the ramshorn shells almost break when I pick them up out of the tank (yet they still spread like wildfire).

If I ever do feed the MTS to my turtles, I would probably break the shells with a pair of pliers before dropping them in. The calcium from the shells isn't going to hurt the turtles any. I do bet my Texas Map could eat the MTS without any help - They are mollusk and crustacean eaters in the wild.

Brian


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## toddnbecka (Sep 20, 2006)

I was just wondering, I remember reading a post elsewhere about an oscar that had eaten MTS, and the shells had cut up its intestines. The fish had actually been taken to a vet, and had surgery to repair the damage. Considering that fish can't be anesthetised, I'm not sure which was worse, the problem or the treatment.


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## bigtroutz (Nov 17, 2006)

If you want to try a pretty exotic invertibrate, how about Sciomyzid flies ? The larval stage of some species will attack and consume aquatic snails (but I doubt any of our local species would go for MTS in the gravel 

Sciomyzidae - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

more pictures - http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/marsh_flies_sciomyzidae


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## Wood (Jul 27, 2006)

I collect the ramshorns in my 10 gallon with a small net. I probably get about 10. I then put all 10 in a plastic spoon and stack another plastic spoon right on top. I crush them by pressing the spoons together, crushing them real good. You will actually see snail blood. 

After I crush them I put the remains back into the tank. They sink right to the bottom. The shrimp go BALLISTIC! The gourami LOVES them as well. And the Rummynose Tetras will eat them if they can get them before the shrimp do. 

I don't do anything with the trumpet snails, they are hard as a rock. 

I feel that if you are going to control the snail population you might as well let the tank feed on them, you are just making it possible.

Just my .02


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