Getting Rid of Nerite Snails

[jamarini]

I'm interested in hearing proven techniques for efficiently ridding my tanks of nerite snails.  Mine came with plants I purchased at various auctions and their numbers are now in astronomical proportions.  I've tried crushing and feeding them to tanks of fish only to discover that the eggs of those crushed snails pass conveniently through the fish's digestive tracts and expand the infestation.  I've also tried using assassin snails to virtually no effect.  I'd like to avoid knocking down my tanks in order to get rid of these pests.

[linuxrulesusa]

I was under the impression nerite snails need brackish water to breed.  Do you have a pic of said snails?

[danielratti]

What is your stocking plan? rhoadesii love to eat snails or you can add copper or loaches. nut be warned copper can kill everything at .1-.3ppm kills parasites & snails .3+  nitrifying bacteria 4+plants and live stock. Go with loaches it may be the safest bet.

[djlamonica]

1 you can add loaches or puffers the bigger the better. 

2 you can place a piece of cucumber on a plate over night and remove a ton of snails that way

If they are Malaysia trumpet snails and you NEED them all gone you'll have to break down the tank completely replace all substrate and filter media and thoroughly clean every thing and let dry for a few days.

[GrizzlysDad]

If they are actually Malaysia trumpet snails then they do not lay eggs, they are live bearing snails...and very tough to get rid of.

[Helloitsme]

Go get yourself a zucchini, cut it 1/4's. Leave it raw. Get 4 forks stick a fork in each 1/4 of zucchini. Place in the bottom of your tank. Check for snails in the morning. Discard snails. Repeat process until you can tolerate the # of snails in your tank.
It's an on going process but what I have found to be the most effective. To discard the snails, I used to scrape the snails off the zucchini and use them as Clown Loach food, after the first 24 hours then put the zucchini back in and use it again for 1/2 a day. (I wouldn't leave the zucchini in the infested tank for more then 36 hours because it starts to fowl the water.) Then I'd take the snail covered zucchini to a 75 gal. with a bunch  of Clown Loaches and Plecos and watch the feast.

Now I just keep assassin snails in all my tanks. Btw, I have found that Clown Loaches do not eat assassin snails.

[jamarini]

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions!  I think I'll try either the zucchini or cucumber approach as I really don't wish to add loaches to my Tanganyikan breeder tanks.  Wish me luck!

[Marty]

John Oyer showed me this trick.  Take an empty beer bottle, put food or zucchini in the beer bottle and set sideways in the bottom of the tank, snails crawl in to eat the food.  Empty daily.

[GrizzlysDad]

John Oyer showed me this trick.  Take an empty beer bottle, put food or zucchini in the beer bottle and set sideways in the bottom of the tank, snails crawl in to eat the food.  Empty daily.

Please wash said beer bottle very well before introducing it into your tank 

[jamarini]

Yeah, beer bottles around here don't usually have anything left in them once their opened!  But, I take your point, Tony.
 

[jamarini]

Marty, thanks for that suggestion.  I wonder what other interesting tips John Oyer could share if only we had the problem!!!!!!