[Luke]

I recieved some great assistance with ridding my 40 gal of cyanobacteria, from this forum["algae battle" in the algae scetion]. Now i have the daunting task of moving. The tank is well established and soon after ridding it of cyanobacteria I receaved a small crop up of BBA[hopefully not staghorn] but my main question is how can i use this opportunity of moving to get rid of my dreaded columbian ramshorn/pond snails. I have been picking out any visible ones and their #s seem to be getting smaller, but i want to exterminate them. I like my beneficial MTSs, and I want to get some red ramshorns[the kind that dont eat plants and stay small]. What would be the appropriate mixture of bleach to rid the plants of any eggs/snails and what about the substrate? Do I have to start over with fresh flourite/gravel[that could get expensive, and cause the cycleing process]? My plants are anubias, java fern, amazon sword, dwarf onion, val. natans, asian ambulia, and a couple unknown swords,[soon to add dwarf sag and java moss to complete the foreground]. My fish are pretty sensitive types [but all doing great]: rummy-noses, ottocinculus, and panda corries. I dont have much in the way of keeping them housed, except an empty and unfiltered 10 and 5 gallon tanks, so i would like to be able to complete the move in 1 to 2 days. Anyone with any expierence, advice?

 

[Luke]

hasn't anyone had pond snails or columbian ramshorn infest their planted aquarium, and begin eating plants.....what have you done about it....?

 

[Robert B]

I have never had snails eat any of my plants and believe me I have plenty of both kinds in my tank.

Robert.

 

[Simpte 27]

I had one mystery snail eat my crypts and swords but my trumpeter snails and ramshorn leave my plants alone. Never had pond snails.

 

[Luke]

yes mts, and regular ramshorn[max size around 3/4"] are great, and i like them.....but "pond" snails, and "columbian" ramshorns [usually brown with light stripes, get much larger than normal ramshorn] are eating up my plants....they are eating holes in my anubius nana[which i have had for 2 years and is quite large], they eat holes in my amazon sword, and destroy my dwarf onion, and val natans....

 

[JanS]

Yes, I've had the large Ramshorns and they mow down plants faster than you can add them. They are a whole different ball game than the small ones you usually see.

The usual bleach concentration is 1 part bleach to 19 parts water.

I've head of people having good luck putting a piece of zucchini or something similar in a small jar (baby food size or so) and collecting them in one scoop first thing in the morning. At least that way you could just take the unwanteds out and leave the ones you do want, but of course there will still be eggs to deal with.
I think the only ones that would be in your substrate are the MTS's, so you could probably leave that alone and save your bacteria.

 

[Luke]

i have never done the bleach technique, do you just dip the plants and rinse thouroughly, or do you leave the plants in the solution for 30 seconds or a minute....i have heard that sturdier plants can take a longer bath in the solution, but approx. what times am i lookin at....again, i have the following plants:
anubius nana and petite
amazon sword
some unknown sword
dwarf onion
valisnera natans
java fern
asian ambulia
thanx, for the info i will try the trapping method before the move, but i am afraid that all i will attract is mts[as my tank seems to be over run with them right now...a bit of BBA recently sprouted up], that is if my 4 panda corries, 4 ottocinclus, or ghost shrimp dont beat them to it.