How to Remove Snail Infestation

Bladder snails, ramshorn snails, and Malaysian trumpet snails are known as pest snails. The reason is that they reproduce quickly and can multiply once they enter an aquarium. They usually hitchhike into fish tanks on live aquatic plants, decorations, or even in a small amount of water that you add with a new fish. 

However, pest snails are not always harmful to a healthy aquarium. In fact, they feed on algae, leftover fish food, and other organic waste. It helps keep the tank cleaner and supports the aquarium's natural balance. They do not attack healthy fish or damage healthy aquatic plants. The real concern is not the snails, it's their population size. 

When you notice a large number of snails growing everywhere, covering the glass and the aquarium, it's a sign of excess food or organic waste. A snail explosion shows that the tank needs better maintenance, and not that the snails are causing the problem.

Check out How to Set Up Your First Planted Aquarium: A Step-By-Step Guide For Beginners.

How to Control A Snail Infestation?

Remove snails manually. 

A simple method is to place a piece of lettuce, cucumber, or another blanched vegetable in the aquarium overnight. By morning, snails can gather on it to feed. Simply remove the vegetables and the attached snails, then dispose of them. When you repeat the process regularly, it can reduce their numbers. 

Add natural predators. 

Most fish species feed on snails and can help control an infestation. Some popular choices include clown loaches, yo-yo loaches, and bettas and gouramis. However, always make sure that any snail-eating fish you choose is compatible with your aquarium size and existing tank species before you add it. 

Use snail-control treatments with caution. 

Aquarium medications are designed to eliminate snails. Some of them contain copper, and it can be harmful to shrimp, snails you want to keep, and other sensitive invertebrates. If you use that chemical treatment, make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully and consider its impact on all the aquarium inhabitants. 

Reduce extra food. 

Feed your fish only what they can eat within a few minutes. Make sure to remove uneaten food, clean the substrate regularly, and remove decaying plant materials. With less food available, the snail population can decrease over time.

Quarantine

Before you add new aquatic plants, put them in a separate quarantine tank for a few weeks. During that period, provide them with the needed light and nutrients and regularly check if any snail hatchlings appear. As snail eggs can take 1-4 weeks to hatch, quarantine can provide you enough time to check and remove them before they reach your main tank.

Where Do Snails Get Into An Aquarium?

If you didn't add snails to your aquarium by yourself, you may wonder how they got there. In most cases, pest snails can enter the tank by hitchhiking on new aquatic plants. They can enter as tiny juvenile snails or as clusters of eggs that are attached to plant leaves and stems, which are difficult to spot. 

Snails can also enter with driftwood, rocks, new fish, decorations, or filter media that come from an aquarium that already contains snails. Even a small batch of eggs or a single snail is enough to start a population. 

Once it is inside the aquarium, these snails can reproduce quickly, especially if there is enough food source available. Those include algae, leftover fish food, or decaying plant matter. It is important to do regular inspections and wash new aquarium plants and decorations before you add them to your tank. It can help prevent a snail infestation.

How to Keep Your Aquarium Clean and Thriving?

How to Prevent A Snail Infestation

When you add new fish, avoid pouring the water from the transport bag into the aquarium, as it can contain tiny eggs or snails. Instead, you can transfer a fish using a net and discard the bag of water. 

You can even disinfect new plants by soaking them in a suitable plant-safe solution. 

Alum Solution

Soak plants in a water-alum mixture for a few days, then rinse them before planting. 

Diluted Bleach Solution

You can soak them in a properly diluted bleach solution. It can effectively kill snails and eggs. Afterward, wash the plants thoroughly and treat them with a dechlorinator before adding them to the aquarium. Be aware that delicate plant species can get damaged by bleach. 

Potassium permanganate Solution

It is the commonly used treatment for disinfecting aquarium plants. After soaking, wash the plants carefully before you place them in the tank. 

Lastly…

Remember that not all snails are harmful. A very small number of snails can help clean up algae and leftover food. It can contribute to the aquarium's ecosystem. Problems mainly occur when their population grows out of control. So, regular maintenance and careful feeding are the right options to keep snail numbers in check.