I posted a topic awhile ago regrading getting rid of snails on plants before putting them in your tank. I was told to use Jungle Clear but I couldn't find that product available in Australia. I eventually used that stuff that kills snails but my plants died a short time after. Can anyone advise a solution for me as I would like to get some new plants for my 55 gal but I am hesitant as the tank has been snail free for over 2 years?

The snails I am most concerned about are the ones that stick to the glass and are oval in shape. They don't look like a snail, just a small clear bump that sticks on things.

Thanks in advance

I love those "pest" snails. But I can see where some might not.
When my population gets out of hand I just throw in a chunk of zuchine(sp) before I go to bed and if I happen to get up in the night (or next morning) I pull it out snails and all and add anouther as needed till I have the population under control. You could just keep doing that till you don't see anymore.
But keep in mind you may have eggs all over and some in the filter so may have to do this a while to get them all.
I prefer this to those kill snail treatments. I dont like using poison in my tanks.

I keep my plants in a bucket as qt for 2 weeks, during that time most of the snails crawl off and then I dispose of them as humanely as I can. You can also try dipping them in a salt solution or a potassium permanagate solution which will also kill most parasites. I've soaked mine in parasite clear (also made by Jungle) as well.

Thanks for your replies.

Hidr - what do you mean by zuchine(sp) . Are you refering to the vegetable 'zucchini'?


Katalyst- When you advised of soaking them in a salt solution what amount of salt to water would I use?

I read a thread about 'disenfecting plants', would the bleach method also work for removing snails and their eggs?

Yep that is the reason for the (sp) cause I don't spell worth 2 cents.

I heard from a friend that soaking new plants in a lemon juice / water mix will kill the snails. Im just not sure how long you do it for and if the acidity can hurt the plants.

You know... call me crazy I dont really mind the little snails. I tried live plants a year ago and just couldn't keep them alive.. even with a special light, and stuff you put in the substrate for them to live on.. but anyway I still have snails in my tank from that failed attempt. I dont see many of them though because my fantails eat them. If you look around places like Petsmart who are infested with the little black snails, they use fantails and common goldies to clear them out of other tanks. Obviously they cant get all of them but the goldies do a good job of keeping them off the glass, plants, and other media in the tanks. In my opinion the snails just add more variety to the fishes diet.

But hey what the heck do I know? I just like fish.

does parasite clear really work? i was really skeptical about it because it doesnt say it kills snails