New Zealand mud snail eradication

[GregJ23]

Hello everyone,

 

As the title of the post suggests I think I have somehow gotten new zealand mud snails in my tank. I am currently working on feeding fish less and increasing my maintenance regimen to control the population, but I am also trying to find something to eat the snails. I have a group of dwarf chain loaches and they won't touch them in my 20 gallon long tank. Does anyone have experience dealing with these snails? And what did you do to take care of them prior to restarting the tank?

[TAB]

assassin snails.

[GregJ23]

Has this worked in your experience?

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Hi, can't speak to experience but it seems even pea puffers aren't going to touch the snails you have. I'd be willing to try Assasin Snails, they've been known to take down even Mystery Snails if they were hungry enough. Probably a last ditch effort other than resetting the whole tank and discarding anything that might be snail infested. From what I can see only their own worm parasites will keep them in check. Makes me wonder what effect they'd have overall on the tank if they were allowed to stick around, but I've never had them. 

[Tony s]

On 9/8/2024 at 1:37 PM, TAB said:

assassin snails.

@GregJ23 that could work. But it may also be food for your loaches. Just because they won’t eat one type of snail doesn’t mean they won’t eat the assassins. You could try a different, larger type of loach, possibly yoyo’s(temporarily) or zebra loaches. You may need to separate the two different types though. 

Edited September 9 by Tony s

[MWilk]

Will fembendazole not kill them off? 

[Scaperoot]

On 9/8/2024 at 12:23 PM, GregJ23 said:

Hello everyone,

 

As the title of the post suggests I think I have somehow gotten new zealand mud snails in my tank. I am currently working on feeding fish less and increasing my maintenance regimen to control the population, but I am also trying to find something to eat the snails. I have a group of dwarf chain loaches and they won't touch them in my 20 gallon long tank. Does anyone have experience dealing with these snails? And what did you do to take care of them prior to restarting the tank?

I don't have any pics, but I managed to clear out a 20 long that had hundreds with a group of 6 assassin snails. It took them about a week. I have another 20 long with new plants and I just noticed the same thing starting to happen in this one, so I'll be picking up more assassins this weekend. I was hesitant to add assassins because of my nerites but they've left them alone for now. 

[Tony s]

On 9/9/2024 at 1:19 AM, MWilk said:

Will fembendazole not kill them off? 

There are conflicting reports on this. It might?  But it’s going to be a lot of stress on the current inhabitants 

[Cinnebuns]

On 9/9/2024 at 12:19 AM, MWilk said:

Will fembendazole not kill them off? 

It will along with any other inverts in the tank. No planaria would kill snails but is safe for shrimp but it will stay in the tank for about 6 months. 

Edited September 10 by Cinnebuns