Ack! Snail pest infestation!

Earl45 · 10/16/2006, 10:11 PM

I forgot what they are called, but I know they are baddies.

Those spiral snails or worms that folks find stuck to their glass/acrylic?

I just found two. That probably means I have 200.

How do I eradicate these things?

Ursus · 10/16/2006, 11:00 PM

If you are talking about spirorbids, they are not bad. And there is no way to eradicate them without killing everything else as well. Their numbers will explode and then you will notice they just seem to stop reproducing untill they are almost not noticeable.

Earl45 · 10/17/2006, 07:31 AM

Ohhh.... that's them alright. I thought they were bad.

Why do they exist? Nutrients too high?

THanks for the info

Travis L. Stevens · 10/17/2006, 07:40 AM

They are filter feeders like fan worms. They eat excess particulate matter from the water column. Usually this is an indication that you have excess nutrients as well, but not always.

dc · 10/17/2006, 07:42 AM

Just scrape them off the glass.

Earl45 · 10/17/2006, 10:14 AM

Thanks dc, but I wanted to treat the problem and not the symptom. However from this thread I've learned they aren't the big of a deal anyway. I'll look into reducing the nutrients in my water.

10/16/2006, 10:11 PM	#1
Earl45 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 139	Ack! Snail pest infestation! I forgot what they are called, but I know they are baddies. Those spiral snails or worms that folks find stuck to their glass/acrylic? I just found two. That probably means I have 200. How do I eradicate these things?

10/17/2006, 07:40 AM	#4
Travis L. Stevens Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Perry, OK Posts: 13,946	They are filter feeders like fan worms. They eat excess particulate matter from the water column. Usually this is an indication that you have excess nutrients as well, but not always. __________________ Travis Stevens Current Tank Info: Restarting 28g Bowfront

10/17/2006, 07:42 AM	#5
dc Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Wyoming Posts: 44,684	Just scrape them off the glass. __________________ Debi ~60 Cube~ Why? Because I said so of course. -Sent via Tapatalk Smoke Signals-

10/16/2006, 11:00 PM	#2
Ursus Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 480	If you are talking about spirorbids, they are not bad. And there is no way to eradicate them without killing everything else as well. Their numbers will explode and then you will notice they just seem to stop reproducing untill they are almost not noticeable.

10/17/2006, 07:31 AM	#3
Earl45 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 139	Ohhh.... that's them alright. I thought they were bad. Why do they exist? Nutrients too high? THanks for the info

10/17/2006, 10:14 AM	#6
Earl45 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 139	Thanks dc, but I wanted to treat the problem and not the symptom. However from this thread I've learned they aren't the big of a deal anyway. I'll look into reducing the nutrients in my water.