# Getting Snails Out of Moss



## Tarobot (Jun 27, 2010)

I have a java/flame mixed moss wall and i think there are possible snails/snail eggs, is rinsing the whole wall in warm salt water(read this online) before placing it into another tank a good idea or will it harm the moss?


----------



## AWW (Apr 22, 2010)

What i would do is dip your plants in 10% bleach for 10 seconds or so. Don't take my word for it though, let the plant guru's coment here...


----------



## neven (May 15, 2010)

the snails in my flame moss drive me nuts, i stopped trying to pick them out, i just crush them with tweezers in the moss, they get eaten by something soon enough. as for the dip, try a portion first to see how it goes.


----------



## Claudia (Apr 21, 2010)

If the snaols are reproducing fast that means u r over feeding, when u over feed pond snails and ramhorn snails reproduce faster


----------



## Tarobot (Jun 27, 2010)

nono, it's not a rampant problem, i just want to start a new tank with old moss and dont want any snails at all. i have an assassin snail in the current moss tank to eat some but just wanted another fail-safe.


----------



## neven (May 15, 2010)

when i had an outbreak i put a loach in my tank and the snails were all gone in 2 days, lol

so if you got the tank room, a group of 5 of them (they like to shaol) will decimate the snail population in no time. Could also go for a clown loach.

if you dont like either, theres always people on the forum who would buy them off of you


----------



## Tarobot (Jun 27, 2010)

it's not an outbreak, there's already close to none but since i have a half-grown moss wall im afraid there will be eggs or anything else in there, i'm just wondering if rinsing it in warm salt water for about 10mins will actually kill the eggs/snails and not harm the moss.


----------



## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

As someone already mentioned, bleach is the way to go. I doubt salt water will kill the eggs in 10 minutes, it would wipe out the snails but I doubt the eggs. *I could be wrong*.

You'll want to get 1 gallon of water to 1 cup of bleach, soak it for about 5 minutes.
You'll then want to get clean water, probably about another gallon or whatever it takes to soak your moss wall, with prime or some other decholorinator and soak it in that for an additional 5 minutes to neutralize the bleach\chlorine.

Your moss should live through it, they're not a fragile plant species. This is the only way I know how to kill snails off plants successfully.

Cheers,
Chris


----------



## TCR (Jul 13, 2010)

i also heard putting a penny in the filter can get rid of all snails but can be harmful on certain fish.. 

I have had a snail problem and they usually lay the eggs on the glass.. i would say treating just your mosss will end up being a waste of time weather the salt water works or not (and ive added salt to the tank and the snails were fine so it might have to be a VERY strong % of salt in order to do so)

i would say use a small tank as a crontrol to see if there are snails in it.. if there are use the bleach method as it has worked for people in the past..


----------



## Tarobot (Jun 27, 2010)

i see, any type of bleach? i don't know what the common household bleach is, i dont think i have any at home, i hope draino doesnt count haha.


----------



## KotR (May 6, 2010)

you can use comet or javex. Stick with Javex liquid and use the 1:1 ratio. Comet powder is a little harder cos you'll have to calculate your concentration (I'm guessing 2 g per 100 ml, but I could be horribly horribly wrong)


----------



## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

Tarobot said:


> i see, any type of bleach? i don't know what the common household bleach is, i dont think i have any at home, i hope draino doesnt count haha.


 Draino is a mean acid and a definite nono as it will kill about anything alive incl the moss. Household bleach = liquid laundry bleach (Clorox). I would not recommend the powder type (Comet & such). As for the mix ratio I have read a 1:20 ratio is best
Here is the best directions I have found for dipping your plants for snails & eggs if you have to. About half way down the page you will see a section for "Plant Dips/Baths for disinfecting and killing snails and algae" there are a few methods listed there:
Aquarium planting tips and care
Altho I just seen Chris/Effox listed the same thing for the bleaching lol
There was another way ,I believe CRSfan told me about that was much safer, but I cant remember what it was, maybe he'll come along and post it


----------



## Mferko (Jun 8, 2010)

TCR said:


> i also heard putting a penny in the filter can get rid of all snails but can be harmful on certain fish..
> 
> I have had a snail problem and they usually lay the eggs on the glass.. i would say treating just your mosss will end up being a waste of time weather the salt water works or not (and ive added salt to the tank and the snails were fine so it might have to be a VERY strong % of salt in order to do so)
> 
> i would say use a small tank as a crontrol to see if there are snails in it.. if there are use the bleach method as it has worked for people in the past..


copper is very toxic to invertibrates, it will definitely work but not something youd want to try in a shrimp tank for example
i dont think it is recommended to use this method though... http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/copsul.shtml


----------

