Removing Snails From Filter Media

rrkss

Biology is Fun
Dec 2, 2005
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Well my sister just got a 10 gallon aquarium and to help her cycle her tank, I would like to provide her use of my sponge filter for a week or so to seed her biofilter. The only problem is that she wants to go fish only with plastic decoration and no snails but this sponge is in my planted tank with snails and they have colonized the filter media. Anyway to remove the snails without killing the nitrifying bacteria?
 
pick them off with a tweezers or your fingers
 
Removal IMe is impossible without killing everything on the sponge.
I would suggest bagging the sponge in something like Pantyhose, and tying it tightly. This still poses some risk as snails seem to be related to hudini, but you'd stand a good chance of keeping them in the bag. If you aren't in a hurry you could also bag a new sponge and let it colonize then remove it from the bag and put it in her tank.


Dave
 
The blue color of the liquid makes me think that it is made out of copper salts which is a big no no in my aquariums and I would not want her to start using chemicals to control her tank's problems. I think she will just have to cycle the old fashioned way or if I am lucky enough, she will agree to cycle her tank fishless.
 
The chemical snailicides are toxic to all inverts and frogs, a bit less so but still hazardous to plants, and some fish. Do not use these agents in any FW tank if you think that you might ever keep plants, shrimp, frogs, or delicate fish. I do not use poisons for any reason in any of my tanks.
 
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