How to transfer snails with contaminated shells

[MONTANTK]

Tonight I am looking to transfer 4 Astrea snails into my new tank. The tank they are coming from (my old tank) has flatworms and bubble algae which I obviously don’t want in the new tank.

Will just scrubbing the shells with a tooth brush and rinsing in a container be adequate to avoid transferring algae into the new tank? I’m most concerned about the bubble algae

 

[gentlefish]

You sure it’s worth any risk for 4 snails? Theoretically you can scub them and may even be successful, worst you end up with anything from bubble algae to ick.

 

[DDenny]

I would say its not worth it. I bought snails (from a reputable vendor) that came with acoel flatworms didn't know it either wish I would have QT'ed them but I needed algae eaters ASAP and the LFS only hade huge golfball sized turbos. In a 4g they would have bulldozed everything.

 

[MONTANTK]

You sure it’s worth any risk for 4 snails? Theoretically you can scub them and may even be successful, worst you end up with anything from bubble algae to ick.

Definitely not worried about ich as it’s my own tank (I should have clarified).

 

[MONTANTK]

I would say its not worth it. I bought snails (from a reputable vendor) that came with acoel flatworms didn't know it either wish I would have QT'ed them but I needed algae eaters ASAP and the LFS only hade huge golfball sized turbos. In a 4g they would have bulldozed everything.

Just to clarify, they are coming from my old tank

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Tonight I am looking to transfer 4 Astrea snails into my new tank. The tank they are coming from (my old tank) has flatworms and bubble algae which I obviously don’t want in the new tank.

Will just scrubbing the shells with a tooth brush and rinsing in a container be adequate to avoid transferring algae into the new tank? I’m most concerned about the bubble algae

paint their shells with hydrogen peroxide and scrub with hydrogen peroxide but try not to get any hydrogen peroxide on snail flesh itself. Snail will hate having a toothbrush scrub, so it will be pulling up tight into shell, which helps process

Hydrogen peroxide will kill any bubble algae.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Tonight I am looking to transfer 4 Astrea snails into my new tank. The tank they are coming from (my old tank) has flatworms and bubble algae which I obviously don’t want in the new tank.

Will just scrubbing the shells with a tooth brush and rinsing in a container be adequate to avoid transferring algae into the new tank? I’m most concerned about the bubble algae

Salifert Flatworm eXit is a great product to get rid of flatworms, if you are keeping the old tank going. Try to get as many worms out first and then treat. I then treated either 1-2 weekends later, not a worm since!

This is the procedure I followed. Due to my tank size, I had to get more than 1 bottle as my 180g went thru about 1 1/2 Salifert Flatworm eXit bottles each of two treatments (have a tiny bit left over). Box says it will treat 300 gallons, but not if you treat it like this procedure I followed:

How to eliminate Flatworms (Red Planaria) | Melev's Reef

www.melevsreef.com

 

[MONTANTK]

Salifert Flatworm eXit is a great product to get rid of flatworms, if you are keeping the old tank going. Try to get as many worms out first and then treat. I then treated either 1-2 weekends later, not a worm since!

This is the procedure I followed. Due to my tank size, I had to get more than 1 bottle as my 180g went thru about 1 1/2 Salifert Flatworm eXit bottles each of two treatments (have a tiny bit left over). Box says it will treat 300 gallons, but not if you treat it like this procedure I followed:

How to eliminate Flatworms (Red Planaria) | Melev's Reef

www.melevsreef.com

I don’t plan on keeping the tank going but appreciate the advice! As for the peroxide I will definitely try that! Only one snail seems to have it right now but I’ll do it on all of them

 

[Fish Think Pink]

I don’t plan on keeping the tank going but appreciate the advice! As for the peroxide I will definitely try that! Only one snail seems to have it right now but I’ll do it on all of them

yes, do them all - it only takes a spore and we aren't likely to see that

I had bubble and multiple nuisance algae types that took months to cleanup... hydrogen peroxide is available anywhere, quick to use and would have saved me lots of time & $$ if I just had used better multiple step dip process sooner... (BRS video)

 

[Idoc]

I've done exactly what @Fish Think Pink is suggesting with scrubbing snail shells with a toothbrush and peroxide...just don't get it on the snail itself, just the top shell. I know they are just snails, but they are also living animals and shouldn't be just thrown away.

 

[MONTANTK]

I've done exactly what @Fish Think Pink is suggesting with scrubbing snail shells with a toothbrush and peroxide...just don't get it on the snail itself, just the top shell. I know they are just snails, but they are also living animals and shouldn't be just thrown away.

That was my dilemma. I’d feel weird giving them to an LFS and just tossing them away would be cruel

 

[MONTANTK]

yes, do them all - it only takes a spore and we aren't likely to see that

I had bubble and multiple nuisance algae types that took months to cleanup... hydrogen peroxide is available anywhere, quick to use and would have saved me lots of time & $$ if I just had used better multiple step dip process sooner... (BRS video)

How would you go about transferring stomatellas or emerald crabs? I can’t imagine many hitchhikers would come on those

 

[Fish Think Pink]

How would you go about transferring stomatellas or emerald crabs? I can’t imagine many hitchhikers would come on those

Carefully and with prayers... Defer to others on this as can't fresh dip and all I can think is repeated clean saltwater rinses to move between tanks...

 

[DDenny]

Just to clarify, they are coming from my old tank

You could treat with flatworm exit then move out of the flatworms are that bad and depending on what kind.

 

[MONTANTK]

You could treat with flatworm exit then move out of the flatworms are that bad and depending on what kind.

I went with a peroxide scrub and then a quick rinse. Fingers crossed nothing made it in