How Can I Get Rid of Unwanted Snails in my Pelia Moss Aquarium?

Pelia moss plants grow dense while spreading in wider regions. Snails will start building their home inside the dense area to protect themselves from predator attacks. Intensified growth of the plant sometimes supports the snails to multiply quickly.

Once the snails have occupied the larger area in the plant, removing them from the Pelia moss plant is impossible. A large number of the snails will be stuck inside. Pelia moss needs proper care to survive. Else, it will become a house of several species.

Rid of Unwanted Snails in my Pelia Moss
Rid of Unwanted Snails in my Pelia Moss

Table of Contents

Can I remove unwanted snails in my Pelia moss aquarium?

Yes. It is possible to remove unwanted snails from the Pelia moss aquarium. Snails like to hide behind substrates and plants. Over time the hidden places such as under the rock caves, dense aqua forest, plants, and sand will become the house of the snails.

Tiny snails are difficult to find because they can hide anywhere in the aquarium. Especially, the dense region of the Pelia moss makes it challenging to find snails inside it.

Here are a few tips to get rid of the Snail from the Pelia Moss plant

Reduce the dense region

Exposing the snails to the open water will stress the snails. As the snails find their way out, they will get eaten by the fish in the tank. Additionally, the fish would have access to the Snail’s regions, where they can quickly enter and eat the snails.

The Pelia moss plant doesn’t have a root system or stem. Thus, you can cut them into pieces to split them into parts. Move the pieces away to allow the snails to find their way out.

Cleaning

Pelia moss plants can be cleaned using water. Take the plant out from the aquarium to wash. Hold the plant under the running water. Give it a clean swipe to remove the tiny snails inside the plant. Use the soft bristle old toothbrush to rub the surface of the plant. After that, put the Pelia moss in the mildly warm water. If the Snail is left in the plant, it will get removed from the water due to heat.

Bleach water

Take a bowl of water and add one tablespoon of bleach to it. Mix it properly and wait for the bleach to settle in the water for a few seconds. After a few seconds, place the Pelia moss plant in the bleach water. Leave it for a few 15 minutes. Remove the Pelia moss plant from the bowl and clean it under running water.

Leave the plant in another freshwater bowl to dilute all the bleach in the freshwater. Bleach affects the snail plants’ ability to stick to the surface. As a result, the snails will start falling from the plant. Also, tiny snails will die of the strong solution.

Take the help of snail predator fish

There are several snail eater fish. Use some of them in the tank to stop the multiplication of the snails in the aquarium. The snail eater predators will search in the dense region of the Pelia moss plant and eat them all. Within a few weeks, the available snails in the plant will vanish. You will have a clean and steadily growing Pelia moss plant.

Why do snails appear in my Pelia moss Tank?

Snails are found in different shapes and sizes. In many cases, the snails are brought from an external source into the aquarium. The plant or substrate that you purchased recently might have snail eggs. After you place the substrate in the aquarium, the suitable condition makes the eggs develop into baby snails.

As the Pelia moss plant grows, the development of the snails will be inevitable because the plant offers appropriate conditions for the Snail. Getting rid of the snails after occupying the ample space in the Pelia moss plant is tough.

Therefore, whenever you buy something for the aquarium, clean it before you place it in the aquarium. The substrate may also contain bacteria and viruses that may transfer into the aquarium, causing damage.

They eat the tiny leaves of a plant, making it difficult to grow. Also, some snails reproduce quickly. The Malaysian trumpet snail is one species that reproduce faster than other snail types. A single female is capable of giving birth to hundreds of miniature snails. The snail category is not suitable for the Pelia moss plant.

The type of snails eats anything they find at the bottom of the tank. You will find them eating dead fish, rotting fish eggs, and food pallets sunk in the water. These types of snails will clean uneaten food. Thus, snails can survive in a wide range of water conditions.

removing snail eggs from my Pelia moss plants

Removing snail eggs from the Pelia moss plants would not be easy because it is mainly stuck to the leaves of the plant. Scrapping them with a thin sheet of plastic or card would be the fastest way to get rid of them.

For that to work, you must bring the Pelia moss plant out of the aquarium. Alternatively, vacuuming will also support you in getting rid of the Snail’s eggs. Ensure the vacuum speed is gentle. It should not affect the plant.

Quarantine the plant for a few days in a separate container or aquarium. The quarantine will decrease the egg count because the new facility will lack the necessary growth supply.

Also, the snails stuck inside the plant will die because no food will be available around them. Slowly, the number of snails count will decrease.

Do Snails eat live Pelia moss?

Not all Snails eat live plants. Thus, your Pelia moss plant is safe around the Snail. The only problem with the Snail is they occupy the space inside the plant to create and make their home. The Snails will multiply and take away the necessary plant growth space briefly.

Algae could be the food for the Snails. Food at the bottom of the tank would become a great appetite for the snails. However, you should not support the algae to grow on the plant leaves. Algae will decrease plant growth, making it challenging to flourish in the region.

Do Snails eat dead Pelia moss?

Yes. Snails eat dead and decaying matter found in the aquarium. It supplies nutrition to them. Dead fish, dead plants, and waste food tank down to the bottom of the aquarium will become their food. Sometimes the snails also eat the dirt developed at the bottom of the tank.

How to kill snails permanently in Pelia moss Tanks?

The first thing that you need to do is to separate all the elements used in the snake plant. You have to conduct the cleaning of each component and live plant.

The stuff you can wash with the warm water should be kept aside because you must put them in the warm water to kill the snails.

Next, the substrate should be clean with the bleaching mix. Add bleaching powder to the bowl of water. Mix it properly and place the Pelia moss plant in the water. The Snail will get removed easily after a few washes. Bleaching powder separates the Snail and occasionally kills them.

Never place substrate or plant directly in the aquarium after getting it from the store. The plants may have eggs lying inside the dese region. When you put them in the tank without cleaning, the eggs will hatch, and new snail babies will take place.

Natural remedies for removing snails in my Pelia moss aquarium

You can remove the Snail from the Pelia moss plant in several ways. Here are the most common ways to get rid of the snails from the dense region of the plant.

Manual removal

The easiest way to remove the Snail is to use the card to separate the snails from the plant. Manual removal will be tedious, but it will ensure the snails are removed and no longer affect the water.

Predator fish

Place snail eater predator fish in the tank. They will eat all the snails and make the aquarium clean. Predators will also eat the snails hidden inside the Pelia moss plant, so you do not have to clean it separately.

Are Snail removing chemicals bad for Pelia moss aquarium plants?

The snail removal chemicals are made to prevent growth. Also, the manufacturer will ensure it will not harm any other species in the tank. Using good quality chemicals made by reputable companies will not harm live plants like Pelia moss. The aquarium will be safe, and you will never have such a problem.

How do I lower the snail population of my Pelia moss aquarium?

Lowering the snail population will be accessible when you have proper guidelines for aquarium maintenance. The majority of the time, dirty water is the culprit of the snail population development.

Use the powerful filtration process to keep the bottom surface clean. The filter will suck the waste product and keep it away from the Snail. The Snail eats the waste product and leftover food. Perform a 25% water change weekly to supply fresh water in the tank.

How long do snails live in the Pelia moss aquarium Tank?

The average life span of the Snail is around one or two years. Some snails may live longer if they are kept in good condition. The Pelia moss plant will provide sufficient space to thrive in the natural habitat.

Ensure the plant is getting the necessary food supply because the plants with good health prevent the development of bacteria and algae. This unwanted stuff around the plant makes the habitat suitable for snails.

Conclusion

Snails and Pelia moss plants grow along if you do not take care of them. Ensuring the plant has a stable environment with the necessary food supply will take care of the snails’ growth. Regular cleaning and filtration is the only way to stop the multiplication of the snails in the tank.

By Uswatta Liyanage

Hello. I'm Uswatta Liyanage from Galle, Sri Lanka. I am the founder of this website. Since my childhood I'm an aqua plant lover and I have professionally learned more about aqua plants. So I created this site for share my knowledge and experience with all of you. Now you can refer my site and feel free to contact me if any inquiry.