# Planted Tanks > Plant Talk >  how to use hydrogen peroxide to eradicate snails?

## joseph_zhou

Hi, currently i have a 2 ft tanks that is heavily infested by those pointed shell snails. I have decided to try to use hydrogen peroxide to treat the whole tank, w/o any fishes but with plants. Howerver, i not sure abt the dosage and how long it takes for the peroxide to break down. can anyone advise me?
Thanks

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## loupgarou

the level you need is going to kill your plants.. you can try those snail traps sold by jbl/jbj (you can find it at keongseong)

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## |squee|

I've never heard of H2O2 being used to kill snails  :Smile:

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## Goondoo

> I've never heard of H2O2 being used to kill snails


Try copper treatment, but what ever kill snails is going to kill shrimps (if you have any) too.

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## loupgarou

copper at the concentration used to kill snails in substrate might pollute your substrate permanently..

peroxide may or may not be able to kill snails because snails can retreat into their shells and seal up.. however, since its byproducts are water and oxygen..

---
is there a way to kill them via co2 overdosage? ie: ph so high the carbonic acid melts their shells?

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## crandf

At 2mls to 4mls per gallon, its pretty useless. However, 4mls/gallon is already sufficient to have noticeable side effect on the tenderer plants, so I wouldn't recommend any higher.

But I can confirm that it will die if you squirt each snail individually during lights on period  :Exasperated: .

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## vinz

Since you have no fish, try a CO2 overdose. They may float to the surface to get oxygen (like fish gasping). Then just net them all up. What does not float up will get die.

Also, since you have no fish, you can use a homemade snail trap. Just lay a plate, bowl, or similar container in the tank and weigh down a leaf of lettuce in it. Overnight, the snails will congregate on the lettuce to feed. Just remove the container. Try this over a few nights to make sure you get as many of them as possible. Replace the lettuce with a fresh one once it starts rotting. You don't want to trigger an algae bloom with the ammonia from the rotting lettuce.

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## Phillipians

hmm, was wondering why noone mentioned using the predator/prey method. Since you dont have any shrimps or fish, get a big badis badis or some of the dwarf puffers to do the job. 2 ft tank with major infestation, you can get up to 3 - 4 dwarf puffer. after that, sell it off or give away. I have tested out dwarf puffers, they are rather effective. 

just my 1/2 cent worth, well, the natural way is always the best way to me hahah

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## wong1979

> Since you have no fish, try a CO2 overdose. They may float to the surface to get oxygen (like fish gasping). Then just net them all up. What does not float up will get die.
> 
> Also, since you have no fish, you can use a homemade snail trap. Just lay a plate, bowl, or similar container in the tank and weigh down a leaf of lettuce in it. Overnight, the snails will congregate on the lettuce to feed. Just remove the container. Try this over a few nights to make sure you get as many of them as possible. Replace the lettuce with a fresh one once it starts rotting. You don't want to trigger an algae bloom with the ammonia from the rotting lettuce.


I like this idea, CO2 overdose  :Grin:  

Lettuce as a bait for snails? Why din't I think of that? Know I know what to feed my dario dario  :Smile:

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## joseph_zhou

haha... juz my luck... my CO2 went dry juz the day before. Now i hope that the oxidising effect can burn the snails  :Evil:  ....

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## joseph_zhou

btw, i juz measure my water with the hydrogen peroxide in it, it is ard pH 4.5-5.0 ... maybe that is y some shrimp died due to the burn cause by the acidic condition.

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## tango

:Crying:  after this operation, how do u intend to neutralise your water; should try the puffer method, I can always lend u my puffer.

tango

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## joseph_zhou

after this i intend to change all the water totally and to add some coral chips to neturalise the effect... hope it works... hehe... I don wanna risk your puffers, later they sucide then i jia lat liao....  :Opps:

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## joseph_zhou

after 3 days, there is no action of any snails and the shells are turning white.  :Grin:

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## liew_j

hi phillipians, i have the same problems with those snails. but will the dwarft puffer bite off the tails of my other fishes? I've put them in before and i realised that some of my fishes tails have been bitten off... i just took the puffer out.

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## joseph_zhou

after a week, the pH of the water go back to 6.5~7.0

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