Reusing filter media + plants from snail infested tank

[FJK_12]

I had to leave my tank in the hands of someone else during lockdown and upon my return have noticed a big snail population. Can anyone I.D these snails?

I'm looking to restart this aquarium and would like to reuse the filter media to kick start the cycling process, does anyone know if reusing this media is likely to lead to a snail infestation in the new set up? There is also some cyano/blue green algae in the tank and I'm worried the media could be 'contaminated' as well.

Same goes for the plants - I guess I will have to treat them but not sure how! Any ideas?


Thanks in advance!

 

[SRP3006]

They are ramshorn snails (I hope) and they are very good at cleaning algae off of hardscape and plants. Plenty of people (myself included) introduce these snails to their tanks for that reason. They won't reproduce faster than the food source if that makes sense. Mine certainly don't. They will help control some of that algae that you have anyway.

If you really want to get rid of them then manual remove would be best imo, treating the tank would end up with lots of rotting snails and a ammonia spike. A simple piece of lettuce attached to a fork at lights off will catch quite a few and then remove in the morning.

 

[sparkyweasel]

The first pic is a ramshorn, the second is a bladder snail.
As SRP3006 says the population depends on the food, so your tank caretaker has probably been overfeeding.

 

[rubadudbdub]

They won't reproduce faster than the food source if that makes sense.

I agree with the above post. If someone else has been looking after the tank my money is on them having overfed the tank.

Reduce feeding, give the tank a good clean, gravel hoover and get rid of uneaten food. All of which you'll do as part of a refurb. I doubt that the snail problem is contaminated filter media. I'd reuse it.

For the algae issues I find this website very useful:
http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm

 

[FJK_12]

Thanks for the I.D, they do look like Ramshorns snails.

As for the Cyanobacteria, can I reuse my filter media and plants without contaminating the new tank with it?