Cleaning the cleaners?

Calm Blue Ocean · Jul 13, 2020

I have a new tank cycling and would soon like to start moving some of my CUC from the old tank to the new tank. The problem is that I have some sort of nuisance algae in the old tank that, at least according the the CUC, is not edible. I very much do not want to spread this green hair monster to the new tank if I can avoid it but I've seen it grow quite happily on the trochus snails in particular. Is there a safe way to clean my snails to minimize the chances of any unfortunate hitchhikers?

sixline · Jul 13, 2020

DSEKULA · Jul 13, 2020

Collect the snails, place them in a cup with tank water. Grab an extra cup of tank water and a cup of peroxide. Pick up a snail and gently poke at it to get it to retract. Scrub the shell with peroxide using a stiff brush then move to the second cup of tank water.. do one at a time moving from one container to the other. I'd do them daily untill they are no longer looking green etc. To do the final transfer I'd do on me last scrub and then add to the new tank. Just always be careful not to get full strength peroxide all over the snails flesh. Ive gotten a tiny bit on them and immediately rinsed them in tank water with no noticable damage though.

Calm Blue Ocean · Jul 13, 2020

TJDSEKULA said:
Collect the snails, place them in a cup with tank water. Grab an extra cup of tank water and a cup of peroxide. Pick up a snail and gently poke at it to get it to retract. Scrub the shell with peroxide using a stiff brush then move to the second cup of tank water.. do one at a time moving from one container to the other. I'd do them daily untill they are no longer looking green etc. To do the final transfer I'd do on me last scrub and then add to the new tank. Just always be careful not to get full strength peroxide all over the snails flesh. Ive gotten a tiny bit on them and immediately rinsed them in tank water with no noticable damage though.

Thank you, I have scrubbed these guys in clean saltwater many times but it always comes back. Nice to know that a careful application of peroxide is safe.