# Slug and Snail control ideas



## dwdragon (Aug 14, 2008)

I have searched the forums and the internet for ways of taking care of or atleast controling slugs and snails in a natural non-invasive way in a PDF tank. I've seen everything from C02 treatments to Sluggo and other various methods that would just be bad. 

However, I haven't seen any posts of anyone trying Nemaslug. 

Mind you I am a total beginner and may not even be considered that as I don't even have PDF's yet. I've been building the vivarium and working out as many details as possible. I still am not even sure which type I will eventually decide on as I am still looking at size, morph, temperment, hardiness, social tolerance (ie: pairs / groups), and of course breeding tendancies. I only have the one tank and would love to have some tadpoles grow up to be froglets but I don't need to wake up one day and have serious overcrowding and nowhere for them to go. Basically starting off with a ton of text book knowledge, other people's experience, and try to go fairly slow. 

At any rate here is the product website. It sounded pretty interesting but as it is a parasite I'm not sure. I do know that there are species specific parasites from working in a pet store a long time ago.

http://www.nemaslug.com/slugs.shtml


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## dwdragon (Aug 14, 2008)

Here is another one I haven't seen mentioned.

Controlling snails with snails! It also says slugs as well.

http://www.growquest.com/snail_destroyer.htm

EDIT: http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/misc/gastro/snail_eating_snails.htm<<--- Another source of information on the predatory snails. 

My biggest worry with these guys would be eating frog eggs too. They might also be a worry depending on the size of your frog. I'm not sure though as they said they stay about 2 inches below ground. Likely fully terrestrial so they might not even get up to eggs on glass, in bromeliads, or other locations above the ground. This might be a problem if you use the standard cocohut with petri dish placement though.

By the way I'm throwing all of these out there for anyone who has tried everything else and it hasn't worked or so people who HAVE tried these can ring in on them...

I see so many posts about slug and snail problems there has got to be a better way to keep them under control as it seems from the amount of posts it's also inevitable you will get them in any vivarium atleast once.


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## markbudde (Jan 4, 2008)

It looks like the nemaslug (Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita) is only available in the UK. Too bad, because it look pretty interesting. 

I would imagine (but have no evidence) that the cone snails would make short work of your frogs eggs.
-mark


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## MJ (Jun 16, 2005)

PM me I'm sure I can help :wink:


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## dwdragon (Aug 14, 2008)

I would hate to sacrifice good PDF eggs but it might be worth it for someone to do an experiment in a seperate container with the Predator Snails. 

Remove the eggs from the parent enclosure and put in an enclosure with the predator snails setup with microfauna and all to simulate the vivarium so that you would know all the possible damage. Making sure there is some sort of rotting vegitation or something in the enclosure for the predator snails so they aren't "starving".

From reading these guys usually only come within 1" of the top of the soil so they are best for controlling snails and slugs before you have a full blown explosion of adult slugs/snails. 

If no one has tried either method before I get my frogs I have a couple of 20 gallon tanks that when I recover financial from setting up the pdf tank I might attempt to set one up for experimentation.

The Nemaslug would actually be a higher risk experiment as there is no information as to if the parasite effects frogs and that would be of the highest concern.

This is actually a concern with both but I think you would be able to see if a predator snail went after a frog alot easier than if a parasite invaded all of your frogs. 

Just a couple of ideas since I haven't seen a tried and true way to continuously and naturally control slug/snail populations and these both seem like possible viable solutions.

EDIT: By the way here is the page that I pulled some of the information off of. There are acutally various companies and brands for the Nemaslug type product maybe one is US based. 

http://www.haywardm.supanet.com/predators.html


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## markbudde (Jan 4, 2008)

I wasn't ready to type a response yet, but it seems you really want some responses, so here goes. The nemaslug are not available anywhere in north america, so far as I can tell, but they look very promising. I'd like to read this paper, which seems to show that nemaslug doesn't infect vertebrates, but I would have to read the paper to be sure. I am very interested in getting some nemaslug, but I just don't think it's available here. And I don't want to get some smuggled nemaslug either, because I don't want to be guilty of decimating the mollusk population of north america.

I've been applying a VERY heavy dose of Sluggo lately, with good results so far.


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## dwdragon (Aug 14, 2008)

Ok here's another idea.

There was another post somewhere about Sea Salt spray from the ocean in small amounts and combating chytrid in the wild. As this happens naturally I don't think a very small amount would kill vegitation and keeping chytrid at bay would be huge.

Does anyone know if it effects frogs not used to being around it? And I'm talking a light misting of diluted sea salt (not table salt) water once a week maybe? 

Since table salt kills slugs and snails instantly anyone got a slug or snail infested tank they can pull one from and try salt water on it?

The possible bad factor here is how it would effect frogs, and especially tads and eggs.


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## CHuempfner (Apr 27, 2008)

Well, I think the Saltwater for the environment is a great idea to help control Chytrid, if it actually does. However, in a small, teensy, weensy enclosed ecosystem, saltwater spray doesn't sound like a good idea. It may not kill ALL of your plants, but it could definately damage them, leaving burn marks on the foliage. Also, salt water is not good for frogs. If you are using Sodium to spray your viv, I would definately remove the frogs and then rinse the viv walls and plants with RO/Distilled water VERY well before reintroducing the frogs.
Natural Slug removal sounds great, but that's probably not the best idea in an enclosed viv.

I am sure that it's not very difficult to get slugs/snails in the viv, just riding along on a plant. But, if you soak all your plants in bleach water before placing them in the viv, it would more than likely reduce your chances of getting the pests into the viv to begin with. Preventing infestation! Just my opinion, I am not a professional 
Good luck!
Crystal


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## dwdragon (Aug 14, 2008)

I consider everything in proportions. So a small viv the less of something you use.

For instance sea salt water. I'm specifying sea water because table salt is not the same thing. Diluted to say a 1 - 5% ratio probably wouldn't hurt anything. I'm just not sure it would control anything either. As for the frogs they are obviously getting doses in the areas they live in the wild. They wouldn't be able to handle a soak in it but a light misting once in awhile probably would not be "unnatural". Just my thoughts.

Now the question I really wanna know the answer to is will it kill or keep at bay slugs and snails. I don't currently have any slugs or snails to test it on but there are lots of people I have noticed with saltwater tanks and PDF's I'm just assuming by simple quantity there's gotta be someone with access to a saltwater tank AND slugs or snails. Was hoping someone in that situation would try outside of the vivarium of course to see if the salt water would work or maybe even how diluted it could be for it to work.


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## divingne1 (Mar 21, 2008)

I think another thing to consider is the salt residue left on everything it gets sprayed on in the tank. 
Candy


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## dwdragon (Aug 14, 2008)

Shouldn't actually be a problem as it wouldn't be sprayed all the time. All the standard misting should wash it off the glass and plant leaves.


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## somecanadianguy (Jan 9, 2007)

if the concentration of sea salt was not high enuff to harm the frogs would it not be to weak to kill the slugs?
craig 
ps intresting thoughts by the way


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## dwdragon (Aug 14, 2008)

That's actually my question. LOL

Slugs and Snails are hypersensitive to any salt concentrations. I was reading why the other day. When the salt hits their outer body all the water on the inside rushes to it. Effectively drying them out. Since Slugs and Snails are unable to retain water on their own this is enough to kill them. That is why they are generally nocturnal and live in damp places. So putting salt on them is just faster than putting them in a dry area.

The sea salt should work from what I was reading. The real question is if it will work in such a diluted solution that it will not harm the frogs or plants.

Edit: I know that table salt will kill plants and hurt frogs. But sea salt has a different chemical makeup and is not as concentrated to start with from what I know. The fact that it was brought up that sea salt is a part of the PDF's natural environment is what triggered the thought. The way it is said to be distributed is in coastal mist driven in from wind. Which would be about the same as "misting". The main question to be asked is how much? 

The salt actually has the same effect on everything living it draws out a certain amount of water. Snails and Slugs are hypersensitive so it does the most damage. It may draw some water out of the frogs but as they have been able to withstand it in the wild I would imagine in the correct quantities they would be able to in captivity.

I see a lot of people posting that something that is found in the wild would be bad in a terrarium. This is very true if you only have a 10 - 20 gallon tank. I even think my tank is a wee bit small for environmental variables being a 56 gallon. However if you have 100 gallon + it's usually a matter of figuring out the ratios. For instance the snail eating snails. You definately don't want to try that in a 10 or 20 gallon tank (unless it's a test tank without frogs etc). However in a 100 gallon tank a couple of those guys probably would not hurt anything unless they can actively sense eggs and that is even if they eat eggs. Same with the Nemotodes. I wouldn't do it in a 10 or 20 gallon tank but that just might work in a tank my size or bigger. It's all about concentration levels and moderation.


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