Tricks to get snail off glass?

[montoya]

I've got a very large turbo snail that's really too big for my tank. The thing's grown to the size where it is knocking over rocks, corals and anything else in its path. I have a couple people with much larger tanks that would be glad to have it.

The problem is it is almost always on the glass. The rare times it is on the sand it is way down behind my rocks where I can't get to it. I can't get it off the glass by pulling. I've put a fair amount of pressure on it for several minutes thinking it would eventually let go but it won't. I don't want to injure it. It seems like it will let itself get torn apart before it lets go.

Any clever ideas to get a big snail to release from the glass?

 

[Bifferwine]

Get yourself a butter knife from the kitchen. Press one of the flat sides of the knife gently against the snail's foot (not one of the skinny sides!). It should let go.

 

[yote]

Another good method,is to twist them.They'll usually let go after 1/4 turn.

 

[Rcpilot]

Pull harder. He'll let go when it starts to hurt. :lol:

 

[yote]

Pull harder. He'll let go when it starts to hurt. :lol:

I tryed that once with an emerald crab.That sucker didnt turn loose untill the top of his body seperated from the bottom part.Pulled the rascal half in 2:shock:

 

[Rcpilot]

I wouldn't do that with a crab............... again.

But I do it all the time with snails. Just pluck 'em off the glass. They'll let go.

I did crush an emerald crab once. Was trying to catch him and he got hold of a rock and was hanging on. I grabbed a pair of big hemostats and got him under his belly and across his back - from behind. I had him good and he wasn't getting loose. But the harder I pulled, the harder he dug in to that rock. I must have pulled on him for 5 minutes and every chance he got he'd dig in just a little harder. I finally ended up squeezing the hemos too hard (accident of course) and I crushed his body flat as a pancake.

:yikesu::bye2:

 

[Reefrookie]

I usually just give them a gentle twist

 

[Tristan]

I tryed that once with an emerald crab.That sucker didnt turn loose untill the top of his body seperated from the bottom part.Pulled the rascal half in 2:shock:

what the heck lol. did you atleast eat him?

 

[dcantucson]

I just slide mine right up and off! Advantages of a rimless tank! :lol:

 

[Ted]

I just slide mine right up and off! Advantages of a rimless tank! :lol:

Also a advantage of a imaginary tank:mrgreen: Sorry dc couldn't resist. I have used a petsmart pet perks card to get snails off of the glass. Seems to be the only really good use for one of those things.

 

[Tristan]

Have you tried putting Snuby snacks on the sandbed?

 

[montoya]

Thanks - I will try the knife/credit card suggestion to see if I can coax the snail off.
Tristan - what the heck is a Snuby snack? Is it something I can feed my kids if the snail doesn't like them?

 

[andysgirl8800]

Helps if you do it very quickly. I can pluck mine right off the glass, as long as I don't hesitate. As soon as the snail feels threatened, it tightens its grip on whatever surface it is clinging to. If you pluck them quickly, they usually don't have a chance to increase suction. *L*

 

[Sharkie]

sometimes you can also "tickle" them with your finger, they don't like their foot being touch and usually let go... all the methods posted are good tho :)

 

[Rcpilot]

Yep - touch the foot and they usually give up and let go. I like Biffs butter knife method. Using the back (dull side) of the knife and just gently press it on their foot.

I like the fast pluck method like Andysgirl said. If you move quick and pluck fast they don't have time to knuckle up and suction down tight. :helm2:

 

[Bifferwine]

The butter knife method seems to work on most, if not all inverts that have feet -- such as clams, anemones and snails. They just don't like the feeling of metal on their flesh and will quickly retract.