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Originally Posted by RubberFrog  Buy or borrow a loach. At my lfs, I can purchase a loach and then return him for credit later. Usually I get around 50% ~ 75%. Great way to get rid of snails without commiting to keeping a loach. |
Make sure that your tank is cycled though and ready to support fish before you add any (noticed the 'recently set up' portion of your question). I would also consider the size of your tank as well since most loaches will want to be in groups of three to five and will be more willing to go out hunting for snails if they are not alone. You tank size will determine what type of loaches you can keep. Since you have two snails, this breeding is probrably going to be a constant within your tank, like Irish points out, so a long term 'loach approach' would be best for you. They can quickly over run a tank.
If your tank is not cycled (if you dont know, read this:
http://www.fishtankforums.com/5-fres...aquarium.html), then you can use a snail 'trap' by putting a glass jar (empty and cleaned and rinsed well) buried on its side in your substrate. Put some food in the jar, like a slice of cucumber, and every morning, before you turn on the lights, take the jar out and rinse the snails out. Make sure that you keep your two snails, that you want to keep, in the tank of course. This method has some mixed reviews as it is not a 'quick fix', but it is harmless to your tank (so long as the jar is clean and free of soap or chemicals, including the label, if any) and will allow you to pick and choose what snails stay or leave. It may also take some time before your snails realize there is food in the jar, so keep doing this every night and take it out every morning.
I would not suggest using any chemicals or addititives to rid the tank of snails because there are snails you obviously want in there, and using them can have long lasting effects so you would not be able to put the snails you want back in the tank, even if you took them out during treatment.
