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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stuttgart, Arkansas » Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Cntr » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #200207
Title: Evaluating slurried-hydrated lime pond-shoreline treatments for reducing populations of rams-horn snails

Author
item Mitchell, Andrew
item Snyder, Gregory
item WISE, DAVID - NAT. WARMWATER AQUA. CTR.
item MISCHKE, CHARLES - NAT. WARMWATER AQUA. CTR.

Submitted to: North American Journal of Aquaculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/5/2007
Publication Date: 11/1/2007
Citation: Mitchell, A.J., Snyder, S.G., Wise, D., Mischke, C. 2007. Evaluating slurried-hydrated lime pond-shoreline treatments for reducing populations of rams-horn snails. North American Journal of Aquaculture. 69:313-316.

Interpretive Summary: Rams-horn snails are known vectors of two trematodes that can infect and kill pond-raised fish. The majority of these snails inhabit the pond’s edge. Four different slurried hydrated lime, pond-shoreline treatments (treatments applied around the margins of the pond) were evaluated to determine their ability to kill rams-horn snails in experimental ponds. The slurried hydrated lime was applied in a 3 ft swath along the edge of the pond at rates of 80 and 100 lbs per 100 linear ft and in a 6 ft swath at rates of 80 and 175 lbs per 100 linear ft. All four treatments were significantly better than their corresponding controls and the application of SHL pond-shoreline treatments of 100 lb hydrated lime/100 linear ft (3 ft application width) and 175 lb hydrated lime/100 linear ft (6 ft application width) were the most effective treatments. Both of these treatments resulted in better than 95% reduction in snail survival.

Technical Abstract: Trematodes can cause massive infections in fish, and the most promising approach for the control of these infections is the reduction or elimination of snails that vector the trematodes. A recent approach, the application of high concentrations of slurried-hydrated lime (SHL) or copper sulfate pentahydrate (CSP) along the margins of a pond (pond-shoreline treatment), has shown promise in reducing rams-horn snail Planorbella trivolvis (the snail vector of Bolbophorus damnificus and Clinostomum marginatum) populations in experimental ponds. While CSP has been shown to effectively reduce snail numbers, treatment efficacy and application methods using SHL have not been well defined. Four SHL treatments were evaluated for their ability to kill rams-horn snails in experimental units designed to mimic commercial aquaculture ponds. The treatments were applied at water temperatures ranging between 75° and 79°F and a total alkalinity and total hardness ranging between 137 to 257 ppm CaCO3 and 86 to 120 ppm CaCO3, respectively. All tested SHL applications were shown to reduce snail numbers, however, the application of SHL pond-shoreline treatments of 100 lb hydrated lime/100 linear ft (3 ft application width) and 175 lb hydrated lime/100 linear ft (6 ft application width) were the most effective treatments, resulting in a 97.2 and 96.0% reduction in snail survival respectively.