Controlling our favorite pest

[owen0992]

So I have a snail problem. How do you guys get them out? Right now I have a little blanched lettuce in a little bowl. Only 7 of the guys in the pics were caught in the bowl. The rest were just scrapped off the sides of the tank. Is there a veggie they like best? They are in a planted tank so whatever I throw in there has to be tastier to them than java moss, and brazillion micro sword. Both of those plants are making this hard so some sort of trap is best. There are probably a couple hundred (all sizes). Help!!

 

[Pipedreamer86]

If you have yer ability stocking wise my yo yo loaches took care of my snails. Plus they are beautiful and entertaining fish. Some of my favorites

 

[owen0992]

It would be cool to get a loach but the tank is fully stocked.

 

[Wyomingite]

Ya might try assassin snails. They don't take the larger snails, IME, but if ya pick the larger snails out the assassins will start takin' out the small ones before they can reach maturity. I've never had 'em clear a tank, but they will help keep the population under control.

WYite

 

[owen0992]

What do assassin snails eat if they finish off all the pest snails?

 

[HN1]

Feed less, clean more. Snails will only reproduce to the level of available food.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Feed less, clean more. Snails will only reproduce to the level of available food.

Agreed. They aren't necessarily a bad thing to have in your tank. They do a great job at cleaning up IMO/E.

 

[Cichlid Kid]

+2
To answer your question, assassin snails will eventually starve once the pest snails are all eaten.

 

[Lt.]

-1, kinda. I have heard from a lot of people on AA that the Assassin snails will forage for food after, if there are no other snails.

 

[Simoneack]

Ekkk!!! How do the snails get in the tank?

 

[MountainAsh87]

@Simoneack Snails, and snail eggs, are often found on live plants and stuff that people use to stock a tank. They might not be visible when you first buy it, but they're there. I have a few snails in my tank (all from live plants, I'm sure), but not nearly as much as owen0992.

I hope you figure something out, Owen! Assassin snails would be my only thought, too, since you can't add loaches or other snail predators.

 

[HN1]

-1, kinda. I have heard from a lot of people on AA that the Assassin snails will forage for food after, if there are no other snails.

They will, but they'll require additional feeding of meaty foods which means more waste. Generally, "taking care" of an issue through the introduction of more animals will lead to other "issues" down the line. Take care of the root cause and you don't have that to worry about.

 

[Pipedreamer86]

I agree its not the best practice to introduce a new fish to get rid of a pest, and the root of the infestation should be examined, but i do still suggest loaches to anyone who has the means to provide them a proper home because they really are great fish!

 

[Lt.]

How fast do mystery snails breed? If I got some of them, and some Assassin snails, would populations stay under control? Would loaches kill an entire population of snails?

 

[Cichlid Kid]

Mystery snails don't breed in the water and assassin snails won't eat adult MS. Why would you intro MS and AS together? -1

 

[Lt.]

I thought mystery snails would breed in the water and then assassin snails would control the population.

 

[owen0992]

It's the pesty pond snail that breeds like crazy in the water. Mystery snail lay eggs just above the water line where it's humid