Lots of tiny snails!

[Brookster123]

Just noticed my 10 g, pretty well stocked tank is teaming with very small snails! Had no idea they were in there, prob came on the java fern mat, should I be worried here?

 

[gd007]

might want to think about an assassin snail

 

[Brookster123]

That was my first thought but didn't want to be rash..

 

[Brookster123]

Assassins in!! Let's see how they do

 

[TankMan7]

Assassins are great. How many did you get? My 30g was over run with snails at one point, too, so I got 5 assassins. Within 6 weeks, my tank was cleaned out. I also noticed that the assassins had laid eggs everywhere! I now have over 50 assassins in my tank of all sizes and I have nothing for them to eat! I am now supplementing the tank with snails from a separate tank that I set up just to raise snails. Interesting how things turn out...

 

[Brookster123]

I got 4 for my 10 gal, planning on moving 2 into my 30 in a week or two, I don't think I'd mind if they multiplied, they were 4$ ea., I'm sure I could sell them back at at least half that, or better yet store credit for more fish!!

 

[Mattyfelts]

I've never had very good luck with the assassins, I find putting an algae wafer in and then collecting all the snails with a net off of it and just putting them somewhere else is alot more effective.

 

[Brookster123]

I could try that too, I'm pretty sure my Pleco will run anything else off it though

 

[Mattyfelts]

I could try that too, I'm pretty sure my Pleco will run anything else off it though

True, i dont have a pleco but you could remove the pleco for 1-2 hours if possible and then get as many out as possible and put him back??

 

[TankMan7]

Extra assassins is actually a great thing. Once they are big enough, I will sell them or give them to friends in need. They are pretty cool little whelks

 

[Brookster123]

Hmm, I could stick him in a breeder box for a spell I suppose, how fast will the snails congregate on the wafer? Should I add a few? What is the best time?

 

[TankMan7]

No need to stress your fish out. Give the assassins a chance. Besides, to bait and trap the snails you would have to leave some kind of bait over night just to make a small dent in your live population. You probably have hundreds of eggs around your tank and hundreds more babies buried in your substrate.

 

[Brookster123]

I'm just concerned that such a large population in such a small tank could have a devastating outcome..

 

[TankMan7]

Snails are self limiting and, really, are good for your tank. The only reason people remove them is for aesthetic reasons. They just don't look great. Other than that, they are great scavengers that will only multiply when there is a food source.

 

[Coryluv]

I had an explosion of small snails when I first started my planted tank, before it was cycled and before I had fish. After adding fish the snail population stabilized. They definitely are self-limiting.

I just have plain old pond snails. Now there are fewer and larger pond snails. I find them beneficial in eating algae and plant waste, and harmless to the point that when I accidentally vac one up one while cleaning, I pick it out of the waste bucket and throw it back in.

 

[Brookster123]

I guess I'll just sit back and see what happens:/

 

[Autumnsky]

Pond snails and other snails as well are awesome, amusing and good cleaners.

Over feeding (and not vac-ing the substrate often/well, or at all) is the main reason when you have too many snails.

That said they can do a number on a bottom feeder pellet and not let shrimp or bottom feeders get to the food, so removing the (snail) pile on a wafer and helping limit them can be beneficial to the tanks other bottom feeder inhabitants.

People are always wanting snails so you can usually get rid of them pretty easily.

Also can smash them and feed them to your fish, for those fish which don't like the shells. This way you get a benefit from them for your fish health and varied diet.

 

[pip walters]

Assassins are great. How many did you get? My 30g was over run with snails at one point, too, so I got 5 assassins. Within 6 weeks, my tank was cleaned out. I also noticed that the assassins had laid eggs everywhere! I now have over 50 assassins in my tank of all sizes and I have nothing for them to eat! I am now supplementing the tank with snails from a separate tank that I set up just to raise snails. Interesting how things turn out...

I have fed earthworms to assassins. They also like the odd bit of dead fish, discus food with beefheart, etc.