Snail problems...

[Lonewolfblue]

I posted a different topic on some jelly stuff that I found in my java moss, must have been snails for sure. Got tons of them now. Just a question on eliminating them or keeping them at bay. Would clown loaches do the trick, or is there another fish that would do a better job of snail duty? I thought maybe my dojo's would do something, but they aren't. And I think I found the momma snail, she's huge for a pest snail, about 3/8 inch in diameter.

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26G Community:
1 Bala shark - 5", 1 Red Tail shark - 4", 1 Rainbow shark - 3 1/2", 1 Albino Rainbow shark - 3", 1 Golden Dojo Loach - 8", 1 Dojo loach - 4", 2 Fire Eels - 9" each, 4 Chinese Algae Eaters - 1" each, 1 Bolivian Ram - 1", 6 Glowlight rasboras - 1" each. 55G coming soon.

 

[Toirtis]

Clown loaches are great, but there is no room in your aquarium for even a small school. As far as the 'mother snail' goes, it may be the biggest, but even the small ones can reptoduce...and rapidly. Manual removal is probably your only option at this point.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

True, but I'll have a 55G here not this coming week, but the next. Will probably cycle it with fish. So if I got 2 clowns now, and in a little over a week when I get the new tank set up, will move them and the bala to the new tank for starts, til it cycles. I figure 3 fish in a 55G won't be too bad while cycling as long as I maintain the water changes, etc. Or I guess I could wait til I get the new tank, then get the loaches. But I know one thing, with almost losing a fire eel while this tank cycled, I won't be moving them til after I know the tank has cycled. They are my pride and joy.

 

[Toirtis]

True, but I'll have a 55G here not this coming week, but the next. Will probably cycle it with fish. So if I got 2 clowns now, ...

Ah, but 2 does not a school make...and 5 clowns will be pretty crowded in a 55 once they hit 4"+.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Oops, made a mistake, the clowns will be feeding on the snails. Will probably move the bala, red tail, rainbow, and the dojo's. I've cycled a tank before with sharks with no problems. Just maintain the water changes and test the water frequently. Should cycle fine.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

How about yoyo's? Will they handle snails? The LFS here also has a few Zebra Loaches. Those are the only 2 other botias the LFS has here currently.

 

[Toirtis]

Yoyos may...they are supposed to, so I am currently seeing how 4 fare in one of my tanks.

 

[EMTtony]

Manually remove them ,bag them up and send them to me, my dwarf puffer will love you forever

 

[Devilishturtles]

I agree, manual removal is the way to go. Atleast, as much manual removal as possible. You probably won't be lucky enough to get them all in one trip. With your current fish setup, I don't see any other way to go. I have heard that yo-yo's will eat snails, but I've never seen them do it in real life.

Good luck.

 

[Tiffi]

Do they eat your plants?

I had snails in my aquariums as long as I can remember. They've never been a problem. When there is not enough food for them, they die anyway. Why does everybody wants to get rid of snails so badly?

 

[Jchillin]

Just chiming in...I have ramshorns by choice in my 75 gal tank. I have to manually remove the excess snails on a weekly basis.

I have ramshorns in my 30 gal by accident. I have to manually remove any as often as I see them. One great thing about this is my LFS cannot get enough so I provide them with the snails, they provide me with store credit.

Snails like to lay there eggs in the most hidden parts of your tank. I would suggest that when you do PWC's, check under and around the base of all your decorations for the jelly like substances (and baby snails). This is a part of my weekly chores. I have been doing this for the past several months.

 

[meateater540]

Orange Finned Loach or botia mogesta cleaned up the snails in my tank quite well, i cant even see any in there any more, and 2 weeks ago there were proably like 50-100 in there.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Want to know how many snails I have? lol. They are the pest snails, not the snails you'd buy at the pet shop. And when they reproduce, BOOM....

I just cleaned out my Emperor 280 filter as per Marineland instructions, and washed about 50-60 baby snails out of it. I took the snails off the filter cartrige and media as well, as it's not time to change them yet. The cartrige was still fairly clean. So I put them back into the housing compartment. There were also snails in the intake pipe, in the impeller unit, and everywhere. And you ask why snails are bad? Depends on type. lol.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Do they eat your plants?

I had snails in my aquariums as long as I can remember. They've never been a problem. When there is not enough food for them, they die anyway. Why does everybody wants to get rid of snails so badly?

Snails can cause alot of problems. They can clog filters. They produce ALOT of waste. The CAN devour plants in a matter of hours. A few are ok, but they can reproduce very fast, and quickly start causing problems.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Went out today and got myself 2 striped loaches, and also got myself an inexpensive 20G tank. I moved the raspboras, the red tail shark, and the small dojo loach, as well as 2 of the CAE's to the 20G. Then the striped loaches went into the 26G.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Todays update....

The striped loaches are beautiful. There was a small clump of jelly in the java moss, but now is gone. Not sure if it was the loaches that got rid of it, but they are going through the java moss like a fine-toothed comb. Really fun to watch. They rarely go to the bottom of the tank, just mainly going through the java moss and the driftwood. Must be full of yummy's for them. But overall, the tank is doing fine, after adding the 2 new fish and removing 10 fish to a new 20G tank. Now my project is watching that 20G while it cycles with fish, and doing my waterchanges every other day, about 20-25%.

 

[Menagerie]

Lonewolfblue, kudos to you for taking good care of your fish.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Yes, but I'm not complete yet. Still need to get the 55G or 75G for the eels. Once the bala gets a little bigger, he'll go to a friends tank with his oscar. Tank is still a little overstocked, but it's not bad. And my Bolivian Ram is starting to show nice color too, belly getting bright orange, and beautiful red around the fins and tail. He's awsome looking.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I just wish I had a camera. But the money I'm saving is going to the tanks first. If I do get a camera, will have to put up some pics. But til then.

My eels are my pride and joy. They are real cool. When they come out, they beg, "Feed me, feed me!!!". lol. They will also follow my finger around on the glass of the tank, and will eat out of my fingers. It's so cool. When it's time to switch tanks it will be easy, as their home during the day is an artificial rock formation. They go under the gravel and go inside the rock formation, as it's hollow. So all I have to do is make sure the temp of the new tank is approx the same, and the water parameters such as ph, etc, are very close. Then pick up the rock formation with them in it, turn it upside down to keep the water in it, and remove it from the tank and put in the new tank. I'm sure they will love their new home. But til then, they have a great home in this tank.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I just fed my eels 3 bloodworm cubes. After vacuuming them up, I gave 2 more. Didn't take long and they were gone. Boy they were hungry tonight. Debating on another cube to see if I can fill them up. They are still begging, lol. They are so cool. For those who think eels are ewwwww, and never seen them in real life, they are not what you think. Fire eels are cool, friendly, seem to be very smart, and loves their owner as long as they are well taken care of. They will eat right out of your fingers and let you pet them. They even like rubbing the side of their head up against your finger. I'm just having so much fun with them. This is one hobby I'll never lose interest in. They are my pride and joy.