why does everyone have snail problems?

[Guest]

I bought live plants from the LFS and noticed a few small snails in the bag, so i dropped them in the water just becuase i thought they were cute. Within seconds my largest clown loach, who is barely an inch, had pounced on them and they were gone. I don't think i have to worry about snails in my tank

 

[bzbee]

My problem is I can't fit even a single clown loach into my 10G at work, and that just happens to be my ONE TANK that is infested with snails. I've been entertaining the thought of keeping a single yo yo loach in there before tranferring it to my 75G at home with two more companions though.

 

[Blazeherd2306]

Depending on how many fish you have in your 10 gal., you could probably fit a Yoyo loach in there.
Here's a link http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=873

Most loaches are known to eat snails.

 

[Blazeherd2306]

Sorry, thats the clown loach, here's the Yoyo loach http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=1109

 

[Devilishturtles]

You can also try the lettuce trick. Leaving lettuce in overnight to attract the snails and then pulling them off. Or, you can crush the snails against the glass (if you have the gut)....or you could just pull them out as you see them. You don't HAVE to get a fish, just a thought.

 

[Jchillin]

Snails will constantly lay eggs on plants (even live on them) and since most species reproduce rapidly, the chances of getting some with live plants are very likely. The ramshorns in my 75 gal started as only 5, which came on my ferns.

That was six weeks ago, today...I couldn't begin to tell you how many are in there. Since they are very small and haven't caused any plant damage, I leave them in there...they are doing wonders for my substrate.

 

[debomb4u]

I've been looking around at all the snail infestation problems. When you say snail problems do you mean that theres hundreds of them or just a bunch? I've been considering buying a few since they look cool. If i do will i end up with a tank full of snails and spending hours trying to kill them off??

 

[TankGirl]

I have had times where there were literally hundreds of baby snails in a tank, so it is nothing to sneeze at!

This is why I am a strong proponent of the "rent-a-loach" program. Kindof like when you have roaches you call an exterminator, and when you have a snail infestation you call the "loachinator" to put a loach in your tank for a day or two, then take him to the next job when he is done.

 

[greenmaji]

I dont like loaches.. Ive used cleated copper before to kill them though..

 

[Blazeherd2306]

debomb4u-Why not get an apple snail. They are interesting and are good algae cleaners.

 

[czcz]

I think not over feeding is underrated for snail control. I have never seen any of my loaches (kuhlii and hillstream) eat a snail, but have removed empty MTS shells from the substrate - neither is known as a good snail eater from what I've read. I have had common pond and MTS snails in my high light tank since December. Since then I've seeded both into my natural light tank, which has no loaches, and still dont have issues (yet?).

jme, of course.

 

[debomb4u]

How big would it get? I dont have any alge yet or had any ever. How much do they add to the bio- load?

 

[Guest]

wow, this thread has gotten some pretty interesting replies. I love my loaches, so im guessing as long as i have a group of clown loaches i should never have a snail problem.

 

[Jchillin]

LOL - What's is truly amazing is that I will never be able to keep loaches. I have a fondness for snails that I never knew existed. Just goes to show that there's different strokes for different folks.

 

[gheitman]

I have had snails sneak in with new plants that I purchased. You can dip the plants to kill snails before adding them to a tank although I haven't tried that. I've also tried removing snails from a tank with my hand but more always show up later. I haven't tried using lettuce or some other vegetable to attract snails.

In one tank I have a South American puffer and while I never see it eat any snails I don't see the snail population getting out of control either. In three other tanks I have loaches, Yo-Yo (aka Pakistani) in a twenty gallon and dwarves in two ten gallon tanks. I don't mind some snails in a tank as they help control algae and dispose of any excess food.

 

[PBirdsong]

Do snails help to keep ammonia down by eating all the waste and excess food?

 

[zilla870]

i have no problems with snail. just use meds that say not good for inverts.

 

[Jchillin]

Snails consume detrius (excess food) from the substrate, they do not consume fish waste.

 

[Blazeherd2306]

Apple snails get only 2-3 inches long and you should make sure you have some algae on the glass, decorations, plants, etc. before you introduce one to your tank. They are constantly looking for something to eat and alot of times you'll see them at the top of the aquarium with their siphon sticking out to breath in air. They will eat algae, uneaten fish food, frozen foods, live foods and just about anything thats edible including plants. They are either male or female, so as long as you have one snail, two males, or two females, they can't multiply like other snails. Also, depending on how much algae and detritus is in the tank, they can produce alot of waste. I had one that I kept in my ten gal., but once it cleaned out the whole tank, I decided to move it to my 55 gal. That was a big mistake. My blood parrot would never let it get to the top of the tank as he always attacked it. After about two days, I saw an empty snail shell on the bottom of my tank I have two clown loaches in that are about 5 in. long each. Can clown loaches eat apple snails? My apple snail was about 2 incehs in diameter.

 

[Jchillin]

*I will have to post a pic of my apple snail*

Adding further to Blazeherd's comments. Apple snails also like carrots...that's right...carrots. Blanch* a slice and drop it in...they just love them! Yeah, my wife thought I was insane when I first did it.

*Blanch - dropped in boiling water for 2 mins.