snail eaters...

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

supermazz9

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Mar 25, 2006
Messages
178
Location
Vancouver, Canada
About eight months ago, I picked up a dozen Malaysian Trumpet snails. I figured my kribs will eat any boost in breeding, and I'll just pick out any extras.

FastForward to a month ago, and the population EXPLODED! There are little tiny snails everywhere. The kribs don't touch them anymore, and my weather and khuli loaches aren't into them.

I don't mind them too much, but my wife does, and I understand, they are a little excessive. I don't know what caused the breeding boost, but I think I need to get rid of them.

Easiest solution?

Get fish that will eat them?

Suggestion on fish? It's only a 30g, so it can't be anything enormous, so clown loaches would be out. I can't think of what else to put in there...

Also, possible reasons for the explosion? The lighting decreases slightly around that time...other than that, it should all be the same, I think...
 
I'm guessing that the snails have been slowly reproducing over time, but because they spend most of their time in your substrate you didn't notice. Net out the ones that you see and cut back on feeding, and you should be able to get the population back under control.
 
You could put in a leaf of letuce overnight and pull it out in the morning it will be covered in snails. and cut back on your feeding as already mentioned.
 
Not sure on the compatibility with what you already have, but my yoyo loaches do a great job of snail eating. And they are much smaller than clowns.
 
Loaches do best in groups, which is a concern in a smaller tank. Khulie loaches apparently eat snails.

I would suggest that first you try to limit the amount by limiting food. When you do a water change, do a deep gravel vacuum. And cut back the amount of actual fish food by as much as half. If there are that many snails, there is plenty of food for them.
 
If they're the ice cream cone shaped MTS, then don't bother trying to use loaches to control them. They're some tough little buggers with thick shells.

Best suggestion is the lettuce leaf thing. If you have a sand substrate then you can lure them to an open spot and just scoop them all up sand and all. Let the sand fall out of the net and 'dispose' of the snails.

I'm not sure if the population problem is just a feeding thing either. About once or twice a year I get a population boom and have to cull the herd a bit. The rest of the time they're not a problem. Shutting off all the filters/pumps for a little while can give you an idea how many you've got. They go running up the glass when the water flow stops.
 
Do these eat algea? How do they compare to Nerite Snails?

I ask b/c I'm on the verge of an algae outbreak and could use some help (other than my ottos, plecos, black mollies and SAE.) I've also heard they have anaerobic pocket destroying capabilities which is good too. You wouldn't want to collect some and ship em to me would you? I'd be happy to paypal you S&H. Paaaalleeeaaasse!!???
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom