Pest Snails

[Deej20]

The tank had one or two snail in one day so i was picking them out to keep them under control and then came home yesterday and there millions of them!!! , what is the best way to get rid of them ?

 

[MacDracor]

I use assassin snails, which I like better than loaches because they don't need as much space. Three assassins ate about three dozen pest snails in under a week. And now they just eat leftover fish food.

 

[nereksnad]

greetings.

assassin snails will also not reproduce out of control, and they look colorful.

 

[BBradbury]

Reducing Snail Population

The tank had one or two snail in one day so i was picking them out to keep them under control and then came home yesterday and there millions of them!!! , what is the best way to get rid of them ?

Hello Dee...

If there's a lot of snails in an aquarium, that means there's too much dissolved food in there too. You're feeding too much. Aquarium fish have a stomach the size of one of their eyes, so they don't need much to eat.

Plants are the same, very small and don't require much. In their natural living places, they're lucky to eat once a week.

I feed twice a week, just a little and what will be eaten in a minute or two tops. Gradually reduce the amount you feed and the snail population will drop accordingly. There won't be enough food to sustain all of them.

An added "perk", no algae problems either.

B

 

[Deej20]

Hello Dee...

If there's a lot of snails in an aquarium, that means there's too much dissolved food in there too. You're feeding too much. Aquarium fish have a stomach the size of one of their eyes, so they don't need much to eat.

Plants are the same, very small and don't require much. In their natural living places, they're lucky to eat once a week.

I feed twice a week, just a little and what will be eaten in a minute or two tops. Gradually reduce the amount you feed and the snail population will drop accordingly. There won't be enough food to sustain all of them.

An added "perk", no algae problems either.

B

Thank you

 

[vaquero]

Blanched green bean, when they are on it eating, pull it out get rid of them and then do it over again until they're gone. Worked for me.

 

[MacDracor]

BBradbury makes an interesting point about feeding in general. Most of us are guilty of over feeding. However, I do feel the need to point out that herbivorous snails can survive in a fallow, unfed tank as long as there are plants. The pest snails I see most often in freshwater eat the plants.

 

[BBradbury]

Snail Problem

BBradbury makes an interesting point about feeding in general. Most of us are guilty of over feeding. However, I do feel the need to point out that herbivorous snails can survive in a fallow, unfed tank as long as there are plants. The pest snails I see most often in freshwater eat the plants.

Hello Mac...

My experience with snails is limited to varieties of "Ramshorn" only. These as far as I know don't damage healthy plants, but will consume dead and decaying fish and plant material. Apparently, I need to brush up on the subject of snails.

Thanks for your post.

B

 

[MacDracor]

In a well fed tank, ramshorns will not attack healthy plants. But they will if food is scarce. But there are a few similar snails that will. Overall, your advice about feeding is fantastic though, and by itself will solve most common problems.