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Do bettas eat snails?

LostBear

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Well - in addition to my Nerites, I had some hitch-hiker snails in my tank. They were like tiny "flat" rams horns (biggest were about 1/4 inch), and I was picking 40/50 out of the tank every single day and squashing them. I picked them off the glass and plants, put bits of cucumber in and caught the little buggers on that and in general did all I could to discourage them, but despite this there were millions of the little sods!

However, about a month ago we got a magnificent male betta (Douglas), and almost overnight, the number of "illegals" dropped. In a fortnight there were noticeably fewer. When I came down on a morning and switched on the light, the glass, which was normally wall;-to-wall snails was clear except for half-a-dozen or so. And it's stayed that way.

The only factor that's changed is the introduction of Douglas. Could he be scoffing baby snail-lets as they are hatching? I've never heard of this, but I can't think of anything else.

If it is, all I can say is - Douglas - Bon Appetit!
 
Well - in addition to my Nerites, I had some hitch-hiker snails in my tank. They were like tiny "flat" rams horns (biggest were about 1/4 inch), and I was picking 40/50 out of the tank every single day and squashing them. I picked them off the glass and plants, put bits of cucumber in and caught the little buggers on that and in general did all I could to discourage them, but despite this there were millions of the little sods!

However, about a month ago we got a magnificent male betta (Douglas), and almost overnight, the number of "illegals" dropped. In a fortnight there were noticeably fewer. When I came down on a morning and switched on the light, the glass, which was normally wall;-to-wall snails was clear except for half-a-dozen or so. And it's stayed that way.

The only factor that's changed is the introduction of Douglas. Could he be scoffing baby snail-lets as they are hatching? I've never heard of this, but I can't think of anything else.

If it is, all I can say is - Douglas - Bon Appetit!
i do not know but ive seen fish pick snail eggs before, maybe that's what is happening
or baby snails
 
Depends on their personality, what kind of betta do you have?
 
I threw an elodea stem in my betta tank from outside and saw a snail drop off and float to hiding a couple weeks ago, but haven't seen anything still. So I have chalked it up to the same happening in my tank. I'm also accusing him of eating the leaves off the stalk haha
 
I threw an elodea stem in my betta tank from outside and saw a snail drop off and float to hiding a couple weeks ago, but haven't seen anything still. So I have chalked it up to the same happening in my tank. I'm also accusing him of eating the leaves off the stalk haha
yeah those pest snails dont eat leaves they just eat rot and clean the leaf
 
I put a mix of snails in my betta fry growout tank and found the empty shells of bladder snails a few days later. So I'd say it'd possible based on that experience
 
Depends on their personality, what kind of betta do you have?
Just your common or garden betta splendens as far as I am aware.

It seems from responses that he is probably scoffing the new "hatchees" - I'm still picking out and crushing the occasional larger one. None of them is much over 1/8th inch, now - I don't think any of them has managed to grow larger since we got him.

This is excellent news, because even if they don't eat healthy plants (and I have my own opinions on that . . . ) they look untidy and add to the bio load.

I'd been seriously thinking of investing in an assassin, but was worried

a) about my nerites
b) what I would feed it when it had devoured all of the squatters.

Thank you everyone - much obliged.

While I'm here - does anyone know where I can get live daphnia in the UK? It used to be readily available but isn't now. Thanks
 
While I'm here - does anyone know where I can get live daphnia in the UK? It used to be readily available but isn't now. Thanks
I think the Maidenhead Aquatics chain I work at has it, in their live food fridge. I can't be completely sure though, and it may not apply for other chains. You can probably get it online at a fair amount of shops, too.
 
I think the Maidenhead Aquatics chain I work at has it, in their live food fridge. I can't be completely sure though, and it may not apply for other chains. You can probably get it online at a fair amount of shops, too.
I buy mine at Maidenhead Aquatics - you need to be there promptly on a Saturday morning to get them though!
 
I buy mine at Maidenhead Aquatics - you need to be there promptly on a Saturday morning to get them though!
Thank you, Nanna and you too, Plastic.

I'm an early riser (half past six is a lie-in for me :lol:) so if I can get my husband out of his pit we should be able to get some. I've searched online and could only find a couple of places but nothonglocal, but we di have a Maidenhead aquatics about 1/2hr drive away.
 

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