Pesky Snails!

[Gidge]

Hey guys!
 
Title says it all really. In my planted 165L I have somehow gained an infestation of snails! There are two varieties that I can see. 
 
1. A light brown round shell, that sort of coils around like a spiral. 
2. Cone shells that range from light grey to black. 
 
Both of them are super tiny, and haven't gotten any bigger. 
 
I noticed them a little while ago, and actually ripped apart my tank, went through every plant, every rock, and picked them off. 
I had hoped I had got nearly all of them, but they are back and terrorising me!
 
I ALWAYS wash my plants before I put them in, but a snail must have slipped past me. 
 
They are driving me insane, eating my plants, the least they could do is eat the algae on my glass, but they decide to chill on a spacious 165L block, rent free and free food. 
They need to be evicted!

 

[This Old Spouse]

Get yourself an assassin snail or two. They're pretty, they eat the pest snails and don't multiply anywhere near as fast as the pests do. And they don't eat your plants.

 

[Gidge]

Assassin snails ey? I'm gonna look into these joyful critters! Hopefully I can get some out here in the Southern Hemisphere! 
 
Thank you for getting back to me so quickly!

 

[This Old Spouse]

I have them in all my tanks. Lovely little creatures.
 
I don't know if you can get them in Australia, come to think of it. But there are some fish that will eat them. 
 
Just looking at your sig, I'd love to see photos of these tanks! I'm especially curious to see your 165L. I have a tank with 13 tiger barbs and 5 red eye tetra and a flying fox. Do your corydora do well in there?

 

[Gidge]

I just had a quick look, and couldn't see any known fish stores that keep them. Blast! Lots of Apple/Mystery snails, but no assassins

 
I have a thread on my 165L, it's looking a bit shocking atm, it's due for major maintenance and pruning, but I'm unfortunately crippled at the moment! 
The Tigers used to bother the cory's, but since I upped the numbers, they stick to themselves now. Very rarely at feeding time, the odd one might chase one off, but they don't constantly harass them, and their fins are not chewed at all. 
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/385595-kind-of-rescaping/
 
As for the cichlid tank, I haven't got an updated pic. I'm actually planning to re scape this when I'm no longer a cripple. I started a thread for this too a couple of months ago. 
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/406212-cichlid-re-scape/
 
*Also just saw that Assassin snails are banned in Australia

 

[HHH]

Well if assasins wont work get your self some botia loaches they tend to LOVE snails. In my opnion thr clow loach is thr best snail eater of all but they get quiite big and loaches are social fish. So some smaller varitiy is best. You will however need to supplement them after your problem is over. I would recomend shrimp pellets

 

[This Old Spouse]

It's clown loaches that eat snails. Puffers, too, but I think they're kind of scary, and I don't think they'd fit in your community tank. I just read your journals ... fascinating! And I love your tanks. Do you have updated photos of your cichlid tank? I've been spending my time trying to de-algae a couple of tanks, and completely rescaped my tiger barb tank. Still working on that one. I wish I had some money to buy more plants!

 

[Gidge]

Well if assasins wont work get your self some botia loaches they tend to LOVE snails. In my opnion thr clow loach is thr best snail eater of all but they get quiite big and loaches are social fish. So some smaller varitiy is best. You will however need to supplement them after your problem is over. I would recomend shrimp pellets

Never heard of Botia loaches before! Will give them a Google. I can get away with clown loaches in this tank, because once they start getting big I can put them in my 420L with the others.
 
 
 

It's clown loaches that eat snails. Puffers, too, but I think they're kind of scary, and I don't think they'd fit in your community tank. I just read your journals ... fascinating! And I love your tanks. Do you have updated photos of your cichlid tank? I've been spending my time trying to de-algae a couple of tanks, and completely rescaped my tiger barb tank. Still working on that one. I wish I had some money to buy more plants!

Thanks for taking the time to read them! I don't have an updated one of the cichlid tank at the moment. But I could probably go take one now just for you! I'll post it in the cichlid journal. 
 
Thankfully I haven't really been getting too much algae. Only one spot on the glass which is easy fixed. Got some pics of your tiger tank?? I know what you mean about plants! I'm hanging to buy some too!

 

[This Old Spouse]

Yes, please! Post the photo!
 
My tiger tank pretty well sucks right now. But you can see it here. Please give me opinions! 

 

[Gidge]

Photo is posted

 

[HHH]

Yes i do agree clown loaches are the best snail eaterd. There is also skunk loaches i belive is the common name? They dont get as bug as clowns but yea botias can get agressive

One more thing im not tol sure about this one but i think yoyo loaches will eat snails. Im not too sure on this one. And as ThisOldspouse said botias can get agressive so i dont know if you want to go with them

 

[Gidge]

Yes i do agree clown loaches are the best snail eaterd. There is also skunk loaches i belive is the common name? They dont get as bug as clowns but yea botias can get agressive

One more thing im not tol sure about this one but i think yoyo loaches will eat snails. Im not too sure on this one. And as ThisOldspouse said botias can get agressive so i dont know if you want to go with them

Thanks for your advice, I'm going to google this guys. I've never heard of them before. Except Clown Loaches obviously haha. 

I've just been googling. I think I'm going to go with the Clown Loaches. At least then, when my snail problem appears to be over, and they are getting bigger, I can put them with the others. 
The fun part will be trying to catch them again

 

[FilipeB]

Sorry to hi-jack this thread, but I just wanted to ask a quick question, since I'm having the same snail problem.
 
I have a 260L tank and the clown loaches look too big for my tank. Botia loaches on the other hand look to be of perfect size to keep a few. But are they really that aggressive? I could also look into the assassin snails, but I don't know if I can find them around here and/or if my dad will like them (it's his tank).
 
Are there any other community fishes that can eat snails that are sociable and not overly big? Thanks!