P3rhaps009
Fish Fanatic
Im still setting up my 20 gal fish tank but I spotted a pest snail inside it is going to be a peaceful community tank, could anybody give me an idea for something I could get that would munch on them?
pest snail issues that never were
- Thread starter P3rhaps009
- Start date
In a community, no. You have to crush every one you see.
Or just let them live... That's what I do. Squishing is useless. They'll always show up after you think you've gotten them all. Its wasted time. Just try not to feed a lot in the tank and they won't breed a lot. You can control the population with food amounts. More food=more breeding. Less food=less breeding
Grizleyguy
New Member
My Honduran red point devours all snails under dime size. She can clear a snail infested tank in 2 days. Bites the soft part and then shakes and slams the shell on a rock till most of the snail breaks loose from the shell. Pretty violent but interesting
My Honduran red points would have destroyed any community. My red eye Steatocranus not only ate smails, but piled their shells up in one place. But 'molluscivores" tend to be large and rough fish.
Thats pretty darn cool
They can be aggressive....
That's true
Oh yeah, I almost forgot about those killer snails, they eat snails also, this would actually work at keeping pest snails away
There is no such thing as a pest snail. There are aquarists who for whatever reason do not like snails, that is not the same thing. But snails in and of themselves are not pests, they are a part--and quite an important part--of an ecosystem, including your aquarium. They get places you cannot, or would not with ease, to eat organic matter, breaking it down faster for the various bacteria to handle. Assuming the aquarium will biologically "explode" if you see one snail...well, that just is not true or realistic.
As for their numbers, this is caused by the "food" they are given. They eat algae from the most delicate leaves of plants. They eat organic matter like over-fed fish food. They eat dying plant matter (the small harmless snails do not eat healthy live plants). If you want to control their numbers, then control the fish stocking, fish feeding, and increase water changes and substrate and filter cleaning, all of which will remove organics.
Instead of reaching for some chemical additive to "fix" some problem, understand and use nature to help you. Your fish will be less inclined to have problems if they live in a more natural environment.
As for their numbers, this is caused by the "food" they are given. They eat algae from the most delicate leaves of plants. They eat organic matter like over-fed fish food. They eat dying plant matter (the small harmless snails do not eat healthy live plants). If you want to control their numbers, then control the fish stocking, fish feeding, and increase water changes and substrate and filter cleaning, all of which will remove organics.
Instead of reaching for some chemical additive to "fix" some problem, understand and use nature to help you. Your fish will be less inclined to have problems if they live in a more natural environment.
If I were you I'd let them live. I love my pest snails so much! But if you don't want them you can try Assasin snails, they're supposed to eat snails. Buuuttt they're also snails which means you'll still have snails in there so... idk
*Me thinking I'm solving the snail issue with assassin snails*
The assassin snails: "We establish base here"
Me: "Wai- whaaaaaat... No you can't do that. I got you so you would fix the issue your causing now"
The assassin snails: "Bro your head is a snail"
Assassin snails are a serious problem in some parts of the United States where they have managed to get into the ecosystem (thanks to aquarists) and exterminate the native snail population which affects the natural ecosystem. Itis easy for snails to "escape" into nature, if they should be flushed, dumped into the garden, whatever. The same thing applies here as it does to acquiring a fish to deal with any "problem"...don't.
I read a few months back that some states were proposing bans on importing assassin snails for the above reason. This is just one more fault the environmental folks will easily assign to the hobby.
I read a few months back that some states were proposing bans on importing assassin snails for the above reason. This is just one more fault the environmental folks will easily assign to the hobby.
Wait... Aquatic snails can survive in gardens after being dumped out?
Wait... Aquatic snails can survive in gardens after being dumped out?
Some people live alongside streams. Rains may wash them into the stormdrains.
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