Snail problem?!

[despreauxb]

My tank is being over run by pest snails. I currently have my betta in a 10 gallon and when I noticed snails started appearing I purchased an assain snail, they producing faster than it was eating so I purchased another and planned on moving the second one to a different tank once the pests were undercontrol so I don't have an assaisn snail problem. It's been about 2 or 3 months and my tank is getting nowhere (there's a bunch of shells from the ones that have been consumed but itz just not fast enough) is there anything else I can do? Is there a humane way to kill them? Or anything else that will eat them?

 

[Essjay]

Do you over feed the betta? This is one of the main causes of a snail population getting out of control.

A 10 gallon tank is too small for any snail-eating fish, I'm afraid.
You could try a snail trap. All that's needed is a screw top jar and a piece of lettuce. Holes big enough for a snail to fit through are punched in the jar lid from outside to inside so that the jagged edges are pointing into the jar. Lettuce is put in the jar, which is then placed on the bottom of the tank just before the room lights are turned out for the night. The idea is that the snails will crawl in through the holes but won't be able to find their way out again. Bettas being the greedy things they are will try to get into the jar, so the holes must be big enough for snails to get through but too small for a betta to squeeze through.

 

[despreauxb]

Do you over feed the betta? This is one of the main causes of a snail population getting out of control.

A 10 gallon tank is too small for any snail-eating fish, I'm afraid.
You could try a snail trap. All that's needed is a screw top jar and a piece of lettuce. Holes big enough for a snail to fit through are punched in the jar lid from outside to inside so that the jagged edges are pointing into the jar. Lettuce is put in the jar, which is then placed on the bottom of the tank just before the room lights are turned out for the night. The idea is that the snails will crawl in through the holes but won't be able to find their way out again. Bettas being the greedy things they are will try to get into the jar, so the holes must be big enough for snails to get through but too small for a betta to squeeze through.

I don't think I over feed it, I give it about 2-3 pellets twice a day, but I also have a kttom feeder and that I give sinking pellets to. I'll have to try the trap! Would my assaian snails get in it?

 

[Byron]

It is worth remembering (or understanding if not already known) that these "pest" snails are there as a benefit. They et organic matter (dead plant matter, dead fish obviously, excess fish food, etc). Eventually these organic items would be broken down by various waste bacteria (not the nitrifying bacteria) but this takes time. Snails speed this up by breaking down this matter quicker, so the bacteria can then handle it. The snails also keep plant leaves clean by eating algae that we cannot even see but it is there as part of the biofilm on surfaces.

As for their numbers, they will reproduce according to the available food. So if you see what you consider "too many," keep in mind that they are at that number because they are finding food. It is not just a matter of feeding fish too much, though that obviously is a big factor in the snail population, but the biological system naturally produces "waste" and the snails help in dealing with this before it may become problematic.

Assassin snails...be careful with these. In some parts of the US these have managed to get into the ecosystem and eradicate the native snail populations which are again part of a healthy ecosystem. There have been efforts to prohibit the acquisition and keeping of assassin snails in some states I believe. Regardless of that, clearly having them is not advisable. It is so easy for such critters to get into the ecosystem.

 

[AbbeysDad]

I tend to be a 'fan' of snails as they perform an important part of natural aquarium maintenance. See: Mulm, and Algae, and Snails, Oh My!

As mentioned, if/when there's an over population it is most often a case of overfeeding as the population rises and falls with available organic matter, e.g. FOOD.... And of course, problems are best solved at the root cause rather than compensating for them externally (e.g. traps and assassin snails).

So you can trap and/or collect, but you may need to re-evaluate feeding as it's all to easy to overfeed fish that actually require far less than we typically think. See: Are You Overfeeding Your Fish.

Good luck and keep posting!