Snale problems

[basstracker_v16]

I've tried doing a search on the boards for this but it gives me an error so it
its been talked about befor sorry, just point the way and Ill read the posts.

Son has a 15g and a 5g and both have snales it em, some may like em, we dont.
I tried the "had-a-snale" stuff but didnt work.

Any suggestions?

 

[Talisman]

Easy mate.

Whack a lettuce leaf in the bottom (weigh it down) turn lights off and go back about an hour later and take the snail covered leaf out. that should help ya.

you may need to do it a few times, or get a Clown Loach, they seem to enjoy snails for lunch.

 

[basstracker_v16]

Thanks... now the dumb part. I know why yahoo or this board couldnt find info on snails....I was spelling it wrong! Never said I was good at it.

Anyways, will a Clown Loache be ok just by it self? Ive read you should have at least 4 or 5 in the tank.

 

[Phantom Thief]

or get a Clown Loach, they seem to enjoy snails for lunch.

That is some very bad advice

Clown loaches get to more then a foot long and need to be in groups of at least 3. Definitely not for the average aquarium. The lettuce technique is good though, but any other vege will do as well

P.T.

 

[canarsie11]

Veggie tecnique is good, but I would leave in overnight, come back in the morning

 

[jflowers]

PT is right, don't get a clown loach. There is a pinned topic in the Invertebrates + Amphibians Forum called 'Dealing with pest snails!'

heres the link

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=41473

HTH

Jon

 

[basstracker_v16]

Thank you all for the info, will read the link too.

 

[Dwarfs]

There are many species of botia available, but clown loach is the only one ever recommended for de-snailing

 

[Inchworm]

Hi basstracker_v16

Please do not use any chemical preparations to kill the snails. The result will be a tankful of dead and rotting snails that will still have to be picked out one by one.

Often the cause of a snail explosion is uneaten food that settles on the bottom. Try reducing the amount of food you put in at any given time or divide your daily feedings into smaller portions and feed less but more frequently.

Also, many fish would enjoy a nutritious snack of fresh snail, but cannot get into their shell. Try crushing them between your fingers to break it and drop them back in.

 

[FrAnK3333]

I thought almost all loaches love to eat snails, and there are plenty of small loaches.

 

[Arfie]

I recently got 3 bengal loaches and they had solved my snail problem in a week

Small and good in the community, they even shoal with my corys.

Arfie

 

[FoundMoney]

Just to add to the discussion...

I'm developing quite a number of snails myself it seems. One thing I'm wondering is what's wrong with snails. They don't seem to be bothering anything. Actually, I think they're eating algae off of my plants, although they don't seem to eat much of anything. I don't notice them eating my plants at all even though that's where they tend to hang out. I did have one in a cup once and noticed it pooped a lot.

I have also noticed that they seem to multipy rather quickly. However, besides the fact that if left to their own devices there could be thousands of snails in the tank in a year or two, what is the harm in snails?

That being said, I did try to get rid of some of them by using the lettuce method. I put a piece of green leaf lettuce in the bottom of the tank last night. This morning there was not a single snail on it. I'm going to have better luck just picking them out of the tank.

Someone mentioned crushing the shells and feeding them to the fish. Will flame tetras or a bristlenose catfish eat snails?