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Snail INVASION!

2K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  Lupin 
#1 ·
Hello,

So I came back from MLK vacation and to find out my tank is infested with snails! :shock: So, this presents a new opportunity for a new tank buddy! :-D I am wondering what sort or what kind of fishes will eat the snails? I heard loaches do the best, but can also be aggressive? Please pass down your wise knowledge :p

Thank you guys!
 
#2 ·
What tank size is this and what fish are in it? What snails are these? MTS, pond snails or ramshorns? You can manually remove them and squish them or bait them with lettuce. Getting a fish to eradicate snails is really poor excuse especially when space and compatibility are the main issues. Don't resort to chemicals to bombard the snails. Snails aren't that harmful but they do look unsightly in numbers.
 
#3 ·
the tank size is 20 gallon, with 3 female guppies and 2 males. I dunno what snails but i think they are pond snails.. they have round helix shells. But i do think eradicating snails by natural means is the best! Rather than having to squeesh and repeating this process... since they are really multiplying by numbers.
 
#4 ·
You might try laying a net on the bottom of the aquarium of an evening after lights off and placing some algae wafers and or lettuce as mentioned in the net. next morning you can remove the net with any snails that came to dinner. You may have to repeat this until snail numbers are under control..
Most of the fish that will eat snails do poorly in tanks less than 75 gal and also do best in groups which your tank is not suited for.
 
#5 ·
Hang on...You keep guppies. You can try maintaining your pH at 8.0 to avoid shell erosions. Get some assassin snails (Anentome helena). They are often sold at $4.00 each and are not prolific. You can sell the extras once you get more assassin snails in a few months time. They can help control your pond snails. If possible, save some pond snails in another tank for constant food supply to the assassins. Either that or manual removal could work.

Most apple snails such as Pomacea canaliculata can be predatory eating smaller speciesbut cases like this are relatively rare although this can be increased by feeding them meat which is inadvisable as in some cases, they will eventually turn to your fish for food. Mine ate my dojo and kuhli loaches for some strange reason which I can only theorized towards cannibalism enhanced by them eating their smaller siblings when I hadn't entrusted anyone to feed them during my 7-day absence.:shock:
 
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