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trumpet snail

6K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  SinCrisis 
#1 ·
i recently added a banana plant to my tank and, being a fool, i didn't inspect it this time for snails because i was in a rush. Three hours alter i found a trumpet snail on my glass and took it out. however, im pretty sure i saw a small one in my gravel but when i went for it, i ended losing it somewhere. Ive heard that trumpets can get out of control and take over my tank. I have no idea how many hitchhiked on that plant. Is there a fish to control them? Ive heard that loaches have trouble with them since they ahve that door thing. Also how fast do they breed?
 
#2 ·
Hmm well...you might never get rid of them now, unless you break the tank down completely. It's true - even the most enthusiastic snail-eating fish have trouble eating MTS because of their hard shells and tiny doors. You can control their population by putting something like a piece of cucumber in the tank overnight and removing it in the morning when it's covered in snails.

However, MTS are pretty much harmless. They don't eat plants, and they mostly stay hidden under your substrate. They keep it stirred for you, which is a good thing.
 
#3 ·
ive heard horror storied of trumpets covering people's glass and stuff. I caught the first one on the side pane of my tank on the OTHER side of where i planted the banana plant. However, the one i caught was very very small, like 3 millimeters? and the other one i saw was a similar size. The tank is empty rite now except for an apple snail... im introducing my betta in tehre soon, would a betta eat the snail? ive ehard of them being able to crush small snails and eat them
 
#4 ·
I do not think we should be prejudice on snail overpopulation. It is us who control their population, not them. Snails can only reproduce that fast if food supply is abundant. Leave your MTS to thrive. You can always remove anything in sight. MTS are actually beneficial to the tank by stirring the substrate thus preventing anaerobic pockets from forming which if disturbed, can produce hydrogen sulfide which is fatal to al aquatic creatures in your tank. The hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs and can cause acute respiratory problems to the fish and even snails.

Bettas have mouths that cannot crush the shells, let alone a hard shell from MTS. The story about them crushing shells is ridiculous.
 
#5 ·
i love the snails in my tank for they eat in dying leaves before they can rot too much and they stir up the gravel. The population only gets bad when you allow it to get bad. Think about it, how can the population get too high unless your feeding the snails and allowing them to eat? limit their food supply by not overfeeding your fish.
 
#6 ·
+one for trumpet snails, If you don't overfeed the fish the snails will remain manageable. and as others have stated,they do provide a benefit to the aquarium. I recently switched from gravel to sand substrate in Discus tank and actually grabbed up a dozen or more from community tank, and placed them in the Discus tank to sift through the sand and eat any small amounts of food that cory's cant get to.
 
#7 ·
I had the same thing happen to me with hitchiking snails on plants i ordered for my hexagon tank..........I havent noticed them overpopulating the tank.....This was an alternative i found that has worked for me, When im doing tank maintanence, i grab all the trumpets i see and throw them in my african cichlid tank...........My greshaki loves them!!........I thought they would have eaten them all, but have noticed a few survivors on the rocks in my african tank...........I dont think they will become a problem in either tank
 
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