Overrun with snails

[ElizabethFrancine]

In April I bought a mystery snail for my 20 gallon aquarium. It turns out it was female. I had been removing all the eggs, but must have missed a clutch (unsure how or when) since now I have A ton of baby snails in the tank. It was suggested to me that I should get 10 assassin snails to help clean up. I am, however, hesitant to put more snails in the tank. What might be my best option here? I obviously won't have room for what seems like 100 snails.


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[NickAu]

Aww baby snails are cute.

Build yourself a snail trap

 

[ElizabethFrancine]

Aww baby snails are cute.

Build yourself a snail trap

They are very cute. When it was just 4 baby snails they were great. Now they're overwhelming the tank! Thank you - I am going to try this tonight.


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[Wired0413]

I suggest a Pea Puffer - voracious snail eater and relatively friendly in a well planted community tank. Also, good with Otos & shrimp, unlike a Loach would be.

 

[NickAu]

relatively friendly in a well planted community tank

Not usually recommended for the community tank, as it tends to nip the fins of slow-moving or long-finned fish. It’s small size also means it doesn’t compete well for food with more active, vigorous species and could easily end up on the menu of larger companions. Tankmates must therefore be chosen with care. Smaller Loricariids (particularly Otocinclus spp.) tend to be a decent choice. There are also reports (with varying degrees of success) of cohabitation with some of the freshwater shrimp species that have become so popular in the hobby in recent years.

http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/carinotetraodon-travancoricus/

 

[hobby5]

@ElizabethFrancine

Are you sure those are small mystery snails? To my knowledge mystery snails cannot breed without partner, although females seem to be able to store sperm to some extend and lay the fertilized eggs later. But I would expect there to be only one clutch.

Otherwise I agree with NickAu. Best would be to manually remove them over time, but before they get sexually mature. To make things easier you also can lure them with some food.