Ramshorn Overpopulation

[Kraabi]

When I got my horned snail, a ramshorn came with. At the time I didn’t know it was a ramshorn and would over populate my tank. Now I see 12 in my tank. How do I get rid of them?! I don’t want to pluck them out and just throw them away, that just seems mean also, I don’t know if there’s more eggs. How would I get rid of those?!

 

[Byron]

Small snails like ramshorn are not at all detrimental, in fact they are your best friend. Snails eat organics, including the fish poop which breaks it down faster for the various bacteria to then decompose it. And snails get places the aquarist never could.

As for numbers, they will multiply according to the food available. Obviously this can include food beyond what the fish need if we overfeed, but it is more the natural organics from the fish. I have pond snails and Malaysian Livebearing Snails in my tanks, and I'm glad they are there.

Ramshorn like pond snails lay eggs; you may see the egg clusters that look like gelatin on usually the underside of leaves, or sometimes on most any surface. You could scrape these off, but here you come to another issue...what to do with them. You cannot (or should not) just flush them down any drain or toilet; often these snails can survive in the ecosystem and that can be deadly for the natural fauna. So never flush or dispose in any outside water the snails or eggs, or fish or plants for that matter, unless absolutely dead. Fish and plant matter can go into the compost or organic recycling, or be buried, just so long as they do not get into the natural waterways. Even dead fish can pass foreign pathogens to the natural system because these are different for tropical and temperate systems.

 

[Kraabi]

Small snails like ramshorn are not at all detrimental, in fact they are your best friend. Snails eat organics, including the fish poop which breaks it down faster for the various bacteria to then decompose it. And snails get places the aquarist never could.

As for numbers, they will multiply according to the food available. Obviously this can include food beyond what the fish need if we overfeed, but it is more the natural organics from the fish. I have pond snails and Malaysian Livebearing Snails in my tanks, and I'm glad they are there.

Ramshorn like pond snails lay eggs; you may see the egg clusters that look like gelatin on usually the underside of leaves, or sometimes on most any surface. You could scrape these off, but here you come to another issue...what to do with them. You cannot (or should not) just flush them down any drain or toilet; often these snails can survive in the ecosystem and that can be deadly for the natural fauna. So never flush or dispose in any outside water the snails or eggs, or fish or plants for that matter, unless absolutely dead. Fish and plant matter can go into the compost or organic recycling, or be buried, just so long as they do not get into the natural waterways. Even dead fish can pass foreign pathogens to the natural system because these are different for tropical and temperate systems.

Wow! This is really good information! I was told other information about ramshorns, but this makes it seem like they’ll actually be good to my tank! I just didn’t know if there was “too many” or such a thing

 

[NickAu]

I was told other information about ramshorns

Anybody that tells you Rams horns and Malaysian Trumpet snails are no good hasn't got a clue about keeping a healthy clean tank and should be ignored.

Dont remove or trap them just leave them to do their thing, Once they have consumed all the food in the tank they will die off to manageable numbers

 

[Kraabi]

Anybody that tells you Rams horns and Malaysian Trumpet snails are no good hasn't got a clue about keeping a healthy clean tank and should be ignored.

Dont remove or trap them just leave them to do their thing, Once they have consumed all the food in the tank they will die off to manageable numbers

Perfect! Thank you! I like them and they definitely keep everything clean. I was just worried because someone told me they weren’t good.

 

[NickAu]

Rams horns can be quite colorful.

 

[SeaAngel]

Those are beautiful! I got a couple of hitchhikers on a plant but they are just ugly Clear brownish color. They are doing a great job though!

 

[Kraabi]

Rams horns can be quite colorful.

Why can’t mine be this pretty?! Mine are just brown.

 

[NickAu]

Try this
https://www.ebay.com/itm/5-2-Blue-L...gle-Val-Grass-best-deal-on-EBAY-/283206624969