Am I going to be infested with SNAILS?!

[rdd1952]

I've heard floating a piece of lettuce overnight attracts them, but I'm not sure.

Actually, I think it works best if you weight it down. They will accumulate on it and you just take it out and shake them off. Lettuce doesn't break down very fast either so you can use the same piece for several days.

 

[Slyspy]

Cucumber also works in my experience. My otos love it as well! Trumpet snails are your friend - they work like bottomfeeders at eating detritus and also tunnel into the substrate to give it a deep clean. I would not get rid of mine. I also have an unidentified type of snail that eats algae, which is useful. These two types seem to have out-competed the plant-eating ramshorns because I no longer have any of those, thank goodness.

 

[hello kitty]

i keep getting snails on my plants too when they fully grown they about a centimeter long. they get onmy nerves

 

[frannyscho]

All this advice is very interesting. But as I am a newbie with a small snail in my tank (have removed two), I haven't got a clue what species they are, is there a place where there are pictures of which are the desirable snails and which are the nuisances.

I should like a gravel hoover type snail to keep with Mollys and a Platy and small fry, in order to keep the tank clean. The only snails I have seen at the LPS are the apple snails. Mine is a small 5mm ish sandy coloured one with a slightly pointy end, which probably came on a plant.

 

[Slyspy]

If your snail is a compact spiral shape then it is a ramshorn (hence the name) and will eat plants if you are unlucky.

If it is a long cone shape then it is a trumpet snail, which are worth keeping. Get hold of some if you can. Most LFS will have some by accident just like I do, but they are rarely for sale because they are not considered saleable as pets. You may be able to get some for free!

The other type is likely to be a pond snail. Even they will only eat certain plants, and will leave them alone if there is algae to eat. They do multiply easily, but the cucumber/lettuce trick works well to keep them in check.


http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/snails.htm
http/www.petfish.net/snails.htm

 

[sinistral]

I've always liked having common snails. Lately as I've been busy my fish feedings have been cut down to once every two or sometimes three days. Since then, I've noticed a significant decrease in my snail population. I do believe that overfeeding is an extremely important (if not the most crucial) factor in snail population growth.

 

[frannyscho]

thank you for the sites, it was a pond snail and was therefore removed.

 

[Maroonostrich]

Hi everyone,

I have now established that I have at leat 2 and poss. 3 tiny ramshorns IN SITU...

I am a live plant keeper and am worried about being over run. They seems to spend lots of time on the sand and glass eating any algae that might be there..

Are they friend or foe- I'm a bit confused! Should I pick em out NOW!?!

 

[OrkyBetta]

I have heard this is the best way to trap them. Get an old film canister, punch a few holes in the top of the canister (so it sinks, and so incase a fish get in it won't die) cut a hole in the lid large enough for the snail to fit through, and put some lettuce or cucumber inside, sink it in the tank, and remove the snails once they are in the canister.

 

[abstract]

don't worry about them so much...in general, they are not that bad...they won't eat your plants MUCH when they are small and will mostly feed on algae and leftover food on the bottom - you will notice them starting to destroy the plants gradually if they're gonna and will have time to remove plenty before the damage is too much....

you can avoid a population outbreak by not overfeeiding your fish...the mroe food for the snails, the more snails, simple...every once in a while kill a few if you're that concerned and always clean out the filter itself (not the media) every 2 weeks or so to avoid them laying eggs/living in the filter and clogging it...snails really aren't as serious as people make them out to be - if you are diligent with keeping their populatin in check you will be fine - everyone makes it sound like you'll have 2 on monday and 10,000 on thursday or something...it doesn't work that way

 

[Maroonostrich]

LOL yes that is what I was thinking!!!

If I see two at once I will probably remove one- dislike bumping them off though

And just generally keep an eye on things

I don't have a fish tank yet, I have a SNAIL TANK!

 

[shane]

i got 6 of the yellow snails but know one told me what they eat do they just crawl around cleaning the rocks and the glass or do u have to feed them something special

 

[abstract]

apple snails you should be feeding a leaf of romaine lettuce and/or slices of cucumbers two times a week

 

[Maroonostrich]

Interesting observation- I got a third snail ride in on a new plant- all three can generall be found on the front of the aquarium scraping away at what presumably is algae!

Seems handy, for now!

 

[abstract]

Interesting observation- I got a third snail ride in on a new plant- all three can generall be found on the front of the aquarium scraping away at what presumably is algae!

Seems handy, for now!

they will continue to use that algae as their primary diet unless you overfeed the fish...it is a good sign that they are eating the algae since it means there is no other food matter on the bottom for them to eat!