Assassin Snails And Shrimps

[Salam]

Pest snails are taking over. I want to get a few assassin snails. Will my red cherry shrimp be safe? Also, how many would I need to eat about a gazillion snails?

 

[ZoddyZod]

they will be prefectly safe.

If you are inundated with snails, it will take assassins a long time to reduce them significantly. But they will happily breed in most aquariums (I started with 3 and at last count I had 8).

The primary reason you have had an explosion of pest snails is overfeeding. There is obviously plenty of excess food left by your fish to support a large population of the snails. Try reducing what you feed to help control the snails multiplying.

 

[Salam]

Oh dear, overfeeding? I thought I was doing well, only a bit once a day. Will try and cut down on the amount.

Thanks though for letting me know that my shrimps will be safe, I found conflicting advice on the net hence I asked here. I will go to my LFS later and get three to start off with.

I am also currently cycling a dwarf puffer tank, once that is finished some of those pesty snails will be chucked in there. Nom nom nom

The battle is on! Mwahahahahahaha

 

[Salam]

Oh no, didn't think about the rest.

I also have apple snails in the tank and MTS which I really like? They won't be safe, will they?

 

[ZoddyZod]

Apples will be safe, but their babies might not be.

MTS are considered pests by many and assassins will certainly eat them.

 

[Salam]

Thanks again, Zoddy. Well, looks like plan B - taking more out and chucking them. I really don't want to lose my MTS, I really like them. And less feeding. A few I wouldn't mind, but there seem to be babies everywhere.

 

[ZoddyZod]

if you are setting up a puffer tank, I'd just keep things exactly as they are and have a nice tasty supply of treats and teeth trimmers constantly available.

 

[Salam]

if you are setting up a puffer tank, I'd just keep things exactly as they are and have a nice tasty supply of treats and teeth trimmers constantly available.

Yes, puffer tank should be cycled in about 3 weeks, currently on the off the charts nitrite spike. Will one dwarf puffer be able to keep up with so many though? How many do they actually eat? Should probably ask in the appropriate section, but if you know the answer that would help.

 

[ZoddyZod]

post over in the Oddball section, someone there might know.

 

[Salam]

Thanks, will do that now

 

[Lettybetty]

I read that if you put a lettuce leaf in the tank over night in the morning it would have the snails on so just take it out not tried this but could be a idea

 

[sammy86]

I have assassins in my shrimp tank - i also had some MTS (came in on some plants) i had two large adults, and my -baby- assassins killed and ate them.