Just Thought I'd Let You Know That You're All Wrong, Apparentl

[Fire_an_Ice]

Ok, so I've got the over population of snails thing going on, big time. Asking a freind at work what would solve it...."Get a Clown Loach!" Told him tank size etc..."Oh sure, no problem" Now to be fair, this guy's steered me in the right direction before, so (trusting fool that I may be) I went and got one. Yes, One. The LFS: "Oh, they're absoloutly FINE singly, we sell lots of them...." Ok, brought him home, bag into the tank to balance the temperature...Then (Yes, yes I know, I know research BEFOREHAND, not after the fact. Sorry.) thought i'd do some checking around of my own. Searched in here, yielded the results I'm sure I'll be getting shouted at me..."Keep in groups/shoals of 4 or 5, BIG fish not for a tank my size, NOT sutiable for this sort of thing", etc etc. Hmmm. Rang LFS who (to be fair) said I could bring him back down (fortunately hadn't released him yet). I've just presented myself plus a rather confused Clown Loach to be greeted by another member of staff telling me that although there was no trouble with me fetching him back, wherever i'd got my info from was talking (and I quote) "a load of sh1t...there's too many so called experts round on that internet...And they know nowt" (For any Americans/Southerners reading, thats Northern for "Nothing" JUST KIDDING)

Thats why I put the clown loach back with his freinds at the shop, and came away with the refund. I'd take Fish Forums advice any old day of the week...

Learning points for me (and hopefully anyone else):

DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE PARTING WITH CASH FOR FISH! It'll save time, effort, and stress to the fish in question...

Ok, rant over...(Oh if anyone wants to know which shop it was, message me - to be fair, their customer service is great, but wouldn't rely on them for advice in future)

Opinions are welcome, as always! And if anyone wants to suggest a good fish to keep in a 65l bow-front that would find snails a delicacy, i'd appreciate the advice )

Cheers and Beers - It's only Bloody Friday!

Fire an' Ice B)

 

[Squid]

Sounds about par for the course..

Although... I don't get the irony statement though but i wouldn't worry about that, Alanis Morrisette did a whole song on it and she didn't get it right either..

I do however agree with the Friday beer sentiment. Drink up... enjoy your weekend with the snails. try some lettuce on a string. They like that. You can then just remove the lettuce with a tonne of snails in the morning.

Otherwise, i just sick them up with the syphon at each clean out. Eventually they died out enough..

Edit: if your confused about the alanis bit.. see here - can't remember if it's totally kid safe though..

Squid.

 

[Faythee]

LOL...Well at least you found out before releasing him into the tank !

Found this on the net:

Snail eating fish can also be helpful. Freshwater puffers (most of which are actually brackish water fish and need a little salt in their water and are typically very aggressive) will eat snails, as will some cichlids, and most Botia. The Clown Loach, Yo-Yo Loach, Dwarf Checkered loach, Skunk Botia and the Bengal Loach are all Botia that will usually do all right in a community tank and eat snails. Remember, when adding a fish to the tank to help with a problem like this, that the new fish does contribute to the tank population.

 

[Shrimper]

Erm how about a Clown Loach... I hear they eat snails, don't grow big and are fine living by themselves, well 1 out of 3 aint bad

What other fish have you got in your tank... as far as i know most loaches will eat snails but they need to be in groups to be happy. Puffer fish will eat them too but don't like any other tankmates.

Its probably better for the exisiting fish to remove the snails manually, put a piece of cucumber in and in the morning it will be covered in snails.

 

[Fire_an_Ice]

LOL...Well at least you found out before releasing him into the tank !

Found this on the net:

Snail eating fish can also be helpful. Freshwater puffers (most of which are actually brackish water fish and need a little salt in their water and are typically very aggressive) will eat snails, as will some cichlids, and most Botia. The Clown Loach, Yo-Yo Loach, Dwarf Checkered loach, Skunk Botia and the Bengal Loach are all Botia that will usually do all right in a community tank and eat snails. Remember, when adding a fish to the tank to help with a problem like this, that the new fish does contribute to the tank population.

Outstanding Thanks for that Weekend fish-shopping ahoy. My wife WILL be pleased (More irony, if you hadn't spotted it. Or sarcasm. Whatever you prefer.)

 

[cheesy feet]

My adult clown loach had been on his own for 3 years (the rest were killed of by white spot), always active and healthy, but I feel he could of done better in a group...So I sold him yesterday, and the woman is hopefully going to get him some friends.
But the guys right, clown loaches love snails!

 

[Fire_an_Ice]

Erm how about a Clown Loach... I hear they eat snails, don't grow big and are fine living by themselves, well 1 out of 3 aint bad

What other fish have you got in your tank... as far as i know most loaches will eat snails but they need to be in groups to be happy. Puffer fish will eat them too but don't like any other tankmates.

Its probably better for the exisiting fish to remove the snails manually, put a piece of cucumber in and in the morning it will be covered in snails.

Currently have 3 Mollies, 4 Harlequins, 2 big fat cory catfish, a bristlenose plec (named Whiskers, if you care) and 5 neons...If the snails get a look in past Whiskers troughing the cucumber, I'll give it a go