Snail Control

[preynolds]

Hi,

I have a 20gal tank which until a few weeks ago had 2 clown loaches in that did a great job of controlling the snail population. However, the loaches were unsuitable for the tank (tank too small) and so I returned them to the store.

In the last 2 weeks the snails have returned with a vengeance, I reckon there are at least 100 already. Does anyone have any suggestions of a small fish which will help with the snail population like the loaches did (would corys eat snails?)

Thanks

 

[widgetuk]

Yo Yo loach does the job they did in mine or poss some of the other smaller loach/botia not the skunk they can be a bit naughty

 

[Snick]

I have used in the past a pretty primative solution, that being that you place a peice of lettuce or cucumber (they wont effect the water) with a pieace of lead tied to it... then you drop it into the tank. the snails will cling onto it, and after 10hours or so take it out and clean it off, and repeat until you finish off with the majority.

 

[fishboytoo]

What else do you have in the tank?

 

[preynolds]

What else do you have in the tank?

I have 2 dwarf gouramis, 6 neon tetras and 4 guppies in a 20gal tank.
I tried the lettuce method overnight and got a grand total of 2 snails this morning!!
I'm thinking of some albino corys, but am not sure whether they will eat the snails or not?

Phil

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Phil Reynolds

No, corys will not eat snails unless they are dead. What will help, however, is feeding your fish less. Snail explosions almost always happen when there is an excess of food available for them. If you remove this, they will not reproduce anywhere near as much and perhaps you can get ahead by picking them out.

 

[westside]

I went nto the lfs last night where i bought my live plants and the initial fish from.
I thanked them for infesting my tank with snails, suggested either they should rinse the plants very well when they sell them or stop keeping the snails the sell in the same tanks as the plants, I know it will not change anything, but it made me feel better

Anyways, after I vented I asked if they had any suggestions.

She suggested adding a little aquarium salt to the tank would control them...
I havent tried it yet, just passing it on...


When I was done a customer appeared asking where she could buy snails, I had to take another jibe at the store and told the new customer she could come to my house and have as many as she wanted


I took out 12 last night, 6 or 7 each day for the week before.
I have a lady at work, who has a betta and is having an algae outbreak that i would bring a bag of them in for her tomorrow