Snail Eating Goldfish

[Ardvark]

No it's not a snail eating a Goldfish but my better half said she has read on the net that Goldfish eat pest snails.
Is this true?
If so are there Goldfish who eat pest snails that grow no bigger than me Guppies?
Also they MUST NOT harm me Guppies.
 
                                                                                        Al

 

[fluttermoth]

All goldfish grow quite big, even the fancy varieties. None of them are as small as guppies; all are at least six inches when they're fully grown.
 
If you're having serious problems with pest snails, there are a few things you can do, but adding fish to eat them is the worst!
 
You can cut back on your feeding, for a start. Large populations of pest snails are nearly always caused by having excess food in the tank.
 
You can also remove and squash any you see; do this every day, and you'll soon see the numbers drop.
 
Or you could look at getting some assassin snails to eat the pests. They'r a very attractive snail, and breed quite slowly, so you won't be swapping one snail problem for another

 

[sawickib]

I think i understand what your asking, to answer i would say there is no gold fish that stays smaller than your guppies, they are also cold water while your guppies are warm water. I dont know of any goldfish that eat snails either but ive never kept them so idk.
 
What size is the tank? Some species of loaches eat snails and are tropical fish as well. Or even assassin snails would be much better.

Feeding less food to your fish can also help reduce snail populations. 

 

[Ch4rlie]

You can use tubs with holes as a diy snail trap for pest snails if there is algae wafer or lettuce in to lure them into the box, then you can dispose of however you like.
 
Or even easier, get a small plastic bottle, cut in half then invert the bottle neck into the main bottle body, this becomes another method of a diy pest snail trap with same foods above as lure inside this.
 
 
Do have to say though, I second the assassin snail method, not just because I have assassin snails in my tank

 
They are very interesting snails and nice looking imho.
 
One of my Assassin Snails.
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:75747]
 
 
They will breed, only in pairs though, not on own as far as I know, but they are slow breeders and only lay one eggs at a time but these snails take quite a while to grow fully into adults.
 
Even the assassin snail eggs are interesting, square sacs

[sharedmedia=core:attachments:75746]
 

 

[Ardvark]

Hi Gang,
             Thanks for your replies. Goldfish are out, Loaches are out "they too ugly".
I have 3 Assassins called "The Three Assassins".
I think I'm getting a bit to impatient wanting to get rid of them pest snails. Every morning when I feed me Guppies I'm there with the turkey baster sucking the snails up.
I have a 2 foot tank, do members think 3 Assassins are enough?
 
                                                                                                Al

 

[Ch4rlie]

Yes, 3 assassin snails is fine, patience required for these guys to get pest snails under control. In few weeks or a few months you'll notice pest snails diminishing and eventually completely eradicated