Fish Folk - help?

[Heather]

Snails are taking over my fish tank. Tonight I came home and they are all forming this weird snail mass. I broke them up, and they reformed. What the heck is going on, and how do I cut down on my snail population?

I'll be draining most of the water out of the tank in a week or so, so I plan to try to catch a bunch and dispose of them but is there anything else I should do in the meantime?

Perplexed!

 

[PHRAG]

Tonight I came home and they are all forming this weird snail mass. I broke them up, and they reformed. What the heck is going on, and how do I cut down on my snail population?

Snail orgy. Bow-chicka-wow.

 

[Marco]

lol national geographic in real life is great aint it

 

[Heather]

Oh come now. Neither of you have fish.

 

[Marco]

I have some in my fridge in little containers you microwave. No snails though.

 

[gary]

have you tried garlic butter?oke:

But seriously, you can pick them out by hand, get a snail eating fish, or take everything out inspecting for itty bitty snails and then start over. As you have noticed some snails can be a real pest and reproduce like mad. Sort of the mealies of the aquarium world.

gary

 

[Heather]

I don't mind them in small numbers. They take care of the tank. But now I think they are mounting a war on the fish. I think I'm going to just have to take many of them out next week.

(So really, what is that they're doing - is this some great snail orgy going on here?) Geesh.

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

The slightest dose of copper, as is found in most fish medications, is terminal to snails and other invertebrates...the problem is, you may never be able to keep snails again...Take care, Eric

 

[Heather]

Hmmm. I'd really rather a balance of some sort. The snails keep my tank balanced. But they are TOTALLY out of balance right now! lol!

 

[Rick]

If your aquarium is heated (around 80f) you could add some of the botias. The most widely known species is the clown loach.

They like to eat snails and leave other fish alone. There are other botia species too, but they are not as colorful as the clown loach, and harder to find in the retail market.

Unfortunately the clown loach can be prone to ich, and is a bit pricey.

 

[likespaphs]

i'm a big fan of clown loaches. only thing is, they'll eat all the snails. they also require a tank that's been stabilized for a while, i think.

 

[Rick]

i'm a big fan of clown loaches. only thing is, they'll eat all the snails. they also require a tank that's been stabilized for a while, i think.

They do tend to be a bit wimpy. Other botia species are much tougher, and antisocial (with their own species).

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

Probably the best thing is to mash as many snails as possiblle....nontoxic, and privides all the live food your fish could ever want...Take care, Eric

 

[Heather]

Well, when I drain the tank next week, I guess I'll go on a little mashing spree. Or at least remove as many as I can. I really don't mind 10 or so of them, it's the other 675 that are bothering me.

 

[lienluu]

Well, when I drain the tank next week, I guess I'll go on a little mashing spree. Or at least remove as many as I can. I really don't mind 10 or so of them, it's the other 675 that are bothering me.

That's what i've always done, just remove them by hand. By DO NOT squish them. I know someone who went on a snail squishing spree and somehow a piece of snail gut goo got stuck under his fingernail and got severely infected and he almost lost that finger.

 

[Jon in SW Ohio]

If they are the tiny black, semi-cone shaped snails...get used to it.

When one of my tanks got overpopulated with them, I emptied the tank and started over by cleaning the tank with very hot water and scrubbing it down. They come in on nearly any live plant you put in the tank. That tank has since repopulated with them since I sometimes feed tiny live copepods and the snails always get netted with them, so now I just ignore them.

Jon
________
HASHISH

 

[Heather]

Thanks.
There are two kinds, the little cone ones (I actually kinda like them) and then little round ones (such a description huh?) The round ones are much more numerous. I am sure they came in on some plants. They really do do a nice job keeping the tank spiffy, but they are becoming a bit of a menace in numbers now.

How was the show, Jon?

 

[Jon in SW Ohio]

Show was good, but I have a few delays in uploading pics. My laptop (or apparently Windows XP) died but my techie brother says he can fix it. I am on his computer with the camera, but forgot the CD that needs installed to upload them. I got some great stuff from EcuaGenera, Orchid Inn, Woodstream Orchids, Oak Hill, and Andy's Orchids.

I should have pics and a review of the show up by tonight.

Jon
________
Ferrari 166 Specifications

 

[Heather]

I should have pics and a review of the show up by tonight.

Jon

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

The round ones are the planorbid snails...they can become much bigger pests than the cone shaped pond snails. While they seem to be cleaning up, they produce vast quantities of poop....in all likelihood, making up more than 70% of your bottom crud...Take care, Eric