Archivarium 2004

[honeypoo]

I bought a plant that had a snail and now I have a million (so it seems). There was recently a post about snail problems. I tried the lettuce. I have tried removing them as they show up, but I can't keep up!! There was another post about different fish that eat snails - can anyone help with the names of those fish.

[MyFishAu]

Loaches are suppose to be great eating snails. If your tank is big enough, I would recommend clown loaches. They grow to about 30cm.

I have 4 kuhli loaches in my tank and they are always fossicking the plant foliage so I guess that they are looking for some yummy snails to eat. And they are much smaller fishies. The grow to 10cm but they are more like wriggling little worms than a fish.

I know, too, that my electric yellow labs (African Cichlids) eat anything that hits their water, including snails. I thought I was doing my daughter a favour when I tried to save one of her snails that couldn't handle the water current in her tank. I put the snail among the plants in my tank but he has now disappeared I would blame either the yellows or kuhlis for his disappearance.

These are just a couple of examples. I am sure other people will have many more ideas for snail eating fish., which I think is the best way to get rid of snails rather than using chemicals.

[Brobro]

try putting in some yoyo loaches, they love snails
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Jane

[Taratron]

This all depends on the size of your tank and current inhabitants.

Example with the clown loaches....I would not put them in anything less than a 75 gallon. They, like most loaches, like to be kept in groups.

In my 20 gallon, I have misc fish, but among them a solitary kuhli (till I can find someone in Phoenix AZ that SELLS them anymore) and a dwarf puffer. I now have to beg snails off other people to keep my puffer's beak trimmed down, but I have never once seen him, or the kuhli, eat. However, the lack of snails but the appearance of several empty shells convinces me that someone is eating them.

Try black kuhlis (tis what I have) for smaller tanks. Yoyo loaches for somewhat larger, and as said above, I would not consider clowns unless you have room for over 3 of them.

Also, check out this site's fish gallery for more loach options, or loach.com
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[Zeco]

Another fish that I found to be an excellent snail eater is the Banjo cat (Bunocephalus coracoideus). Unfortunately it is excellent against smaller fishes too.


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Jos

[Alex]

Rams(Microgeophagus ramirezi) might be a good choice, especially if you have a smaller tank. They can't eat the larger snails but they will eat the eggs and the baby snails so they will cut off the supply. If you get Rams try to get a male and female pair.

Alex

[PetCrazy]

Adding new fish isn't always the solution, particularly if you happen to be near already overloading your tank.

Asides using products (why make your tank a chemical soup if you don't have to) there are a few other nifty tricks you can do.

Most snails LOVE lettuce...so guess what?
If you happen to have one of those smaaall glass salt shakers...clean it out, and make sure it's safe for your fish and that the opening isn't big enough to let your smaller inhabitants in who will find the lettuce equally as inviting.
(Or hide it so they will have no idea where it is LOL)

Put a piece of lettuce in there though try to have something where you can still pull it OUT easily...put your little "snail trap" in the water...leave the tank alone for a bit...soon enough, your snails will all be collecting in there...retrieve it, empty it out, get rid of the snails, stick the trap back in again...eventually you'll have them all out or at least reduce their population.

Find the eggs..get rid of em...or let your fish try.

If you have room, and the want...buy small loaches. But if you can't, this is another dandy method you can use.

There is also a product "had-a-snail" though I'm not too sure on everyones success rate with it, nor the type of fish you have and if it would affect them or not.

I'm quite tired at the moment, so I think I'll head to bed.

Have a nice night
=-PC

[Happyface]

Or you could go the fun way... Freshwater puffers are REALLY interesting, and they love little snails, and it sounds like you may have brackish water, and there are a bunch of brackish puffers. They are often evil little buggers, so reasearch thoroughly before adding them, but if you can fit them in, they're really cool, and would probably solve the snail problem.

[shocked]

What about Hillstream Loaches, do they eat snails?
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