2007-03-12 07:48:21 · 7 answers · asked by carnivore al a mode 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
Actually, the snails you're refering to do NOT eat algae as the person before me mentioned.
The snails you have are not particularly detrimental to your tank, but when you have a lot they are unsightly.
Once you have them, it is difficult to rid yourself of them completely. Your best course of action is to simply reduce and control their numbers using one of more of the following methods:
Manual removel / squishing - when you see a snail on the glass, take it out of the tank, or squish it against the glass. This is great for the fish, because fish love to eat squished snail. This method is actually pretty effective; I have snails in all my tanks but rarely see more than one or two at any given time.
Trapping - you can either take a small tupperware or one of those plastic film cases and drill / melt holes into it (big enough for the snails). Put in some lettuce or cucumber and a couple rocks so it sinks, close it, and let the snails go in over night. The next morning you can chuck them. You can also just stick a stainless steel spoon through a piece of cucumber and let it sink.
Food chain - there are some snail-eating fish out there. Puffers are great snail eaters - however, many are brackish, and they are not great community fish, so they are probably not the best idea. Loaches are also good snail eaters, if your tank is big enough. If your tank is 30-40 gallons, get 3-4 yoyo, zebra or burmese loaches. If your tank is bigger you can get more, or get a larger loach like clown loaches. Always get at least 3 because they're schoolers.
Reduce their food - these snails feed mostly on leftover fish food. Most people feed their fish way more than their fish can eat, so the snails feed on this and their populations grow. If you cut back on what your fish eat (without starving them, of course), you will reduce the snail population. Only feed your fish what they can eat in 30 seconds, twice a day.
If you REALLY want to completely rid yourself of snails, you'll have to take your tank apart and rinse all ornaments, plants, gravel etc in HOT salted water.
2007-03-12 08:03:24 · answer #1 · answered by Zoe 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you have gotten already gotten the flora out if there, yet that replaced into what i replaced into going to point first. there are in all probability greater snails approximately to hatch, no telling how many. i might positioned all of those flora in with the puffer fish. as a procedures because of the fact the the remainder of them, that's difficult! a minimum of those on the flora may well be out of there. If it rather is too plenty plant and snails for the puffer, positioned the countless flora in a bucket of water for a jointly as. additionally, i'm the guy who had the toddler puffer fish. they are eco-friendly observed puffers. You have been desirous to renowned the place i replaced into once you responded my question to inquire with regard to the fry. i'm in Alabama. The infants are large! different than they choose snails!! If we could artwork out some snails for my puffers and you may desire to get yet another puffer on your snails! good success! thank you! P.S. I had taken the countless flora from the puffer tank and positioned the in yet another tank previously I knew with regard to the eggs. It replaced into 2 days later and that i could no longer have faith it when I stumbled on greater tiny little eyeballs swimming around in a thoroughly distinctive tank! I have been given them out and positioned them and the plant interior the toddler puffer tank. you may tell they're a touch smaller, yet they are doing large!
2016-10-02 00:16:15 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually you may want to reconsider- unless you are talking 10 or more as these snails help to keep the tank clear of algae naturally.
2007-03-12 07:54:18 · answer #3 · answered by whippetgrrl 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had this same problem and I found a med. called "had-a-snail" it kills off all of the snails in the tank without harming the fish
2007-03-12 15:21:03 · answer #4 · answered by sara123 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you have goldfish or other large fish, you can also pick them out, crush them against the side of the tank and the goldfish will eat them.
2007-03-12 07:56:06 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Keep them. They're free and they clean the tank.
2007-03-12 07:56:32 · answer #6 · answered by Kings Child 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yoyo loaches love to eat snails :)
2007-03-12 08:06:31 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋