snail problem

[jason]

I have a snail problem in my tank. They are tiny little cone shape snails and they are every were. I have never put in plants and i have calcium carbonate as the gravel so they must have come with some of the fish. How can i get rid of them without chemicals and is there any fish that feed on them. Someone told me clown loaches will is that true. I do not want to kill a $1000 worth of fish to get rid of them so i am after a non chemical solution unless someone knows of a safe chemical(if there is such a thing)

[Konigwolf 13]

With no plants and a snail explosion one thing comes quickly to mind, you are overfeeding your fish, droping back on the food will help a bit but you already have a problem. One way to cull them (it wont wipe them out)  is put some lettuce leaf (or similar) in the tank b4 bed, in the morning snails all over it, take out lettuce leaf, bang most snails gone very quick. The above two methods together will drastically drop and control your snail numbers but it will not end them..

HTH     Andrew

[DeagonTheo]

If you also use a Clown Loach you're problems are over. I've got a small  7cm one in a system and it is absolutely amazing the amount of snails the little bugger eats.
Theo

[Konigwolf 13]

Theo the problem with loaches is they are a L O N G term solution. They can growup to 30cm, though can is the operative word here, and they are slow growing 3-4 years for a 15-20 cm fish basically a long lived fish given the conditions as they are prone to whitesopt and should be kept in groups of no less than three in at least a 55 gallon for well grown/adult fish. All this is fine if you want them, but if you dont really want clownies its an issue.

[DeagonTheo]

Like I said I've got one in a system with hundreds of expensive fish.
No white spot.
Definately not long term.
They eat snails rapidly.
I wouldnt worry about it growing to 30cm anytime soon.
As far as keeping 3 or any number together for that matter, is really a matter for scientists not hobbiests.
Anyway we're trying to get rid of snails not set up a colony.
Theo

[Otorix]

I accidentally wiped out a snail population by introducing two clown loaches so they defintiely work.

[Konigwolf 13]

[quote:1187d7d78d]No white spot.[/quote:1187d7d78d]  I said prone to, not garanteed
[quote:1187d7d78d]Definately not long term. [/quote:1187d7d78d] Anything long lived is long term  :roll: a puppy or fish is for life not christmas/birthday/whatever
[quote:1187d7d78d]They eat snails rapidly  [/quote:1187d7d78d]  Yup they doo
[quote:1187d7d78d]I wouldnt worry about it growing to 30cm anytime soon.[/quote:1187d7d78d] I did say that  :roll:
[quote:1187d7d78d]As far as keeping 3 or any number together for that matter, is really a matter for scientists not hobbiests. [/quote:1187d7d78d]I think its a major issue for hobbiests, would you buy one tetra and expect it to thrive and be happy :?:
[quote:1187d7d78d]Anyway we're trying to get rid of snails not set up a colony.[/quote:1187d7d78d] agreed, but we are all after happy fish no :?:

I was just pointing out pro's and cons of clownies to be fair to both fish and owner
Andrew

I would suggest clown loaches aswell, If your getting whitespot often maybe you should look at the water conditions your keeping your fish in.

As for long term, If you click On "Qld Cichlid Forum Index" up the top, then "Aquarium Trader" you can put an add in there to sell them, i honestly have never seen them for sale for more than a day before being snapped up.

I would suggest keeping 2 or 3, i have 3 and they love to play togeather in air bubbles. But it also depends on the other type of fish you have, Some people just sqaush them against the glass and let the other fish eat them.

you mean the snails, right Glen???

 8O

ROFL, yea squash the snails, not the clown loaches lol

[nemo1981]

i have 7 loaches in a display tank, i had an outbreak of snails in one of my 3 footers, so i put 2 of the smaller loaches in there, and within 2 days the snails were completely wiped out, didn't miss one.
it's been 2 months or more and i haven't seen one snail since. i just put the loaches back in their original tank after that.
definately the best option.
plus it's fun watching them suck the guts out of them :lol:

[Konigwolf 13]

[quote:4cf5e54350="nemo1981"]
plus it's fun watching them suck the guts out of them :lol:[/quote:4cf5e54350]

 :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:


Lurrrrvvvvvely

[DeagonTheo]

[quote:720e8b0289]Anything long lived is long term  a puppy or fish is for life not christmas/birthday/whatever
[/quote:720e8b0289]
Mate I'm onto my 3rd wife so I dont know what you mean by long term, unless you mean 6 months or thereabouts.
Theo

[LordFlashHeart]

My favorite thing about clownies is how they lie down in a pack to sleep.

[madbob101]

:lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol: @ THEO