Orangespots(What I''m guessing) found dead in my bn tank

[Dyce]

Well I''m not a 100% sure they''re orangespot as all I found was 2 skeleton''s, 1 yesterday and one today and can only see 2 orangespots, although there were a few normal fry around the same size so I''m not ruling out their bn. I was growing the orangespot in the bn tank thinking it''d be better for them as they''d eat the same food etc as the bn.<
>Anyways its been a month or so since I did a gravel clean(did a few waterchanges but no gravel clean) and filter clean(3 sponge filters), so after finding the dead one yesterday I did a 35% water change and gravelclean(all this black stuff all through gravel, guessing bn poo or woodshavings as the driftwood in the tank is a blackish color) and smelt a smell while gravelcleaning, I''m not sure what it is but I guess its bad. and my filters were also blocked.<
><
>Anyways, I''m just wondering if orangespots are more sensitive(they were around 4cm) then normal
istlenose, as my
istlenose were still
eeding as I''ve just got a new batch of fry.<
><
>Also I''ve got an insane snail problem in the tank(Pond snails) I''ve gotten rid of a few as of late yet theirs just hundreds, and what makes it worse is they eat the same things as the
istlenose making the
istlenose get less food. Do the snails hurt the
istlenose? or could cause a problem.?<
><
>Also when should I next do a waterchange without giving the fish shock? fish fish fish fish turkey fish fish gobble

[Alan Caboolture]

In my experience Orange spots are just as tough as common B/N.<
><
>They don''t
eed as easilly and appear to be a bit like peppermingts in that they need to be a fair age, like 2 years plus.<
><
>The black gunk in you gravel is morthan likely lignin, from your fish chewing on the wood.<
><
>Alan. When life gives you lemons ask for a bottle of tequila & salt.<
>The only danger I find in life is to take too many precautions. Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet.<
>

Do pond snails come out of the water to eat?<
>Thinking for a sec here.....  could you make a floating trap for the evil blighters that B/N couldn''t get at?<
><
>

[Dyce]

Well at the moment thats my trap, as I filled the water  its filled up to where a layer of algaes been growing, so alot of the snails are on the edge of the water or just above and I''m just picking them off, got atleast 100 off, but even still theres thousands of babies all through the gravel and everything.<
> fish fish fish fish turkey fish fish gobble

[langebob]

Hi there Dyce,<
>I can sympathise with you and your snail problem as I had the same prob.  You will never get rid of them by manually removing them.  I used to do this and feed them to my other fish.  You can trap them fairly effectively with a jar or container filled with veges but some will always remain.  I ended up putting some clown loaches in the tank and they did a fantastic job cleaning them up.   The only problem is the snails even got into the canister filter and
eed inside there and also under the udergravel filter plates.  Unfortunately the clown loaches can''t get them in there but at least it keeps the tank clean.  My concern was that the snails would compete with the bn''s for food.<
>Regards Rob Edited by: langebob at: 6/5/05 16:47<
>

I had a fair few
istlenose babies die on me under simlar circumsatnces. I had done a fair few water changes on the tank but hadnt cleaned the gravel in a while. When i did boy was there a lot of crap. After cleaning the gravel there have been no more deaths. I also have plenty of snails. I put down a piece of zucchini for the b/n and it is always covered in snails an hour later. So i grab it and scrap them off outside and put it back. But it is impossible to keep them at bay. Maybe buy some snail rid from an aquarium or the clown loach idea sounds good. <
><
>DAM SNAILS!!!!!!!  

[DeagonTheo]

Clown Loaches are absolutely unreal at getting rid of snails. In a matter of days they can get rid of hundreds. They round the snails up and keep them in little piles for a quick snack, awesome to watch.<
>Theo<
>

any1 selling a clown loach atm?   <
><
>actually, if u r i would be interested in buying.<
><
>thanks!

I don''t trust clowns in tanks with lots of little B/N........

[nemo1981]

i''m with swarve, i wouldn''t want to put them in with baby b/n either.<
><
>bummer, coz my main b/n
eeding tank is getting few of those bastard snails in them and i would chuck the loaches in if it weren''t that they''d probably eat the babies. Steven & Amy<
>Ipswich<
>Email: nemo19_81@hotmail.com<
>Our Photos<
>

[Alan Caboolture]

A moot point !!!<
><
>But remember snails also eat fish eggs.  I was faced with the same dilema with a pepperming tank.  Debated whether to put some loaches in or some Red claw crays (Red claw are also super snail eaters, including cone snails if it is not a planted tank).  I chickened out and didn''t get a single fry hatch for months.    I would have been better off biting the bullet for a month or two and get rid of the snails.<
><
>I still have the snail problem, and still no fry tho I am sure there have been some spawns  . So loaches and crays in there now!<
><
>Alan<
> When life gives you lemons ask for a bottle of tequila & salt.<
>The only danger I find in life is to take too many precautions. Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet.<
>

I just use a salad trap. I usually get enough out but never them all. Thats ok because I like to over feed a little bit and the little snails help clean up.  Never noticed snails really taking too much of a toll on eggs before though....   not something you would see that often even if it was happening though I suppose.<
>I mainly hate them for their filter clogging power. <
>Infiltrate like cong and clog the impellor with their dead. Or
eed into millions inside a cannister.<
>Snails can sometimes find a way.....   especially with a black out as they try to escape low O2 spots.<
>I like the sound of puffers eating them. Watching clowns suck them dry is a true gentlemens sport too though!<
>  

[ashhhh]

I know this is an old topic but I had this problem and the only non chemical way of getting rid of the snails is quite simple and very effective in one swoop.Transfer some water ONLY and the fish to another clean tank or container whilst you do this. Remove all rocks,ornaments plants and gravel and filters heaters etc<
>Throw the plants.Dismantle and scrub down with
istle
ush all heaters filters and filterparts.Thouroughly scrub inside of tank.<
>Boil some water and place stuff like rocks gravel and ornaments in boiling water (as this will get into the parts the
ush will not reach)you can also quickly dip filter parts in the boiling water just a few seconds so as not to melt plastic but enough to kill any snail eggs and /or snails.<
>I have found this the most cost effective way and when you done it once (unless you re-introduce some more snails later on) no more snails ever.<
>Bin there done that<
><
>Cheers Ash  

I have a 4 x 2 x 2 with a heap of those cone shaped small snails in it running an undergravel and a canister, rarely needs a gravel suck or the canister cleaning, no @#%$ I don''t  look at the canister from one 6 months to the next, I put it down to the snails doing all the dirty work and burying into the gravel to eat any wasted foods, I''ll keep them for the nil trouble they cause, other than blocking the outlet spray bar from time to time it doesn''t take more than 15 secs to take that off and shake the lil shells out.<
><
>Cheers Dave AKA Snail Supporter lol "I believe that sex is a beautiful thing between two people. Between five, it''s fantastic."

[ashhhh]

you either like em or dont like em,<
>but thats how I get rid of em <
><
>Cheers Ash