# Malaysian Trumpet Snails



## donovan (Jun 24, 2014)

Don't know what to do. I started with 10 last November in my 20 gallon long. Now I probably have 1000. Been thinking about setting up a third tank for a puffer. He would have a lifetime supply. What else can I do? How can I euthanize them? Hate to do that, but it's no worse than using them for fish food.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

They are great for dwarf puffers (my husband's puffer eats them if he manages to spot them before they go in the sand... i need a feed tray..) they're also great for sifting sand based tanks to avoid aerobic bubbles building up that can be very bad. 
I've sold several hundred MTS from my 55g on another forum before. One time I had a few orders and harvest 300 mts in 2 days (after that I had to wait a month for the population to build back up).
The thing is though, they don't grow to out of control populations unless they have an abundance of food (lot of excess fish food-my issue i feed extra to ensure cories get some food, driftwood fungus, lot of dad plant matter, algae-mostly diatoms). If possible you can remove the food source for them and a good chunk of snails, then the population should not get large again.


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## Johnny579 (Aug 22, 2014)

These guys are hard to get rid of no matter what you do. A dwarf puffer tank would be great, I take all pest snails from my other tanks and feed them to my puffers, its fun to watch them stalk the snail before sucking it out of the shell. Botia loaches would help keep them under control in your 20 gallon but I've heard they've have a hard time eating MTS.


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## fernielou (May 19, 2015)

I have never had mts but how you euthanize extra snails is put a piece of zucchini (some use lettuce) on the substrate and turn out lights. Then when they make it to the food you pull them out on the zucchini and freeze or squish in a ziploc. They are said to not feel pain. I agree - euthanizing is no worse than feeding but I don't want a whole extra tank to have a puffer to control my population. I think clown loaches eat snails and they are more community friendly


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Clown loaches need a larger tank and shoaling #s (6 or more) to be comfortable.. they need a 75g or larger tank, also from reading they can be tail nippers especially if put in tanks with slower moving fish.

besides how can you saw no to these big puffer eyes?









Btw if you do get a dwarf puffer the tank must be cycled before you get it-they do not tolerate ammonia or nitrite like bettas can.


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## donovan (Jun 24, 2014)

I have an extra 10 gallon in the basement. Have been reading up on brackish water tanks for puffers. Our local Petco has some really small Figure 8 Puffers. Was thinking of getting one of those. He would be ok in that size till he grows a little more. All ready have some new sand and an extra filter. From what I have read, plants don't do real well in this water so plastic or silk would be best. Have those too. Would just need a new heater. Oh, and a place to set it up! Have my 20 gallon in the living room and a 5 gallon in the kitchen. Unfortunately, I have cories in the tank so when they get feed the snails get fed too.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Maybe your LFS would take them? Or trade for store credit? Never hurts to ask. Three Assassin Snails wiped out close to 200 in a month.


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## donovan (Jun 24, 2014)

I found two assassin snails in there Saturday when I did a water change. They don't seem to be doing much to help. LOL


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