# Okay everyone...I have a dilemma...



## SabastiansMom (Jul 25, 2014)

As most of you know I have been overrun with Malaysian Trumpet Snails. Since I have several of my wonderful fish folk that want these little critters...they are under control....or soon will be.

But, that's not my only snail problem. Since firing up this 55 gallon tank in September...I seem to have two other snails that have decided to rear their ugly...(yes some of you may disagree and think they are "cute") head and make it known that this is their tank. One...I have ramshorn..cute little pink ones...however they not only took over my tank...but they prolifically brought in these ugly and unrelenting bladder snails as well.

So...in this spirit I am taking problems into my own hands and I'm asking my dear fishy friends to give me ways to clean every thing in my tank so that these snails will never bother my tank again!


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## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

Hire a hitman. Puffers or Convict cichlids don't play well with others but Clown or Yo-Yo loaches do. These guys will make short work of your snails.


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## Greenapp1es (Dec 4, 2014)

Could you take a picture of the ramshorn? I'm considering setting up a small planted tank specifically for these guys. I know they multiply like mad so I'm not eager to put one in with my guys...but I wouldn't mind a small tank of them of their own...

(Basically, I might be willing to take one or two of these guys off your hands as well!)

Otherwise....um...assassin snail?


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## Nyri (Sep 23, 2014)

I'll send you my little Yin. I have to put her in a breeder box since she eats all of the snails and snail eggs... Whenever I notice her getting kind of fat, I'll put her away until she's a little thinner, go through and manually remove any snail eggs I find, and release her back into the tank. I'm almost always worried about bloat with her... fortunately she's always been fine so far, and she's pretty much wiped out my snail population.


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## SabastiansMom (Jul 25, 2014)

Hmmm good ideas....however I have one black Ramshorn snail that I love, Poe...then there is my nerite...Harry and the two huge mystery snails Mork and Mindy that I don't want anything to happen to. So a loach isn't gonna do me any good and I'm scared to intro any other fish to my tank until I get rid of these snails. If I place assassin snails won't that be adding more snails? Hubby had the idea of emptying the tank and boiling everything. Seems the bladder snails are decimating my plants I have huge holes in my leave where they are eating the leaves. Anyway hubby wants to concoct a new vacuum system for my tank and come spring...I'm thinking it sounds like a plan.


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## Greenapp1es (Dec 4, 2014)

Assassin snails feed on other snails - but if you're concerned about your guys that you like that might not be the best option for them either.

Otherwise - not sure. I know you can try the lettuce trap, but it sounds like you've got an awful lot of these guys.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Are you vaccuuming your substrate well? Do you have live plants? People think snails come out of no where but they are breeding in response to some food source. Cut off their supply and they die (or the population will fall).


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## SabastiansMom (Jul 25, 2014)

Yes as well as I can. Live plants check. That's true Olympia. But MTS don't need a partner to breed or so I've read. I have 12 tetras, 6 cories, 2 mystery snails, 1 ramshorn and 1 nerite that I feed reg. I'm wondering if I am feeding too much since my snail population has exploded again when it seemed like I might have had them under control...I think I need to feed more than a good pinch size (pinch size is the size of a quarter?) because I'm starving them...should I back that off?


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## SabastiansMom (Jul 25, 2014)

Green...the snails that are going out soon. Doesn't put even a dent in what I have for MTS. I've got probably a 100 in my big tank alone!


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

I think you may need to slow down on feeding. I never fed my snails. They should be able to find enough food in the tank on their own. 
But trying to leave a lettuce leaf in the tank and then pulling them out yourself should work well, then less food will keep them from getting out of control again. In the future try to feed the fish fish food, and then for the snails you can try blanching zuchinni or giving them lettuce (meaning try not to feed the snails fish food). I think the extra protein might be what makes them breed so much.. So when feeding the fish try and make sure food doesn't hit the ground.


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## SabastiansMom (Jul 25, 2014)

Okay. But if it doesn't hit the ground...won't the cories starve? I don't feed the snails...they eat what they scrounge on the ground.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Right right... I guess just try and make sure the cories eat everything.


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## SabastiansMom (Jul 25, 2014)

Well, the last two days I have given them less. So hopefully it's enough for the cories to clean up and that's it. Hey Olympia..I just bought some broccoli for the snails and the pleco..how do I do it...do I blanch it first?


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## ZZD (Jan 13, 2013)

When I have an explosion I throw in a cucumber slice and then haul it out when I notice it covered in snails, rinse and repeat until a manageable level. also after about 10 minutes after feeding, check the tank. any food uneaten will draw a snail crowd and you can scoop them out.

I would feed the fish less because if you have an explosion of snails its a sign of overfeeding. they reproduce by eating. I don't really blanch the veggies I put in for my fish and snails, but lately I've been growing them fresh algae so I haven't done as many veggies.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Yea, you'd want to blanch it first as it makes it softer and easier for them to eat. And then remove it within the day.


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

You can also weigh down a piece of lettuce with a rock, leave it overnight, and in the morning it should have a nice coating of snails. Remove and dispose of the snails how you wish.


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## myexplodingcat (Apr 9, 2014)

A decent salt concentration in a cup is a suitable solution for euthanizing snails once you've caught them in the trap. Kills them instantly without mess, and then you can throw them in the trash.

Most snails won't eat living plant tissue. You sure those are just bladder snails? AFAIK, apple snails are the ones that eat plants. I have bladder and pond snails all over my NPT and they don't cause issues or reproduce like crazy (at least, not any more).

You sure you aren't overfeeding your fish? Are you doing enough water changes?


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## SabastiansMom (Jul 25, 2014)

I do water changes every week at least 55% in all my tanks. I check my levels twice a week to ensure everyone is happy and healthy. I've backed off on feeding and it seems to have helped. I have also taken romaine lettuce and put it in the tank one to get rid of snails and two it seems my clown pleco Animal absolutely goes bonkers for the stuff! I also figured out I had my temp in the 55 too high for my cories and tetras so I dropped it to 75 degrees and everyone seems to be more animated.


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## InfiniteGlory (Dec 17, 2012)

I am about to redo my tank in a few weeks and still have some assassin snails roaming around. would you like to try one and see how it does?


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