Grr, pond snails!!

[WaterBaby]

:mad2:

OK, so this year I found out that pond snails do not die in the winter, because this year, I still had them in the pond. I wanted to put some kind of rid-a snail stuff in there, (we have no fish in the pond), but my dog drinks out of it, and don't want to kill her in the process.

So, nix the rid-a-snail idea. I am, however going to put some goldfish (shubunkins, I think) in the pond next spring, and am wondering if they would eat the snails? They are little black pond snails, and WOW, are they prolific... They are in my pond, in my waterfall, and in my streambed....

Any other ideas?

Thanks,
Michele

[kj5kb]

Well...I intentionally PUT a handful of pond snails in a tank with 6 3-4" goldfish (comets) to see if they would help with cleanup. After 2 days all were gone. I don't imagine they would get ALL the snails in a pond, but I bet it would help. Why not some comets? They are certainly voracious eaters...

[WaterBaby]

Comets are possible. I just like the calico colors of shubunkins. I really haven't decided yet. I just set up an empty 90g in my living room, and am going to get some soon to overwinter in my tank. Next spring, I'll put them in the pond.

I really don't know that much about goldfish. Haven't had one in ages, and hope that next spring I'll want to put them in the pond.... I might get too attached to them in the house....:)

Thanks,
Michele

[kj5kb]

Disregard the comet vs shubunkin suggestions:lipssealedsmilie:...I was thinking of something else, maybe Ryukins. "I" should have done my research first.:wall: and I guess mine are a mix of commons/comets if you want to get technical...:)

I would suggest no more than 4-5 in the 90G if you want them to have plenty of 'grow-out room before spring. I have 6 large ones 4-7" in my 75 and it's way overstocked...need to find them a a pond in the spring...or have fish stick sandwiches :eek:


Mine get a mix of floating pellets (wardly/hikari), omega one sinking pellets daily and a netful of duckweed from my other tanks every day or so.

They are nibble on the cukes/zukes i put in for the pleco, too.

[WaterBaby]

I think I'm only going to get 3 (just in case one dies, there will be a pair left). I have a pond about 6x6x3ft deep. At the time, I didn't know if I wanted fish in it or not, but we dug it out 3ft just in case. I kinda knew it would't be long before I "needed" one more tank...... ;)

Michele

[Reddog80p]

you must have thousands, I never found my pond snails to be a nusiance.

[WaterBaby]

:grinyes:

They are "ALL" over the place. They clog the bottom of my filter intake, and my waterfall pump. They are "in" the filter, in the basin of my waterfall, and all over the streambed.

They originated from a bunch of parrotfeather plants that someone gave me last year from their pond.

[THE V]

Those sound awfully like a native species that I've ran into a few times. Goldfish may munch on these a little but not as much as trout, or perch. I've actually caught rainbow trout using these as bait.
My Koi seems to find snails delicious. I had a few in my betta bowl for a while that kept reproducing. When they got to be a nuisance I dropped them in with my Koi. They ate them in less than 2 days. Your pond should be large enough for a couple of Koi.

The problem is where to overwinter them??? Especially when they get to be 2ft long. Where I'm at it doesn't freeze so it's not a problem.

[Adam78]

i had the same problem with snails, the only thing that worked is some hungry koi...or fresh water yabbie but will like the taste of the koi or any fish