the pondies are taking over.

Idk about smushing... that could just release more eggs. Just take them out. That's what I did with apple and ramshorn snails, I hate snails.

pond/bladder snails lay eggs in big, clear bags of goop that you'll see hanging onto just about everything in your tank. I used to have a huge problem with them, and then they just started to go away. I don't know if the environment became bad for the, or if they were just out-competed by the MTS. If it comes to smoosh or remove, removal is probably safer. You could always set up a small dwarf puffer tank and drop them in for treats.

I used to have more bladder snails than any other kind of snail... then they went extinct in my community tank. (I've since reintroduced them from another tank and they seem to be heading en-route to extinction again).

Everything seems to eat my bladders- I've seen Palaemonetes (ghost) Shrimp, Shufeldtii Crays, and Spixi snails all at one time or another eating bladder snails... I'm sure all the above probably eat their eggs too.

I've got empty bladder snail (and small ramshorn snail) shells scattered all over my substrate.

Conversly- snails like MTS that have the thicker shells are left alone by all the above- I don't mind the odd bladder snail as long as they don't get out of hand... but they're doomed. I can't keep 'em alive.

they are asexual, i smush and feed my fish with them all the time. removal is also effective. Keep up on your gravel vacs and don't overfeed.

:iagree:

The only time I had a bladder/pond outbreak was in my Tang tank. I cut down on feeding and upped the wc's. They sure took care of the rest.

Keep on Squishin!

Hard to get 'em all, but you can sure keep their #'s down...

i spent a month removing by hand and smooshing the small ones. i don't see them in my main tank anymore at all. all i have in there is MTS. tried to put a ramshorn in there today and the **** platys already chewed it's antennae off. they love snail meat i guess. i still have some in my hospital/invert tank though and i don't really mind them. it's all pong, ramshorn, and mts and lowlight plants in there.