lots of snails!?! [Archive]

MJMiller

01-02-2004, 12:54 PM

I planted my tank maybe six weeks ago now... after about a week I noticed a a stowaway snail in the tank. I didn't get rid of it because I kind of liked having it in there (never had a snail before) and after a couple of weeks I never saw it again. I just figured my tiger barbs got hungry as they occasionally showed some interest....

Today, I did a water change and found about 50 pinhead sized snails crawling around in the filter. So, should I be concerned? Am I going to have a real problem with these guys or will the barbs take care of the ones dumb enough to crawl out of there?

Just curious as to what I'm getting into...

mrbigisbudgood

01-02-2004, 12:57 PM

I would remove some, but don't erradicate them altogether. Leave a few in the filter, leave some in the tank. Diversity is good.

LMOUTHBASS

01-02-2004, 1:09 PM

they shoulnt hurt the tank- maybe help by eating left over or algae but in the future you shoul try washing your plants with warm running water first to try to get rid off any eggs or snails hiding out

NJ Devils Fan

01-02-2004, 4:28 PM

I would leave them in the filter, you don't want snail stuck in the impeller.;)

MJMiller

01-03-2004, 4:02 PM

Ok, so it seems no impending tank doom... I still haven't seen any come out of the filter; they must like the dark.

Thanks all...

Cooter007

01-03-2004, 5:22 PM

I have TONS of Trumpet snails and believe me they will stop a HOB impeller. A sponge on the intake of the filter will prevent snails from entering… I don’t know what kind of snails you have but I like my Trumpet Snails and they can easily be controlled buy over/under feeding.

Mine look like Melanoides tuberculata …..
http://www.aquabase.org/picture.php3?action=view&id=14

Must4ng s4lly

01-09-2004, 9:52 PM

I had a TON of snails as they multiply like crazy. They clogged the water tubes of my filter that spray onto the bio filter. They made a real mess of my filter so that it would not even flow anymore after a week or two, so I got two clown loaches and, wahlah, snail clogging problem gone! I have a few, but the loaches are great at controlling them! Had the loaches a year, if they get too big, will trade for smaller ones....