Dwarf Puffers or Assassin Snails?

agp

AC Members
Aug 8, 2010
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I've about had it enough with the pond snails. I'm not lazy, but scraping those eggs off of all the rocks and plant stems twice a week is a pain. I tried dropping some veggies overnight, but that only attracted two or three snails at most each time. Should I get dwarf puffers or assassin snails? With dwarf puffers, I know I'd have to move all my other fish so that they don't get harassed, and with assassin snails, I have to move my nerite snails. Either way I have to move some livestock.
 
I would go with assassin snails, they usually stay pretty small, and if ur nerites are big(more than .75") they should be okay. Dwarf Puffers wouldn't be good, cuz then u r losing all ur fish.
 
I'd say go with assassins as well unless your willing to dedicate that tank to the DP's.
 
I have 3 in a 72G, and so far(after 4 months), I have seen no snails at all. I think if you already have quite a few snails(10+), I would get 2. They are great, they look small, but work very nicely.
 
After they get rid of all the pond snails, what will they feed on? My nerites usually just crawl around, and I've never fed any specific food for them, and they're still living strong - are assassins the same?
 
After they get rid of all the pond snails, what will they feed on? My nerites usually just crawl around, and I've never fed any specific food for them, and they're still living strong - are assassins the same?

Yeah, IME, they are the same, they just eat leftover "food", decaying matter, dead plants, and mine are usually seen in the gravel looking for snail eggs, or other snails. If you want them to survive for sure, I would take 2 or 3 of your snails out, let them lay eggs, and then put them back in, so there are always enough snails for them to eat off.
 
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