snails!!!!!!

lostris · Post by **lostris** » 13 Nov 2003, 20:34

So here's d problem,
My aquarium has been rolling for 2 weeks, have a black molly to cycle d tank,and planted some plants, its my 1st time with real plants. Underneath d gravel i have fertilizer, i feed d molly names nera, twice a day,she eats everything,and leave d light on for 8 hours minimum.

Yesterday i noted a tiny spot on a leaf that i tought it was moving, now today i just saw a snail, its around 2 mm big.And i've counted at least 4 of those tiny dots i saw yesterday.

What can i do ,pls help, i know snails reproduce a real lot.

plesner · Post by **plesner** » 13 Nov 2003, 21:02

The snails probably got there with the plants.

Besides chemicals (not recommended IMO), there are several ways to deal with snails. I've had success using either puffers, loaches (Botia species) and several species of Macrobrachium shrimp.

lostris · Post by **lostris** » 13 Nov 2003, 21:12

ok thanks,

pls could u give me names of puffers and loaches, besides clown loatch bec i dont like d way he grows, too big. And since the aquarium is not cycled well , only been running 4 2 weeks, something, hardy would b better i think.

kateswan · Post by **kateswan** » 13 Nov 2003, 21:20

Let me recommend the "Snailinators" . . . botia modesta.
They don't grow as big as the clown loaches, and seem
very hardy. I had a serious snail infestation in a 70 gallon tank
that was cleared in less than a week by a group of 8 of
these bad boys.

Snail shells like popcorn kernels still litter the gravel . . .

Kathy S

lostris · Post by **lostris** » 13 Nov 2003, 21:37

Thanks,
I'll look around for them. I live on a small island, Malta, and you dont find everything, believe me

If not i'll get some clown loatches.

plesner · Post by **plesner** » 13 Nov 2003, 23:24

Try taking a look at the loach species index at http://www.loaches.com. Any Botia should work (do buy a small school of them) and there you can get info about size and so on.

Ben · Post by **Ben** » 14 Nov 2003, 03:25

I"ve had good experiences with Botia almorhae (Yo-Yo Loach) They are really tough, great snail eaters, and don't get too overly large (5 to 6 inches). However don't keep them around eggs or fry!

Ben

lostris · Post by **lostris** » 16 Nov 2003, 08:33

Is the clown loatch a Botia?

I took a look at a site with an index if loaches, and off all of them i like the clown loatch best, even tough i don't reallllyyyyy like him.

I have a 60 litre, i'm buying only two, will they b happy, and will they grow very large in a tank this size?

Thanks.

Ben · Post by **Ben** » 16 Nov 2003, 09:56

Yes, clown loache are a botia, aka Botia macracanthus. However I would maybe reconsider putting them in your tank. They (as is the case with most fish) don't grow just to the size of the tank. They will grow until they reach thier max size, or until the die from innadiquite conditions resulting from a lack of space. Clown loaches often reach upwars of 30cm in captivity.

flyinmike · Post by **flyinmike** » 16 Nov 2003, 14:45

I have found there are several plecs who will eat a snail. My Sunshine (L014) does not appear to go hunting snails like my clown loaches, but he eats them whenever he comes across them. From what I understand there are several plecos who will readily eat snails if given the opportunity.

Post by **Rusty** » 16 Nov 2003, 22:40

B. striata are the king snail munchers IME. They are about as efficient as the yo-yos, and won't gouge each other's eyes out with their spurs. Puffers would also work. I have a lone 1 cm Carinotetraodon slowly lowering the large Malaysian snail population in a 29 gallon right now.

Rusty

S. Allen · Post by **S. Allen** » 17 Nov 2003, 00:51

not to hijack the post, but has anyone kept Colomesus psittacus? Some sources state it needs brackish to marine, some say it's fine in freshwater, is it a life cycle change like arius or what?

Post by **Silurus** » 17 Nov 2003, 02:26

Colomesus psittacus is an inshore marine species that is frequently found in freshwater. This is probably not a life cycle change as a number of inshore marine fish are known to ascend into freshwaters to feed.

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 17 Nov 2003, 21:02

Colomesus psittacus?

extreemly friendly puffer very cool. from my experience they do well in hard freshwater gh 10+ kh 6+. People who live in a soft water area who have difficulty keeping them get told or read to add salt which increases the hardness (conductivity) and then they report sucsess. This may explain the variability of water quality perameters I have read in the past.

S. Allen · Post by **S. Allen** » 18 Nov 2003, 00:14

thanks guys, unfortuneatly not for me.. heh, a nice 8 to 12 inch SA totally freshwater puffer woulda been nice.

Post by **Silurus** » 18 Nov 2003, 01:06

Why not go with the closely-related Colomesus asellus? It's a pure freshwater SA puffer. A bit under the preferred size range, though (maxes out at 6").

plesner · Post by **plesner** » 18 Nov 2003, 01:14

Oh, I saw a single specimen of C. asellus at an LFS in Germany. It's such a beautiful puffer. I'd read that they're very prone to different diseases (esp. Oodinium), so I chose to stay away from it.

S. Allen · Post by **S. Allen** » 19 Nov 2003, 00:32

I suppos 6 isn't too bad... maybe I'll check them out, see if I can find any info on temperment and things.

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 19 Nov 2003, 00:39

maybe I'll check them out, see if I can find any info on temperment and things.

IMO they are very friendly to the point were i have mixed them in community tanks with no problems, getting harder all the time to track down over here though.

S. Allen · Post by **S. Allen** » 19 Nov 2003, 06:34

ok... can anyone attest to the fact they hit 6 inches in the tank? about half the articles or descriptions I read stated 3 to 4 inches... one by someone I trust a lot. If you've seen them there, then I take your word for it, but if you're quoting a book it worries me a bit is all. a 3 inch fish is a snack for an 18 inch ray... unless it's darn good at hiding itself in driftwood.

spiny · Post by **spiny** » 19 Nov 2003, 09:49

My Tetraodon lorteti massacres all snails! It is a 100& freshwater species; the Baensch "Aquarium lexicon" says it prefers Ph around 6,5 dGh (hardness) not more than 10, hardness around 5 is best, and you should not add any salt at all! Temp 24-28 celsius. You will only find it in freshwater, and the size is up to 6,5 centimeters / nearly 3 inhes. You need at least a 50 gallon tank to have more than one.

I also have Botia lohachata (now B. something else), the Pakistan Botia or yo-yo loach! They are superb de-snailizitors as well.

Snails might help parasites go through some or their stages, and I had this trouble some years ago. Lost several fish. Without snails; problem gone.

Good luck!

plesner · Post by **plesner** » 19 Nov 2003, 10:24

My Tetraodon lorteti massacres all snails!

I have one as well (actually I think the correct name is Carinotetraodon lorteti). I honestly believe they're capable of eating at least their own weight in snails each and every day. Great fish !

Sid Guppy · Post by **Sid Guppy** » 19 Nov 2003, 14:56

I dunno
I've had 3 Botia lohachata a while ago, in the riverine tank.
They got all the pond- and Ramshorn-snails pretty quick, but passed on most of the Malaysian Burrowers, and preferred to eat the fishfood, instead of those.

Now I have 4 B striata wich make a better job by far, but still Malaysians survive in there, they just burrow themselves deep enough to escape (in their case, 1,5 cm is enough; Botia's don't dig deep).

The only fishes that truly exterminated those critters 100% were Megalodoras and Pseudodoras. unfortunately, both get too big for a normal tank.

but the Megalodoras just vacuumed all the sand and ate the snails; shells and all! great fish!

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 19 Nov 2003, 20:39

can anyone attest to the fact they hit 6 inches in the tank?

I have seen them at about 6" give or take, However i didn't get mine past 5"TL, but then I dont feed that much, a more common size I could see being 3-4" because people but them in small tanks, and don't change the water often enough.

S. Allen · Post by **S. Allen** » 20 Nov 2003, 00:33

5 is fine, and my water change schedule for that tank is currently 90% 2 times a week, it's a 90 gallon till I get the $$ for supplies for a 470 gallon. so hopefully with lots of food they'll do well.

Cheese Specialist · Post by **Cheese Specialist** » 28 Nov 2003, 23:08

Ben wrote:Yes, clown loache are a botia, aka Botia macracanthus. However I would maybe reconsider putting them in your tank. They (as is the case with most fish) don't grow just to the size of the tank. They will grow until they reach thier max size, or until the die from innadiquite conditions resulting from a lack of space. Clown loaches often reach upwars of 30cm in captivity.

I have 3 clown loaches and they don't grow that much. They take years to grow and when they do, it's not massive.

I don't think that I would put much in with your tank only been going for a short time. I didn't put any fish in my tank for a month with everything going and stress zyme added.

P.S. I see that you use the samewebsite as me.

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 28 Nov 2003, 23:29

I have 3 clown loaches and they don't grow that much. They take years to grow and when they do, it's not massive.

Dont take this the wrong way but they can grow quite fast and should at least make 8" plus.

Skyetone · Post by **Skyetone** » 29 Nov 2003, 19:01

I too have recently grown a snail problem, My 280 has little snails everywhere. I thought the eel would eat them, but he doesn't seem to anymore. All the fish are south american catfish, so a little loach would be a nibble. a puffer would be worse. I transfer some snails to my turtle tank and my crabs, but they still don't go away as fast as I'd like. Any other ideas? there are no plants. they i guess breed in my canester filters. there are no adults, no pairs, but still I come up with new hatchlings. what gives?

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 29 Nov 2003, 21:14

there are no adults, no pairs, but still I come up with new hatchlings. what gives?

They dont need to be adult and snails are hermaphrodites

Skyetone · Post by **Skyetone** » 30 Nov 2003, 04:15

me and a buddie were talking about that tonight.... how big would a snail need to be before it could lay eegs?