# Too many snails!



## mrsleny (Sep 6, 2010)

I started off with 6 mystery snails. However the snail population has exploded and there are now at least a hundred snails at various stages including several egg clutches on the aquarium glass.

My kuhli loaches are ignoring them. I bought a dwarf gourami to help but he's been mostly ignoring them. Maybe he needs time to settle in? 

Would one assassin snail help? If I get one would it eat my ghost shrimp and red crystal shrimp? 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

____________________________
10 gal
4 guppies
2 kuhli loaches
1 dwarf gourami
several ghost shrimp
2 red crystal shrimp
100s of mystery snails


----------



## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

Where are you located and would you be okay giving them away as feeders?


----------



## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

mrsleny said:


> Would one assassin snail help? If I get one would it eat my ghost shrimp and red crystal shrimp?


Assassins will typically only eat snails close to their own size, and they're not that big as adults. They'll help to controll a population (keep it stable), but unless you add a lot of them, they won't bring numbers down appreciably.

They won't eat live shrimp, but they're not above scavenging.


----------



## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

Depending how fast you want to clean up your tank. ! assassin snail will eat 1 snail from 1-3 days. So you may want to get few. As per shrimps, ghost shrimps too big to be eaten by snail (I have 1 in my tank and it does not seem to be bothering any shrimps) or fish but your Crystals is a very good snack for guramy or guppies unless you have planted tank with a lot of java moss, drift wood and hiding places.


----------



## dl88dl (Mar 8, 2010)

You can bring them to BA and get credits for them or sell / trade them here at GTAA.


----------



## mrsleny (Sep 6, 2010)

carmenh said:


> Where are you located and would you be okay giving them away as feeders?


I am in Richmond Hill ... probably a bit out of the way for you.


----------



## mrsleny (Sep 6, 2010)

dl88dl said:


> You can bring them to BA and get credits for them or sell / trade them here at GTAA.


Thanks, I will inquire at my local BA.


----------



## mrsleny (Sep 6, 2010)

ppaskova said:


> Depending how fast you want to clean up your tank. ! assassin snail will eat 1 snail from 1-3 days. So you may want to get few. As per shrimps, ghost shrimps too big to be eaten by snail (I have 1 in my tank and it does not seem to be bothering any shrimps) or fish but your Crystals is a very good snack for guramy or guppies unless you have planted tank with a lot of java moss, drift wood and hiding places.


Assassins will also breed, no? I have a few plants and some moss. Neither the guppies nor the dwarf gourami have been bothering the crystals.


----------



## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

It sounds as though there may be a market for them anyhow! If, by any chance, Big Al's won't take them and you don't sell them, let me know. I seem to be getting up to Markham from time to time these days anyhow, to go to Sea U Marine, and if theres quite a few of them, it would be worth diverting. But try BA's, here, and Kijiji first 



mrsleny said:


> I am in Richmond Hill ... probably a bit out of the way for you.


----------



## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

I'm in RH and if you need to get rid of them, my Yoyos will decimate a tank full pretty quickly.


----------



## mrsleny (Sep 6, 2010)

Your yoyo loaches eat baby snails? I might get one then to replace my rainbow which jumped out. We didn't find him until it was too late. I really loved the little guy. 

As far as I can tell, my kuhlis are ignoring the snails.

Thanks for your input.


----------



## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

Yoyos do better in groups. My group devour any snails they can get to.

They are always watching...


----------



## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

Yoyos are amongst the most devoted of snail-eaters. I hear that they are one of the few that will eat Malaysian Trumpet Snails. My clown loaches mostly leave the MTS alone.

W


----------



## mrsleny (Sep 6, 2010)

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions/comments. My dwarf gourmai is really making a dent in the snail population. Mind you, quite a few went down the drain with the water changes. Mr Leny picked up 2 assassin snails from Scarborough BA yesterday. They haven't moved much and look dead.

The kuhlis might also be getting in on the action as there is a noticeable difference.

Thanks again!


----------



## kalyco (Nov 22, 2010)

I am always looking for mystery snails. I keep a snail condo devoted to only snails! Do you have any unhatched clutches or larger mystery snails still available?


----------



## mrsleny (Sep 6, 2010)

kalyco said:


> I am always looking for mystery snails. I keep a snail condo devoted to only snails! Do you have any unhatched clutches or larger mystery snails still available?


Sorry I have since discovered they were the pesky pond snails. I bought some gold burmese zebra loaches and they promptly took care of the problem. The feeding frenzy was crazy to watch.

Hopefully someone else can supply you.


----------

