# Snails



## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Has anyone had this problem I noticed my pea puffer 10 gal was hanging around the top of the tank alot yesterday . Not normal puffers never hang at the top of the tank.Did my usual 25% water change and he or she was ok. thought Id check my filter out and clean it in tank water. Oh my god there was so many snails in there the propeller could hardly turn. I dont know if any body keeps puffers just check the snail population and check your filters. Pat


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

IMpeller.


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## Cory_Dad (Apr 18, 2008)

I don't think the puffer has anything to do with your snail problem. Typically a snail problem is the result of over feeding; if the snails don't have access to a lot of food they won't lay as many eggs.

To control them now you need to clean out your filter. DO NOT WASH OUT ALL OF YOUR FILTER MATERIAL AT ONCE ONLY DO ONE ITEM AT A TIME. Then wait several weeks to do the next layer. Otherwise you'll kill all your bacteria and your tank will go into a mini cycle.

Make sure you do not overfeed your fish. Only feed em what they'll eat in 2 minutes. Vacuum the bottom of all detritus. 

You can try to scrape off snail egg clusters using an air hose as a siphon. To capture existing snails put a piece of weighted lettuce or cucumber into the tank and the next morning harvest the snails that are eating it. Guppies will pick off the tiny snails but loaches like the bigger ones.

Copper is suppose to be detrimental as well but I personally wouldn't go that route as it also negatively affects your plants.

Keep your tank clean and the snails shouldn't become a major problem.

Cheers.


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

I know my puffer didnt have anything to do with the snail population . Maybe I didnt make my self clear. There were no snails in the tank that I could see and I check everyday before feeding my puffer. Anyway if you have a puffer he will suck the guts out of like 10 snails a day little pigs they are. What I was saying is the snails got into the filter and can cause alot of trouble. Just a heads up. Pat


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

yea pat i had this problem too but only with this dinky hagen Powerhead i had on hand. All the MTS snails got caught up in the outake.. >.>


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## Cory_Dad (Apr 18, 2008)

pat3612 said:


> I know my puffer didnt have anything to do with the snail population . Maybe I didnt make my self clear. There were no snails in the tank that I could see and I check everyday before feeding my puffer. Anyway if you have a puffer he will suck the guts out of like 10 snails a day little pigs they are. What I was saying is the snails got into the filter and can cause alot of trouble. Just a heads up. Pat


Ah, gotcha.

I can be a little slow at times.

So, puffers are good for snail control. Interesting. I'll have to investigate thate further.

Are they good community fish? How big do they get? Are there any special requirements for them?

I 've seen them at the fish stores but never considered them.

Cheers.


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

Are they good community fish? How big do they get? Are there any special requirements for them?

NO

VARIES 

YES


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

There really is a few different kind I only have a pea puffer very small she gets along with my neons but my tank is very heavily planted , but no they dont usually make a good community fish and even the pea can take a good chunk out a slow moving fish. They hunt the snails down very amusing to watch they stalk them for a while then they strike.I do have Ghost Shrimp also in the tank. Pat


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

pat3612 said:


> There really is a few different kind I only have a pea puffer very small she gets along with my neons but my tank is very heavily planted , but no they dont usually make a good community fish and even the pea can take a good chunk out a slow moving fish. They hunt the snails down very amusing to watch they stalk them for a while then they strike.I do have Ghost Shrimp also in the tank. Pat


Peas need to be in groups... Only having one=depressed unhappy fish.

Quite the motley crue you've got there


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## Shattered (Feb 13, 2008)

Guess that was the last place the snails could hide from the puffer.


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## Cory_Dad (Apr 18, 2008)

Thanks for the info ppl.


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Pablo said:


> Peas need to be in groups... Only having one=depressed unhappy fish.
> 
> Quite the motley crue you've got there


I had a male and she took a chunk out of him he died so I didnt put another one in. Pat


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

How is 2 fish a group?

I mean like 8

some fish take chunks out of other fish.

I had a group of Pseudotropheus acei that spontaneously decided to kill the smallest female one day. It was so quick I couldn't do anything.

It happens.


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