# Tiny species of pest Ramshorn snail



## Reediculous_nanotank (Jan 12, 2019)

Hi everyone,

I got a few plants from another local hobbyist which unfortunately introduced a very tiny type of Ramshorn snail. They are the ones with a very flat disk shaped shell (not like the fancy ramshorns that a lot of people like to keep) and they only grow to be a few millimeters across. I'm having a lot of trouble getting rid of them (I know they are harmless, but I don't want them mixing with the shrimp colony I am planning to start, for feeding reasons). I believe my Betta, who became constipated and stopped eating, may have eaten too many of them (shell and all). They are in a 10g with a few Ensler guppies.

So far I have put in an assassin snail, but after 10 days the assassin nearly stopped moving, so I think he was not eating these snails and was starving. I've now bought a dwarf chain loach, which I am hoping will go to work. I even dewormed the whole tank a while back, and these tiny snails pulled through. 

If the loach doesn't work, does anyone have any recommendations? I'm looking to eradicate them, not just control the population.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk


----------



## 2Dogs (Mar 1, 2016)

If your assassin snail recovers I bet that will solve the problem. 

I have assassin snails that completely clear the tanks but then apparently exist on algae (maybe it is not ideal but I know they can survive - I have a tank that has baby assassins emerging).


----------



## Reediculous_nanotank (Jan 12, 2019)

2Dogs said:


> If your assassin snail recovers I bet that will solve the problem.
> 
> I have assassin snails that completely clear the tanks but then apparently exist on algae (maybe it is not ideal but I know they can survive - I have a tank that has baby assassins emerging).


Ok, that's good to hear. Thanks for responding! Have you had the type of snail I'm dealing with be eaten by assassins?

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk


----------



## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

I think your flat snails are freshwater limpets.


----------



## 2Dogs (Mar 1, 2016)

I have had a few different types of snail outbreaks, not sure about your variety in particular tho. I am curious about what you have &#55357;&#56846;

While I am not an authority here I have not seen any snail that an assassin will not eliminate.


----------



## 2Dogs (Mar 1, 2016)

https://www.aquariumcarebasics.com/freshwater-snails/assassin-snail/

What size are your unknown snails? Is your assassin larger than the pest?


----------



## Reediculous_nanotank (Jan 12, 2019)

I've attached pictures, but just to clarify, they have a very flat ramshorn shaped spiraling shell, so they're definitely not limpets.

I'm starting to think that my assassin snail may not have been healthy to start with. Since living with a handful of fancy ramshorn snails he doesn't appear to have eaten any of them either.









Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk


----------



## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

I have assassin snails in most of my tanks, along with ramshorn and Malayan trumpet snails. In my experience, assassin snails reproduce slowly. They slowly increase in numbers until they achieve a predator-prey balance with the other snails. The other species are never completely eliminated, but their population is controlled. Assassin snails will eat fish food if no prey is available, especially if the food has a lot of animal protein in it.


----------



## Reediculous_nanotank (Jan 12, 2019)

Thanks Michael, that's good to know.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk


----------



## bertha (Sep 19, 2018)

2Dogs said:


> If your assassin snail recovers I bet that will solve the problem.
> 
> I have assassin snails that completely clear the tanks but then apparently exist on algae (maybe it is not ideal but I know they can survive - I have a tank that has baby assassins emerging).


Agree


----------



## Reediculous_nanotank (Jan 12, 2019)

Quick update: the dwarf chain loach is eating many snails every night, so I think my issue is solved!

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk


----------

