# Snail stompers



## endgin33 (Jun 10, 2008)

I have been working on my my 29 planted tank for a while and currently the inhabitants include 5 oto's, 5 amano shrimp, and a ridiculous amount of small snails. I have not decided on a "showpiece" fish selection for the tank, and while the snails are probably not a terrible issue, they are driving me nuts. The question I have is what I going coexist with the amanos, but bash the snails? I have read the amano book and his recommendation was the dwarf frog, but I want to make sure that it won't wail on the shrimp. Loaches are another option, but I think the shrimp issue is still going to be there. Any thoughts?


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## greenfish (Mar 7, 2005)

I have zebra loaches and amano's in one tank. Mine leave the shrimp alone. I know this may or may not last but it has been months and so far so good. My snail population was out of control before I got the loaches. It has been on a decline ever since.


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## rich_one (Oct 31, 2007)

if you do not mind having SOME snails, and just do not want to be overrun, you can try the assassin snail. it is a snail with a cone shaped shell, that is much more attractive then the typical MTS snail, imo. there is a guy who sells them on aquabid. usually his auction has the word "killersnails" or such in it. they do reproduce, but supposedly, nowhere near as much as pond or MTS snails.

just one option for you to consider.


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## oregon aqua (Jan 30, 2008)

endgin33 said:


> I have been working on my my 29 planted tank for a while and currently the inhabitants include 5 oto's, 5 amano shrimp, and a ridiculous amount of small snails. I have not decided on a "showpiece" fish selection for the tank, and while the snails are probably not a terrible issue, they are driving me nuts.  The question I have is what I going coexist with the amanos, but bash the snails? I have read the amano book and his recommendation was the dwarf frog, but I want to make sure that it won't wail on the shrimp. Loaches are another option, but I think the shrimp issue is still going to be there. Any thoughts?


for absolute snail destruction clown loaches! i purchased three 1.5" size ones let them go to town for a couple of months then sold them back to the fish store for a little more then i paid because they where almost 3" when i was done with them. clown loaches grow faster if they are in tanks that have water changed often and places that make them feel safe like a planted tank


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## armyoffoo (Dec 28, 2007)

oregon aqua said:


> for absolute snail destruction clown loaches! i purchased three 1.5" size ones let them go to town for a couple of months then sold them back to the fish store for a little more then i paid because they where almost 3" when i was done with them. clown loaches grow faster if they are in tanks that have water changed often and places that make them feel safe like a planted tank


The clowns will kill the shrimp as well though.


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## oregon aqua (Jan 30, 2008)

woops forgot about the shrimp...... hmmmmm dwarf freshwater puffers like snails not sure if shrimp safe. amano shrimp are much easier to replace then 500 snails are to get rid of.


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## Brendan Redler (Jun 1, 2008)

After I added my Dario Dario (two of them to a ten gal) my snail population dropped crazily. There's still a few of them, but I used to see 10 or more on different parts of the glass...now I have to look hard for five.


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## JERP (Feb 4, 2003)

My kuhli loaches eat snails. The eat the babies and the big snails die of old age.


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## Ebichua (Jun 3, 2008)

Dario Darios don't really eat snails unless they're starving. I have seen my Dario Darios attack my spixi snail egg sacks before. They'd grab an egg, eat it, then realize it wasn't worth the effort trying to rip the egg out of the gel sac. I have never seen them attack and eat snails though.

You can get loaches, as the posters above suggested. Although another good way is to just manual remove them through a bait and remove tactic. throw in a piece of lettuce leaf or something, leave it overnight and take it out in the morning when a TON of snails are on it.


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## GIfishguy (May 6, 2008)

You say clown loaches eat shrimp. Well I guess thats were they went. They even ate my bigger snails. They are fun fish to have.


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## needhelp (Jul 19, 2008)

what about a tiger botia i got one for my ten gallon and all the snails are gone


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## Tsi_User (Jul 26, 2008)

JERP said:


> My kuhli loaches eat snails. The eat the babies and the big snails die of old age.


I wish mine did, I have 3 adults in my 29 gallon and before I canged the substrate they didn't ever touch the snails  I was always told that Dojo Loaches do a great job cleaning up snails though.


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## bacod253 (Feb 1, 2008)

I prefer Dwarf Chain Loaches. They stay small and don't pester my Cherries. They're don't get big enough to take out large snails, but the babies are toast.


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## ray-the-pilot (May 14, 2008)

Actually, most fish will eat snails. They just can’t get past the shell.

Here is a plan that I know will work from past experience. 

Start by getting a siphon with a rigid plastic tube on one end. (I use a plastic pipet). When you change water siphon up all the snails you see. If a snail sticks on the plastic tube remove it manually. 
Every day when you look at your tank, smash the small snails against the glass or between your fingers. Your fish will readily eat this escargot!

If you are persistent you will do a better job than any loach.


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## longbowaj (Nov 25, 2007)

endgin33 said:


> I have read the amano book and his recommendation was the dwarf frog, but I want to make sure that it won't wail on the shrimp.


Hmm not sure which dwarf frog he was refering to but the aquatic frogs that i had would not only eat snail, but they would chase any fish that would fit in their mouth, loved to eat worms, and if something didn't fit in thier mouth they would bite off the fins and try to kill it that way. In fact the only thing they didn't eat was a large pleco.


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## rjfurbank (Jan 21, 2008)

I have a tank (90g) w/ 2 clown loaches and 3 zebras and 10 amano shrimp. I haven't counted lately but I don't think I have lost any of the amano's--they are quite big and go wherever they want in the tank. One of my clown's is quite big (~6-8") and doesn't bother them.


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## Indignation (Mar 9, 2008)

oregon aqua said:


> woops forgot about the shrimp...... hmmmmm dwarf freshwater puffers like snails not sure if shrimp safe. amano shrimp are much easier to replace then 500 snails are to get rid of.


 The dwarf puffer will more than likely stick just to snails if there are a lot of them, but they will eat the amanos eventually. I put an amano in my DP tank (snail free), and it didn't last an hour.  Small loaches have my vote.


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