Finally Found My Solution To Pest Snails

For over 6 months ago I have been posting here asking for help over an invasion of pest snails - they look like trumpet snails. They were accidentally introduced to my 55 gallon planted tank though purchase of some new plants. I tried to combat the problem with assign snails. The pest snails must have been listening to too much Barry White music because their population exploded into the hundreds shortly. I removed the assign snails after 3 weeks and added 5 YoYo loaches. They had an immediate impact but then noticed the Yoyo's either stopped eating them or the snails just kept multiplying at a rate higher than the Yoyo consumption rate. Weeks later my snail infestation exploded to what appeared to be thousands completely covering the entire aquarium and even in my canister filter.

I felt defeated and lost the battle as the number of pest snails over took my aquarium and started eating my plants. My rocks, glass, gravel, everything covered in them.

The local fish store recommended adding a Dwarf (Pee) Puffer (in conjunction with the 5 loaches). I did, and after 2 weeks..... success. All I see is dead snail shells lining my gravel base and rarely see the snails on the glass and all over the rocks.

The downside, the Tiger Barbs chase after the Puffer as if it is food but after 4 days of that, things settled down.

 

Pea puffers are great snail eaters, but not reccomended with other fish species.

I have pest snails but decided to keep them. Because I have nano tanks they won't be hard to keep under control and I have plenty of plans if they do get out of hand!

 

I have discovered my GBR Loves eating Pest Snails, when he was in my 10 and I was getting the 36 ready for him he ate almost all of my Snails(And sadly one of my Gouramis).

 

When initially place in tank, the Tiger Barbs all went after him....by the 4th day all fish are living in harmony. The Columbian Tetra's and Loaches always left the Pea Puffer alone. On rare occasion I will see the Puffer nip at the tail of a resting Pleco or Garra but that does not happen often. Either way, so far this is working out.

 

I didn't have the Malaysian style ones but I just stopped feeding my fish for a week and that stopped them from over taking my tank. Glad you were able to resolve the issue though!

 

My Blue Ram never touched a snail.

 

My Blue Ram never touched a snail.

Mine ate them so rapidly I went from 1000 snails to 50 in just a couple weeks.

 

Mine ate them so rapidly I went from 1000 snails to 50 in just a couple weeks.

I wonder why mine never touched them?

 

Mine was a little aggressive to anything that was in his territory so that might be why.

 

Mine was a little aggressive to anything that was in his territory so that might be why.

Mine lived with Tiger Barbs and Columbian Tetra's ... lets just say when the Blue Ram was introduced he tried to create his own territory...... the TB and CT had none of that and put him in his place.

 

Mine lived with Tiger Barbs and Columbian Tetra's ... lets just say when the Blue Ram was introduced he tried to create his own territory...... the TB and CT had none of that and put him in his place.

Try getting him a Female, then he will be able to have his territory. Mine when he tried breeding with his mate attacked my large Angelfish that was 4 times his size. What surprised me was the Angel loss, the Angel was the meanest fish I had until this guy. Luckily he is still afraid of the EBA so he doesn't get eaten. Heres a picture of the 3 together to help compare their sizes(Sorry about the quality)

Cichlids In 36

• Lance0414
• Nov 25, 2017