What Eats Snails But Not Baby Fish?

what fish or creature can I put in the tank that will eat the baby snails?

my only concern is I have a bunch of platy babies, ranging between 2mo and 2 days old and I don't want it to eat them.

I have a 20 gallon tall, freshwater tank, with 8 platys, 2 plecos and "only ever one" mystery snail.
the mystery snail some how keeps popping out babies, even though a couple weeks ago I cleared out 16 of them (took them to the pet store) and change the gravel. yesterday I came home from a few days away and found more then 10 baby snails crawling around.
the problem is that the babies breed like crazy, so I don't want to let them grow. I tested this a month ago by setting up a separate temp tank just for the babies and there put egg blobs every where.

Thanks in advance for the feedback!

 

An assassian snail probably would.

 

You sure they're mystery snail babies? Mystery snails don't reproduce asexually, though a female can produce young up to one month after mating, but only once. They lay massive pink, hard, clutches outside of the water, 2-3 inches long and 1/2-1 inch wide. You can't miss it. Also, the babies don't reach breeding age for three to four months.
A single assassian snail would work, but it would eventually go after the mystery snail. If you get more than one, you get an assassian snail probelm

 

You sure they're mystery snail babies? Mystery snails don't reproduce asexually, though a female can produce young up to one month after mating, but only once. They lay massive pink, hard, clutches outside of the water, 2-3 inches long and 1/2-1 inch wide. You can't miss it. Also, the babies don't reach breeding age for three to four months.
A single assassian snail would work, but it would eventually go after the mystery snail. If you get more than one, you get an assassian snail probelm

They could also try throwing a slice of cucumber in there and essentially set up a “snail trap.” Stick the slice of cucumber on the end of a fork, toss it in the tank, wait until it has a load of snails on it, take the fork out and pitch the cucumber with the snails. If you keep doing this it helps keep numbers down and sometimes gets rid of them all together. Like mentioned above, I doubt they’re actually mystery snails. You can take your mystery snails out that you wish to keep (put them in a separate tank) and add a SINGLE assassian to the main tank. After the assassian snail does his job, remove him and readd the mystery snails. But that way you’ll end up with a tank with just an assassian snail in it haha.

 

It's more likely than not that all these mystery snails babies are pest snails. One probably hitched a ride on a plant and has started reproducing in your tank. Can we get a picture of the babies?

 

ya....you don't have mystery babies, you have pest snails. Likely pond or bladder snails as they have a similar shape to mysetries.

Baby mystery snails don't make babies. So the "babies making babies" are adult pest snails making babies.

You can resolve the pest snail issue by not overfeeding, adding a couple assassins, or using veggies to entice them and then remove the veggie full of snails. It can sometimes be an endless battle. But you can at least do things to keep it under control.

On another note, I am sorry but I have to ask....what kind of plecos do you have?

 

On another note, I am sorry but I have to ask....what kind of plecos do you have?

thanks for the feedback, my plecos are not the snail eating kind, one is a female yellow bristlenose (very healthy), and the other simple brown color (very skinny)

my brown one got really skinny since I put 3 other algae eaters in the tank and hardly touches the pleco wafers I put in the tank. any ideas how to fatten him up?

 

An assassian snail probably would.

thanks for the feedback, I watched a youtube vid of them feeding and it was kind of gruesome, I'll try the veggie trick first

 

They could also try throwing a slice of cucumber in there and essentially set up a “snail trap.” Stick the slice of cucumber on the end of a fork, toss it in the tank, wait until it has a load of snails on it, take the fork out and pitch the cucumber with the snails. If you keep doing this it helps keep numbers down and sometimes gets rid of them all together. Like mentioned above, I doubt they’re actually mystery snails. You can take your mystery snails out that you wish to keep (put them in a separate tank) and add a SINGLE assassian to the main tank. After the assassian snail does his job, remove him and readd the mystery snails. But that way you’ll end up with a tank with just an assassian snail in it haha.

good suggestion, I will try the veggie trick!

 

You sure they're mystery snail babies? Mystery snails don't reproduce asexually, though a female can produce young up to one month after mating, but only once. They lay massive pink, hard, clutches outside of the water, 2-3 inches long and 1/2-1 inch wide. You can't miss it. Also, the babies don't reach breeding age for three to four months.
A single assassian snail would work, but it would eventually go after the mystery snail. If you get more than one, you get an assassian snail probelm

thanks, good information!

 

so here is the thing,
the same hour I put my mystery snail in the tank FIRST PHOTO, this little guy with a gold shell and slightly different shape SECOND PHOTO shows up, and shows up in the same spot where the mystery snail was hanging out!

Note: the epidemic occurred like 2 months later when I noticed, rather suddenly 6 snails the same size and color as the first??

 

so here is the thing,
the same hour I put my mystery snail in the tank FIRST PHOTO, this little guy with a gold shell and slightly different shape SECOND PHOTO shows up, and shows up in the same spot where the mystery snail was hanging out!

Note: the epidemic occurred like 2 months later when I noticed, rather suddenly 6 snails the same size and color as the first??

View attachment 458967

View attachment 458966

Clown loaches will eat snails. If u have room for that

 

I would recommend you embrace the snails and/or stop over feeding the tank. My experience is 'pest' snails only thrive in an environment that supports them.

 

Ah, that my friend is a ramshorn snail. They're considered a pest snail, but honestly are my third favorite snail (ranking: mystery snail, rabbit snail, ramshorn).
Edit: if you don't like them, you can sell them on aquabid or even here, you could make a decent amount off of aquabid if you really want

 

Ah, that my friend is a ramshorn snail. They're considered a pest snail, but honestly are my third favorite snail (ranking: mystery snail, rabbit snail, ramshorn).
Edit: if you don't like them, you can sell them on aquabid or even here, you could make a decent amount off of aquabid if you really want

Assassin snails will not sort out your pest snails, they wouldn't keep up with your pest snails breeding rate, and you would not be overwhelmed with assassin snails, out of all 4 assassin snails I have purchased I only have 2 left + 1 baby assassin snail over a year after purchasing the original ones

 

Assassin snails will not sort out your pest snails, they wouldn't keep up with your pest snails breeding rate, and you would not be overwhelmed with assassin snails, out of all 4 assassin snails I have purchased I only have 2 left + 1 baby assassin snail over a year after purchasing the original ones

Assassian snails can overrun an aquarium as well, and no offense meant, but since you only have half left it's likely something is eating them and their babies or parameters aren't right for them

 

Assassian snails can overrun an aquarium as well, and no offense meant, but since you only have half left it's likely something is eating them and their babies or parameters aren't right for them

Well I'm only going by my own personal knowledge not what I have researched but what I have witnessed in several tanks of my own

 

Well I'm only going by my own personal knowledge not what I have researched but what I have witnessed in several tanks of my own

But research for me backs up what I have seen personally

 

Assassin snails will not sort out your pest snails, they wouldn't keep up with your pest snails breeding rate, and you would not be overwhelmed with assassin snails, out of all 4 assassin snails I have purchased I only have 2 left + 1 baby assassin snail over a year after purchasing the original ones

Well you must be an exception to the rule then. I have 18 tanks and my assassins do an excellent job with the pests. And the assassins reproduce very well too. Which is normal for them. So there must be a reason yours aren't reproducing. Not sure what....but your situation is not normal.

 

Well you must be an exception to the rule then. I have 18 tanks and my assassins do an excellent job with the pests. And the assassins reproduce very well too. Which is normal for them. So there must be a reason yours aren't reproducing. Not sure what....but your situation is not normal.

Agree. Only thing is they slow fown breeding when other snails run out.

 

BTW started with one (which appeared to be fertilized). Have had hundreds (sold a bunch) .