Snail Problem

[Roy]

Hey all, ive been reading the boards for a long time now and recently joined up.
Ive been keeping various fish over the years and have decided that im going to get some discus for my new planted tank.
Anyway ive recently had a snail explosion after buying some new plants, im assuming there were eggs on them somewhere (serves me right for not checking them thouroughly).
Can anyone offer suggestions on how to eradicate them ??
They are breeding like guppies and ive been physically pulling them out daily, but they keep coming back.
Are there some predators i could throw in for a few weeks to clean em up or am i stuck with them ?

Roy

[kevkoi]

Clown loaches would be the cheapest option atm.

If you are in Australia, after 30th Sept, you would have a few more choices in Pakistani loaches and dwarf chain loach (one of my favourites!).

These will mow down your pest snail population and keep it under control.

[leanne31]

clown loaches def the go they are great fish to have anyway but the bonus is they eat snails.

Leanne

[Roy]

Cool, off the the LFS tonight to get me some loaches :D
2-3 ought to do the job.
What do they like to eat once im out of snails ?

Roy

[leanne31]

They eat anything mine ate bs, bh, bw so anything you feed your discus really, get small ones though it doesnt take them long to get big.

Leanne

[Merrilyn]

Hi Roy, welcome to the forum. Glad you decided to join us.

Great advice there from Kev and Leanne. You'll love Clown Loaches. Such funny active little fish. Make sure you tank is well covered; they can jump.

[Roy]

Im running a standard 4ft tank, its all covered up so no escaping :D
I have a few pieces of driftwood in there so they will have some places to hide.
At the moment i havent got any discus in there, im prob going to get some from OAFI in a few weeks.
I had a heater burn out on me last week and it cooked my entire tank, the thermostat must have broken, lost everything, including a breeding pair of Bristlenose.
So im back to starting again, a few loaches tonight, some more cardinals form OAFI this weekend, then some discus !

Roy

PS. Thanks for the help, its much appreciated :)

[Ben]

Hi Roy,
welcome to the forum!
Another Victorian! thats great!

I have found in the past snails dont like high temp, so at 30+ .c it might nock em around a bit.
But those loaches will get nice and plump on them!

Keep us posted,
cheers,

Ben

[pitchblack]

hey there the way I found to get rid of them is to put some zuccini in over night and when you get up in the morning you should find most of them on it. Then just lift into the bin and your done. It worked for me.

[skoom]

I had tonnes of snails....tank and filter. My last resort was 'Snail Rid' from aquamaster. It worked first go.

But others please comment on how this may affect fish because I had an empty tank at the time of treatment, so check with the experts first.

[Blue]

Check your parameters before adding any Botia sp. as they will tell you there is something wrong (by dying).

Don't Know what availability is like down under But here are some recommendations
Botia Superciliarus/ No common name
Botia Sidthmunki/ Pygmy chain loach
Agamyxis Pectinifrons/ Spotted Raphael, Spotted Doras
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/doradida/agamyxis/g_thumbs.php
Platydoras Costatus/ Striped Raphael cat, Striped Doras
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/doradida/platydor/g_thumbs.php

You may need to fast your fish one day a week as all the tasty frozen and live foods that your discus get will be a perfect reason for any snail eater not to bother with the snails.

Hope that helped

Barry

[Roy]

Back again :D
Bought 2 common clown loaches last night and introduced them to the tank.
They hid in a little cave for the first 15 mins then came out to explore a bit.
I tried to take a photo but the ran away when i went near the tank.
Couldnt see them this morning in the dark so will see how they have settled in tonight :)

Roy

[kevkoi]

Barry, nice list of very expensive snail eaters in Aust.... :lol:

Great list. Love all the fish on the list, sadly:

Botia superciliarus I doubt have ever made it to Australia. (Botia helodes have though... but are D*MN aggressive!)

Botia sidthimunki (dwarf chain), last they were available they were going for between $45-$60ea!!! (now that for a 3cm tiddler!). Reason being that they are currently not an allowable import into Aust. Things are just about to change.... after 30th Sept, these will be one of the new fish put on the allowable import. I'm hell bent on stocking lots of them. Love the fish.

Agamyxis Pectinifrons were briefly available up in QLD and were going for between $150-$300ea!!! Great eater of snails... but at that price one would buy not just to eat snails. :lol:

Platydorus costatus.... Now I bet Ladyred's tanks don't have snails. :lol: Again, not an easy find in Aust (not an allowable import), and u must really want the fish to spend that sort of money (not just for snail eating purposes).

Only fish easily obtainable in Aust that eat snails are Clown loach, Synodontis multipunctatus (and S.nyasae that usually come in under S.punctatus) and Synodontis eupterus. Sadly a very limited list.... :cry:

[Merrilyn]

No snails in my tanks Kev, thanks to that snail eating monster :wink:

Roy, give you loaches a few days to settle in, and you'll start to see their true personality.

[Blue]

Cheers Kevkoi
I am so surprised with the prices of these fish, The B. Sidthmunki are the dearest at £7.95 here in my shop.
I take it this is something to do with the Invasive species act, fortunately for me the weather here is rubbish so theres no chance of any trops surviving. Luckily I can get my grubby little paws on anthing I like.
I have a Brachyplatystoma Juruense http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/pimelodi/brachypl/566_f.php
and I'm Hoping to pick up a Merodontotus Tigrinus http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/pimelodi/merodont/354_f.php within the next few weeks.
At least you can get discus. How much does a trip to Maylasia cost from Aus as it would cost a fortune from here.

Barry