Snails in Zeb tank

Plastic Mac · Post by **Plastic Mac** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 4:30 pm

While my zeb tank was being set-up, don't ask me how, I've managed to included a few snails which have done their usual job of spawning masses of others.
I hate snails....they do nothing except get in the way when I'm trying to photograph my fish

I used to, in my main tank just squash the baby snails with my finger, however I've recently learnt that you can catch quite a nasty disease if you happen to cut your finger on a broken snail shell.
Does anyone have any experience of getting rid of snails in a zeb tank?
I'd try the usual snail medication, which seems to be copper based if I remember correctly but I have no idea whether this will affect the zebs or not...so unless someone says different I'm reluctant to try it.
Any help or ideas would be most appreciated.

Dukerider

McEve · Post by **McEve** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 5:06 pm

I've actually seen my Zebras snacking on snails, both the small black pest pond type snail, and Malaysian snails. So.. there's snails in all my tanks, but they never get the upper hand.

Quite interesting to see how they go for the snails then get it out by doing some facinating gymnastics with their mouths

How long since you noticed the first snail? If it's not that long ago, and it's not a big problem, then I would just leave it and see if they don't end up as the occational snack for your Zebras.

This might not be the kind of help you were looking for though.... sorry about that

Shell231 · Post by **Shell231** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 5:54 pm

Would you advise puttin snails in then McEve are they a good source of protein?

McEve · Post by **McEve** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 6:02 pm

Shell231 wrote:Would you advise puttin snails in then McEve are they a good source of protein?

No I wouldn't

It's more a matter of making the best out of the situation if you do get them. They're rnot pretty, and there are lots of other protein rich foods to give them

Plastic Mac · Post by **Plastic Mac** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 6:14 pm

The main reason I want them out is apparently snails also eat fish eggs and I'll never forgive msyelf if my zebs spawn and the eggs are damaged or eaten by snails.
I didn't know that zebra's ate snails though...so maybe they will keep them in check and stop the snails over populating. Hopefully your right

I'll let it go for a while and see what happens. If they get too many though I'll have to try something. I HATE snails!!

McEve · Post by **McEve** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 6:20 pm

Actually, if we're talking about the same snail, I've found them very useful in minding the eggs in the fathers absence.

Here's a one year old topic for you http://www.zebrapleco.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=44&

Can't believe how time flies!!

Plastic Mac · Post by **Plastic Mac** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 6:47 pm

I'm not sure we are talking about the same snail, mine are more brown than black. I'll see if I can get a couple of pictures of them because there are 2 distinct types in the tank.
If they are the same snails as the ones in the article then great because they sound like they actually do something useful for a change

McEve · Post by **McEve** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 6:55 pm

Not pretty, but to certain degree useful for sure

here's a closeup of the type I'm talking about:

But when you see them in the tank they look black, the flash brings out the pattern on them.

A Malyasian sand snail and a pond snail, both harmless and useful - but not pretty....

Plastic Mac · Post by **Plastic Mac** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 8:08 pm

OK mine are definitley not like that.

LIke I said I'll see if I can get pictures and then we can compare snails!

NetsuaiAngel · Post by **NetsuaiAngel** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 9:01 pm

If they're massing in your tank I think Barbie said you could put a piece of lettuce (romaine?) in your tank over night and in the morning, the snails will migrate onto the lettuce and you can take the entire mass out of the tank safely, without adding chemicals to your water.

That might be a possibility...

Post by **Barbie** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 9:27 pm

An old film canister with a hole in the top, with an algae wafer or some other interesting food bit in it will also allow you to wait a couple hours after dark and then remove a good number of them. Ghost shrimp are rumored to eat the snail eggs, thus breaking the cycle, but they won't appreciate zebra tank temperatures. Most loaches are too aggressive to suit my tastes, but I keep a good number Botia sidthimunki around for just such an occasion

.

Barbie

Plastic Mac · Post by **Plastic Mac** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 10:21 am

Thanks for the idea's. I must admit I've tried cucumber before to get snails and it's worked a treat in my main tank. I leave it in there over night and next morning there a loads all over the cucumber. I've never tried it with lettuce though.
I've tried cucumber in my zeb tank but for some reason the snails seem a little more astute in that tank and I generally have very few on it the next morning....maybe the high temperature makes their brains work better too

I'll give the film canister a try though and see what happens. Thanks for all the help so far, from everyone.

Dukerider

Apisto046 · Post by **Apisto046** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 10:57 pm

Hello,

I have lot (more then 300 I think) of little (1 cm) snails in my tank since two years know. In the beginning I was trying to get them out. But then I read an article that snails are good for the aquarium. And it is true, since I have a lot of little snails the sand in my tank is cleaned very well. The snails eat everything the fishes leaves behind. They also dig a little bit in the sand so there is a lot of oxygen in the substrate (no rotting proces in the sand) . And at night they clean the glass of the aquarium.

Tomorrow I will post a picture of the snails.

Whitepine · Post by **Whitepine** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 5:15 am

Are you talking about Schistosomiasis? This disease(parasite) can only live in the water column for 48 hours.... and needs a host to poop in the water. If you have this in your tank(very unlikely as Only a few snails can actually carry the parasitic worm) you could actually get it just from contact with the water.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites ... miasis.htm

http://www.dpd.cdc.gov/dpdx/HTML/Schistosomiasis.htm

Cheers, Whitepine

LyreTail · Post by **LyreTail** » Tue Nov 29, 2005 12:42 am

the most common hitchhiker snails I have seen are these three. I am not sure if these are the exact species though. Just the closest ID that I could do.

Gyraulus albus - flat spiral shape - stay really small - rusty brown color
Physa acuta - common american football shaped pond snail - gold brown color
Melanoides tuberculata - cone shaped snail - earthy brown color

The first two snails do not seem to eat my rams or angel eggs. I am not sure of the third as they have never been in my hatching tanks