# :: UPDATED :: Getting rid of Malaysian Trumpet Snails? (i.e. what eats them?)



## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

A few of the larger loaches might eat them. They have very hard shells that will discourage most loaches. And of course the larger loaches may wreck havoc with your Glosso also.


----------



## cgcaver (Jan 19, 2005)

Ive heard mixed reports on Malawi's eating them (yellow labs, etc.) - Any truth there?That was kinda cool to hear cause I was going for a Mbuna tank anyways. However, Im kinda nervous about putting a buncha Mbuna in my tank at the moment, because Im still in the first stage of getting my glosso going, and I dont want them to wreck it. It's been planted for about 2 weeks now, growing nicely, and I'd hate to stop what I got going.

Thoughts Rex?


----------



## Barbels (Aug 3, 2004)

My dwarf loaches terrorize all snails. I was hoping to keep my mts, but the loaches had a much different idea. Empty shells are everywhere, like a peanut eating fest or something.


----------



## fishmasterno1_2 (Jun 1, 2005)

Get a nice big puffer. They eat snails 24-7


----------



## snake (Jan 11, 2005)

I have a similar problen with MTS in my shrimp tank. What species of dwarf loach do you have?


----------



## jimjim (Nov 9, 2003)

*snail eaters*

Several of the smaller Tanganyikan Julies will eat snails but not like B. Sidmunki(ie Skunk loach) or any loach for that matter. If you want to keep the Glosso try putting small tubes of PVC hidden somewhere under the plants and use the kuli or horseface or weather loaches. The PVC only needs to be about 3/8" id and the they will clean out the tank in a few weeks..Jimjim


----------



## Barbels (Aug 3, 2004)

snake said:


> I have a similar problen with MTS in my shrimp tank. What species of dwarf loach do you have?


Mine are the Botia sidthimunki.


----------



## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

2 clown loaches keep my 29g free of noticeable MTS, although they are still in the substrate~perfect!

Puffers, at least green spotted puffers, can't chew through the MTS shell, it's too hard. They certainly will terrorize them, though. My problem was that they would suck out what they could, and leave the remains to rot inside the 1/2 empty shell! (puffers are no good with tankmates anyways. . .)


----------



## StarOcean (Nov 12, 2004)

i thought trumpet snails are beneficial to tanks though...
anyhow my zebra loach killed all mines, but i liked them!


----------



## John P. (Apr 10, 2004)

If they are the only fauna, perhaps some CO2 poisoning would, ahem, help?


----------



## Salamastre (Jun 19, 2005)

JIMJIM, you mean khuli loaches will eat snails? If that is the case, i may get a couple for my 4 gallon shrimp tank.

I have an old, almost finless betta (going on 2 years in the tank) that will kill any snails it sees. I have it as the only fish in a 6 gallon planted. I know there are lots of cons to a betta, but they are cheap, and don't live long.


----------



## jmiz16 (Aug 12, 2004)

ANY FISH THAT HAS AN APPETITE FOR SNAILS WILL EAT YOUR SHRIMP!!!!!!!!!!

I have clown loaches and they eat any snail they find, but they muck up the substrate.


----------



## cgcaver (Jan 19, 2005)

CO2 poisoning... tried that (inadvertently) LOL My CO2 got up to about 85ppm. Killed my 2 algae eaters, but alas, the snails are unstoppable.

Im currently looking for some clown loaches... my LFS sucks and only has the most common of the common fish, so puffers are kinda outta the question.

A question I forgot to ask - Will clown loaches mess with my plants?


----------



## cgcaver (Jan 19, 2005)

Hey guys - just an update:

I got 2 clown loaches (about 3" long)... and they don't do crap LOL. All they do is swim like nutjobs up and down the glass (they are like glued to each other) - CONSTANTLY. Seriously, it's kinda annoying. They don't bother the snails 1 bit. I sat and watched BOTH of them run into a snail in the corner of the glass walls of my tank at least 10 times, as they swam up and down. They ignored him of course. They bump into snails all the time and ignore them 100%. There are 0 empty snail shells in my tank. My Neons eat the flakes before a single one drifts to the bottom, so I know they (the loaches) aren't gettin full on flakes.

So... Im thinking about returning them. They annoy me. My LFS did have some very nice looking puffers in (I couldn't believe my eyes cuz my LFS sucks totally). What do you guys think about trying a puffer? I've heard some of yall say they will hurt themselves trying to eat MTS. And I wanna make sure they don't wreak even more havoc on my steadily declining Neon population (side note - I will never buy neons again... most puny fish ever. I have perfect water conditions and I fish out 3-4 dead ones daily. I do a water change and you'd think I was runnin a Nazi death camp in my tank.) I figured the quite "round" puffer would have a hell of a time catching Neons.

What do yall think? Are there any other "very easy to find" fish that I might consider? I think we can safely scratch Clown Loaches off the list... sigh. Between fighting green water, an army of snails, and 60+ Neons each constantly on death's doorstep - I think I'm going to have to quit college to pay & care for my tank! ;(


----------



## Pufferpeep (Jul 26, 2005)

cgcaver said:


> So... Im thinking about returning them. They annoy me. My LFS did have some very nice looking puffers in (I couldn't believe my eyes cuz my LFS sucks totally). What do you guys think about trying a puffer? I've heard some of yall say they will hurt themselves trying to eat MTS. And I wanna make sure they don't wreak even more havoc on my steadily declining Neon population (side note - I will never buy neons again... most puny fish ever. I have perfect water conditions and I fish out 3-4 dead ones daily. I do a water change and you'd think I was runnin a Nazi death camp in my tank.) I figured the quite "round" puffer would have a hell of a time catching Neons.


Dont get a puffer. They are not fish you buy just to get rid of a snail invasion. They require a variety of food, and will break their beak on the shells of mts. It depends on the temperment of the puffer, but almost all puffers would constantly shred the fins of every neon,(i have yet to see a puffer that doesnt shred fins of other fish) and maybe evn kill them. I just want you to know that a puffer IS NOT for you, or anyone else that has a community tank, or any tank with other inhabitants, and is looking for a fish to cut down on a snail invasion.

Good Luck though, roud: 

Pufferpeep


----------



## m.lemay (Jul 28, 2002)

Dude: have some patience!

Hang on to the clown loaches for awhile and don't feed them... let them feed themselves it's in thier nature to forage around for food in the substrate when they start getting hungry. If the snail invasion is as bad as you say it is it could take a few weeks before there's no visible snails left.

Marcel


----------



## [RK] (Aug 11, 2005)

If there are no other invertibrates in teh tank.. i heard dropping a copper coin in there will kill them. As copper kills all invertibrates.


----------



## fester (Feb 10, 2005)

cgcaver said:


> Hey guys - just an update:
> 
> I got 2 clown loaches (about 3" long)... and they don't do crap LOL.(



That is unbelievable! I have two Clown Loaches in my 75gall and they
go nuts over snails! I had a population explosion of ramshorns. Can only see
about two at the moment.


----------



## Martin (Jan 15, 2005)

cgcaver said:


> Hey guys - just an update:
> 
> I got 2 clown loaches (about 3" long)... and they don't do crap LOL. All they do is swim like nutjobs up and down the glass (they are like glued to each other) - CONSTANTLY. Seriously, it's kinda annoying. They don't bother the snails 1 bit. I sat and watched BOTH of them run into a snail in the corner of the glass walls of my tank at least 10 times, as they swam up and down. They ignored him of course. They bump into snails all the time and ignore them 100%. There are 0 empty snail shells in my tank. My Neons eat the flakes before a single one drifts to the bottom, so I know they (the loaches) aren't gettin full on flakes.
> 
> ...




sounds more like you got yourself 2 paroonshark, by the way they're acting...
I used to have 1000000000000 snails in mine.....introduced 3 Clown Loaces, and badabing..... snails are gone....


----------

