# discus tank and snails



## strzelec4 (May 20, 2007)

I have a planted discus tank some time ago I must have brought some snails on new plants. Now, they spread like crazy. Anyone has any idea how to get rid of them and not to affect my discus?


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Hand picking will be best. Try baiting with just about any vegetables that we eat. Leave the vegies in overnight, and scoop out the snails and remaining vegetable the next morning. Some snails like certain vegies better than others. If you try one at a time you might figure out which one works best in your tank. 

Yoyo Loaches thrive in the same high temperatures as Discus. They can be predatory, though, and eat small fish. (Mine ate Neon Tetras). They are great for snail control, if you like them as fish. Mine never bothered my Discus. They would share food, when I fed sinking foods. They can reach 6" pretty easily, and are social fish. If you like them, and want to commit to a small school, they are very good snail hunters.


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## Colocasia-man (May 23, 2010)

I have some silver dollars (Metynnis argenteus), they eat snails but I dont know how they would get along with your Discus


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## AquaDean (Nov 20, 2009)

+1 on the yo-yo loaches. Clown loaches will work great too. Two or three in your tank and you won't have a snail problem in a couple weeks.


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

Assassin snails do wonders. I had at least 400 pest snails in my 68 gallon, so i added 40 assassins and they ate every single one of them in about a month. Now there's lots of empty shells everywhere, but there aren't any more living ones.


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## Nue (Dec 27, 2009)

If you don't over feed they will go away too, but assassins snails are fun.


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## Sharkfood (May 2, 2010)

Can loaches handle the higher temperatures in Discus tanks? I thought most loaches were used to fast moving, cooler waters (not temperate, but below 80 degrees F). Maybe I'm thinking about 1 particular type of loach.


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## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

I keep my clown loaches at about 86f in the store and they do amazing. The issue with loaches is that I have had them spook my discus because they are so active at night.


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## xmas_one (Feb 5, 2010)

I've had good luck with dwarf puffers..


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## Colocasia-man (May 23, 2010)

AzFishKid said:


> Assassin snails do wonders. I had at least 400 pest snails in my 68 gallon, so i added 40 assassins and they ate every single one of them in about a month. Now there's lots of empty shells everywhere, but there aren't any more living ones.


These sound cool ,what is the species if you dont mind me asking?


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

Colocasia-man said:


> These sound cool ,what is the species if you dont mind me asking?


Assassin Snail - _Antentome helena
_
This link has a little bit of information about them: HERE.


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## Colocasia-man (May 23, 2010)

Great, thanks for the info


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## Franzi (Dec 7, 2009)

+1 on assassins. I threw 5 in my tank and haven't seen pond snails since. As a bonus, they eat beefheart when no more snails are to be had so that helps clean up the bits that the discus miss.


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## nathanoneil (May 11, 2016)

I'm setting up 100 gal discus tank. very small plant snails eating my plants. Want them gone before I put in discus. Tried hand picking but it's never ending. Can hand picking ever get them all? Will that stress discus if I continue when they're in tank?


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## gregorylampron (Mar 28, 2016)

They're a bugger. If you dont have any other inverts you could always try anything with copper. Assassins are a good option until they need to be controlled as well. good luck

Please keep hands off glass.


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## number1sixerfan (Nov 10, 2006)

Loaches can be a bit too boisterous for discus, especially clown loaches. Clown loaches for sure are far too active unless you're talking a huge tank (this is from experience with keeping both)--but experiment and see... assassin snails would probably be best though.


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