Hi. So In my 17 gallon aquarium, snails are a mess.
It all started when my mom thought she was smart enough to go shopping for fish supplies without me, and she picked up a plant infested with snail eggs. Course we didn't know it at the time.
In my 17 gallon, I have
1 dalmation molly
1 platy
1 female swordtail
And like maybe around 4 platy fry (They are really tiny. I'll get rid of them soon once they are bigger and can actually catch them)
So. ANYWAY.Our snail problem is HORRIBLE. It's been like this for almost a year now, and nothing helps! We always take them out if we see them, but there somehow always manages to be more every scond of the day'
We even took EVERYTHING out of the tank, including gravel, and scrubbed the tank and plants and whatever. And guess what? 2 months later there are snails again!'
I don't know what they live off of. I don't overfeed our fish. So I don't know
anYWAY, We USED to have a cory catfish, but it recently died a few days ago. i need a new bottom feeder.
So, I was reading online and I found out that clown loach really help in snail invasions. And I know that at my pet store they are really common, so I was thinking of getting one.
Now, before you guys flip out and go "17 gallons is not big enough for a clown loach!!!" 1. kay, i know.
And 2, I just wanted to keep the loach in my tank until the snails are gone. I have this friend who sets up a bunch of 130 gallon aquariums, she has like 2 now, and is setting up another soon. So I'm sure she wouldn't mind to take care of the loach onee he's big.
So do you think putting the loach in my tank is a good idea or not? Any help appreciated. thanks!
Update:Assassin snails sound really great right now... I just counted 15 snails that I took out, and I bet there ar e still more/
So, if I did get Assassin snails, just curious, do any of you know how many I would need?
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
I have problems with snails too. Clown loaches can get to be 6+ inches long, and prefer schools of AT LEAST 4 so I do not recommend them for your small tank. It would take them weeks to clear up your snail problem, and even then they would keep hatching after you gave away the loaches. Assassin Snails also work, they eat other smaller snails and do not breed rapidly like other pest snails. 6 or 7 could clear your tank out good, and you wouldn't have to get rid of them afterwards. You could also try the good old lettuce trick. Clip a piece of lettuce on the side of the tank(i use suction cups with hooks for hanging things on windows.) The snails will gather on the lettuce and if you lift it out slowly you can wash them off into the sink and out of your life.
There is really no way to completely rid yourself of a snail infestation unless you completely empty the tank, and bleach/salt/vinegar it. Which isn't a good idea if its a tank already running, you wouldn't want to have to cycle it again. You can only control the infestation and keep their population low.
Not in a 17gal tank.
Clown loaches are Social fish and need to live in group, and can grow to over a a FOOT long. You see the problem here?
2 suggestions.
Make a snail trap. Plastic jar, a rock and a chunk of some random vegetable. Throw it in the tank and leave it overnight. Take it our next day, and throw out 50 snails. Repeat as needed. You will never get them all, but you will be able to control the numbers.
OR
Buy some Assassin Snails. I know it sounds crazy, buying more snails, but these guys are Killers (of other snails). They hunt them down in a low speed chase and eat them. Best of all they don't breed like crazy, and if they do happen to breed, you can sell them to other people with snail problems.
Ian
I will have to agree with Ian----buying Assassin snails is a /much/ better choice for your tank because 1. clown loaches do /not/ do well alone and 2. you shouldn't buy a fish with a hope that your friend will take it later when it outgrows your tank, which it will.
Just do /not/ break down your tank and disinfect it---this is overkill, and will ruin your tank's biological filter and balance.
snails are bad
I hate to say this but I once took out all of my fish and put them in a older tank I had then filled up the snail infested tank with vinegar, it kinda melted all of the snails, good solid rinse out of the tank and gravel, I set it all back up and started over, fixed the issue
may not be the most humane method but I was desperate
oh and I was told the clown loach thing too, he didnt do jack lol
I have problems with snails too. Clown loaches can get to be 6 inches long, and prefer schools of AT LEAST 4 so I do not recommend them for your small tank. It would take them weeks to completely clear you of snails, and even then they would keep hatching after you gave away the loaches.