Snails and eggs

[Matthew Clark]

Some Malaysian Trumpet snails have proliferated in my tank(I guess that's one of the penalties o adding live plants. I wash new plants pretty throughly, but a few must've slipped by me. My question is this: do these snails pose a threat to eggs? Will they eat them? They are pretty small. If snails pose a threat to eggs, I will step up my eradication efforts.

Thanks!

Matthew Clark

 

[mordor]

Any medication that contains copper will do but it can be harmful to living plants. Some fish eat snails, I did not have experience with this some people claim that many Botia species do that. I also heard that some labirynth fish like Betta like snail too.

 

[Matthew Clark]

Mordor,

Perhaps I should clarify. I definetly know how to get rid of snails- the most benign solution in y mind is a long term salt bath, 3 tsp/gallon over 7 days. I have tried this before and it killed all my snails(well, not quite all, but it was a good 4 months before I ever saw a snail again). I don't want to fry my plants(which the slat did, and any other chemicals will probably do). A boita may be a viable option, but I'd probably have to remove my male while the botia is in there(albeit temporarly)as he is very territorial and reacts adversly to any bottom feeders I have added in the past. My real question is this: will snails eat apisto eggs?


Matthew Clark

 

[aspen]

i doubt they would with that nasty male guarding them.

rick

 

[Matthew Clark]

How would a fish "guard" against snails?

Matthew Clark

 

[Neil]

Matthew,
I don't know about those snails specifically, but some snails do pose a threat to eggs and wigglers. The pair may not consider them a threat and not pay attention to them eating some (or at least damaging them). They sleep too. I doubt that there is a problem, but I would step up your eradication process if I were you. Eliminating possible problems before they become real problems may save you some grief! The more snails you get, the less there will be for the pair and you to watch out for. Good luck.
Neil

 

[aspen]

from the top, a snail is 99% shell, and 1% little fleshy part that a fish has access to. i have never had snails, i hate them, but i cannot believe any apisto would let anything near their brood. snail, fish or anything- even you if it could stop you.

imo, the worst thing about snails and fry, is the fact that many parasites require intermediate hosts to reproduce. a snail will provide such a host, as they eat detritus and poop it back out obviously. this doesn't help in the cleanliness factor at all. as you can figure, a fry is very susceptible to parasites.

rick

 

[Matthew Clark]

Thanks guys!

Matthew Clark

 

[Cichlids1]

I just got done watching a male panduro chase all of his tankmates into the back corner of a 15g tank. The female is guarding about 35 eggs. Anything that moves gets the attention of the male. While all of this is going on, 2 ramshorn snails are munching the eggs. The female doesn't even acknowledge them, but she will assist the male in brief chases of other intruders...

 

[Matthew Clark]

Well, that confirms my fears. Thanks.


Matthew Clark

 

[aspen]

well, i am very surprised at that!

rick