Got a batch of plants given to me in the summer mostly vals which I put in my Cyprichromis breeding tank. This also houses the resulting fry for now.
Over the last 6 weeks I have had a explosion of snails. I'm told loaches or assassin snails to kill them. Loaches will kill the fry I'm sure so I'm thinking snails. However I'm also told that given the chemistry of the water ph 9.0 gh and kh over 14 and the salts I have in the tank that this would be the perfect breeding ground for the assassin snails. The only option that might work is putting in many assassins to kill the others quickly then removing them. Ideas/suggestions please. Mike
One thing to note about assassin snails needs to be in large #`S to be effective.
How large a number to be effective. It was Dave at got fish that gave me the original info and suggested I post to ask others.
Regards Mike
I honestly don`t know how much you would need, it would all depends on the volume of the tank & how bad the snail population is.
My understanding is that the assassin snails will eat one nuisance snail every few days( subject to correction), because of this 2 -3 snails in a large tank with a large infestation would probably end up with the nuisance snail multiplying faster that the assassin can kill them, a lot of folks use to buy a few assassins & then say they are not working.
The kubotai loach or the zebra loach would probably be much more efficient, I would suggest removing the fry for a week or 2 & let the loaches have fun. I try to keep a trio in my planted tank
I started off with a few assassin snails to get rid of nuisance snails. I researched and the quantity recommended was 1 per 15 gallons so I put five in my 75 and six in my 90. Didn't see much of a difference so I doubled the populations a few weeks later and I have not seen a nuisance snail in months, maybe even a year now. I do have a lot of assassin snails and the bigger ones can be removed since they are so easy to grab. I have also seen my Colombian tetras eat the smaller ones when they try to make their way up the glass when the lights are on so I'm sure your cichlids would do the same.
Mike L, let me know if you want some.
I had 3 clown loaches in a 25 gal up until recently. I brought them to LFS because eventually they will grow. I miss them.
Anyway, it was only in that thank that snails would not live for long. In fact I would pick snails from my other tanks and gave them to the loaches. In no time, all is left is empty shells. Clown loaches do the job I must admit.
Can anybody speak to the environment in my tank. Will the assassins breed quicker because of the salt content. I also just found a site that suggested putting a piece of lettuce in a jar and submersing it in the tank overnight each night until they are gone. Anybody have experience with this method.
Mike
Assassins don't breed too fast and if you got more than you need, they should be very easy to sell or give away.
I keep both clown loaches and yoyo botia in my main tank so snails are non existent there. I have some assassin snails in my other tanks and the pest snails are not a problem
Another route of killing snail is No Planara. But dont expect it to happen right away but its one of the new way of killing snail in tank. Give it a few day. But theres a chance it will kill your assassin snail also. But its completely fish, pleco and shrimp safe.
Shawn