Snails and Puffers

[Peng Kang Hill]

Hi all,

Recently, my 3 ft was infected with snails.

I bought 5 puffers and thet ate them all within 48 hours!!

Now my question is - what else will they eat, now that the snails are gone? If I introduce shrimps, will they become food to the puffers?

Thanks .. Peng Kang Hill

[chris1]

IMO, 5 puffer for 3ft is too much, i only have 1 puffer in my 3ft tank, doing population control of the snails quite nice. As for shrimps, some reported they do go after the shrimps, in my case, both live in harmony except when the shrimps give birth n the flies become food for the puffer

[barmby]

hi,

Yeah! Puffer can control the population of snails in the tank. Recommended one per tank. I had one in my 5ft. It took him two months to clear all the snails...Now left with all small snails that pop out here and there but snails never go away...

side-track abit. I remembered there is another loach that eat snails, which doesn't go crazy like the 'TIGER' loach.

Does anyone know the name?

[aizaspurz]

From my experience, puffers were effective in controlling the snails in my tank.

After the snail population has dwindled, I saw my two mini puffers going after and damaging the tails of my neons. Hungry perhaps

[wf7850]

i have one dwarf puffer in each of my 4-ft.... did a great job...!!!! it will try to avoid the school of tetras... shld be it feel intimidated as it is one guy against 50.... hahaha...

however, have noticed they will go fer the smaller shrimps... but the shrimps normally dart away in time..... had not personnaly seen any shrimps kena eaten though.....

one suggestion.... if u intend to start a shrimp tank n yr tank's snail population had become neligible.... jus return the puffer back to yr fav LFS....

i have another 3 puffers in my 2ft moss tank n their job is almost complete.... i had ordered 100 cherries fr ECO.... will give Azmi the three puffers when i collect the shrimps.... even if the snails populates again... just spend $1 n get another puffer to do the job....

[hammy]

[quote:d47a662230="barmby"]hi,

Yeah! Puffer can control the population of snails in the tank. Recommended one per tank. I had one in my 5ft. It took him two months to clear all the snails...Now left with all small snails that pop out here and there but snails never go away...

side-track abit. I remembered there is another loach that eat snails, which doesn't go crazy like the 'TIGER' loach.

Does anyone know the name?[/quote:d47a662230]

Layman name is 'Clown loach' I believe.

[xxdivinityxx]

Banded Khuli Loach and the Pakistani Loach are a few known to cosume snails.
Peace loving creatures they are

[bclee]

[quote:6d01121b48="xxdivinityxx"]Banded Khuli Loach and the Pakistani Loach are a few known to cosume snails.
Peace loving creatures they are[/quote:6d01121b48]

I agree that these loaches are excellent choice.

My concern for keeping puffer is that most of the time puffers suffer when snail population run out. They almost live solely on live feeds and on quite rare occassion on frozen feeds. I have seen many cases where puffers starved to death because of feeding problem.

BC

[wf7850]

[quote:c87c249ffd="bclee"]
My concern for keeping puffer is that most of the time puffers suffer when snail population run out. They almost live solely on live feeds and on quite rare occassion on frozen feeds. I have seen many cases where puffers starved to death because of feeding problem.

BC[/quote:c87c249ffd]

I totally agree with BC... tt's why I am intending to 'return' the 3 puffers in my moss tank to Azmi.... since they cost only $1 each and did such a great job... shld not just leave them to starve... anyway if Azmi dun sell them... he could also use it in his plants display tanks.... a constant buffet whenever new plants arrive.... :P

[barmby]

>>>Banded Khuli Loach and the Pakistani Loach

Ya Ya! Not Clown loach! They will dig out plants. Will the above-mentioned loaches dig it in????

[xxdivinityxx]

Rest assured they won't

[Kingfisher]

My Khuli Loaches are digging up my APP!!!

[Peng Kang Hill]

Guys,

Thanks for all the comments. Have given back 4 puffers to LFS, leaving 1 to do the job.

Hope it does not get lonely!!

.. Peng Kang

[ms]

Hi Guys,
I just bought 3 Pakistani Loaches and they seem happy in my 4ft tank. Question: When will they start eating those snails? I have not fed any food to the fishes in my tank yet.

Thanks.

MS