How to get rid of snails in the tank?

**Radiolite22** · 10th Jan 2012, 15:10

Hi All,

Need some advice here on how to get rid of those snails with pointed shells in the new tank...

I've heard from a lfs lady to introduce puffer fish to clear them up. Is this effective? Any other good methods?

Also are these snails harmful to plants?

**stormhawk** · 10th Jan 2012, 15:13

From what you said, I believe you have an infestation of MTS aka Malayan Trumpet Snail. Puffer fish are only effective for the smaller ones. If you want an effective hunter, get some Assassin Snails.

**Radiolite22** · 10th Jan 2012, 16:37

Originally Posted by stormhawk

From what you said, I believe you have an infestation of MTS aka Malayan Trumpet Snail. Puffer fish are only effective for the smaller ones. If you want an effective hunter, get some Assassin Snails.

As I do not want any snails in the tank... Won't the introduction of assassin snails = same snail problem?

By the way, where can I get these assassin snails?

**stormhawk** · 10th Jan 2012, 22:55

Assassin Snails do not easily reproduce in our tanks. They are however, efficient hunters of other pest snails. You can get these Assassins at GC, C328 etc. Most of the LFS will probably have these critters in bags of a certain quantity. Another alternative is to remove them manually.

MTS are nocturnal in behaviour, so switch off the lights at night and let them crawl out of the substrate. The majority will be on the tank walls climbing towards the surface. In this manner you can just use a fish net to fish them out and kill them. Or you can feed these snails to the assassins in a separate tank, or a small puffer or two. Loaches are also major destroyers of snails. One of the small Yasuhikotakia loaches should be sufficient.

**huizhong** · 10th Jan 2012, 23:27

1 assassin snail is enough if u dont want them to reproduce. They are efficient! But u have to be patient if your pest snail population is big! Else get a few of them and keep 1 is enough at the end of the day. The remaining assassin snails u can pass to other bros.

**GuppyLover** · 11th Jan 2012, 00:33

I'm using a puffer. I see the snail population in the tank decreasing.

**beetlejuice403** · 11th Jan 2012, 13:35

Use Puffer fish with care... especially if you keep shrimps in the tank too... Puffer may sometimes "bully" your other fishes (those slower-moving, not so active ones...).

But they are a nice sight to watch when they zero in on their targets (snails)...

**GuppyLover** · 11th Jan 2012, 18:13

Yes use puffer fish with care. Don't keep them with guppies , betta splendens and angels. They will nip their fins.

**apisto31** · 12th Jan 2012, 22:14

Originally Posted by GuppyLover

Yes use puffer fish with care. Don't keep them with guppies , betta splendens and angels. They will nip their fins.

Sad;y, but puffer has a tendency to nip every fin at night.

**GuppyLover** · 12th Jan 2012, 22:47

Yeah sadly they nip every fishes' fin. I'm just stating what I commed them with and to take caution.

**GuppyLover** · 20th Jan 2012, 00:12

By my experience , my puffer is able to control ramshorn , pond and trumpet snails.

**PupiPupi** · 20th Jan 2012, 15:23

I have 6 dwarf puffers in my 3 feet tank. They really do help with the snails. From a colony of snails to only a rare 1 or 2 every now and then within 1 week. I agree with beetlejuice403. They are fun to watch. They have such a blur face actually... I keep those 6 with a whole army of cherry shrimps, 30 Rummy Nose, 4 German Blue Rams, 4 Pristilla Tetras, 10 Galaxies, 3 WCMM and 10 Yamatoes.

So far no bullying observed.