[maggot]

Does anyone know if RBP's will live snails? When I got my tank, the guy that gave me the p also gave me some of the gravel from his tank. Now I have about thirty snails in my tank and they continue to breed happily with new snails appearing every few weeks. I was wondering if I don't feed for a few days if my p would start eating them. I am feeding once a day and don't want to starve him just to see if he will eat them. The snails are the small kind (i.e. pea size and smaller).

 

[Judazzz]

I read some stories about p's eating snails, but I think it's the same as with just about any food source: some p's will eat it, others won't.

If you want to get rid of the snails, because it can reach plague-like proportions quickly, drop a piece of apple or cucumber or anything else that's eaten by snails, ijn your tank, and remove it once it's covered with snails. Repeat this until they're gone or snail levels are normal again. Another option: buy a couple of raphael catfish: they love snails (they removed my snails within a week...)

 

[RhomZilla]

I had that same problem before. If they're the same annoying tiny black dot looking snails, then you better get rid of those buggers ASAP. They multiply constantly!! I've read in the wild RBs would eat snails, but mines at 5" never did, and heard that Ps lack the crushing molars needed to eat these guys.

Best way to go is buy a couple of clown loaches, puffers or rafael catfishes. No garentees that your P's will eat them, but they'll help reduce the snails population for awhile. Theres also a chemical which I used (you can buy it at your LFS) that works geart and never harmed my RBs. But its on you to decide putting chemicals in your tank.

Good Luck!!!

 

[SnowCichlid.]

Piranhas are scavengers but if you can try some clown loaches I have heard they work wonders for curing snail populations

 

[maggot]

Thanks you all. I'll try the clown loaches or rafael catfish, probably which ever is cheapest. I have an idea they will become feeders.

 

[Innes]

Snail away!
it comes in a bottle, like medicines and it will kill the snails, or stop them breeding or something - whatever it is the end result is no more snails.

I used to find that silver dollers eat snails.

 

[Judazzz]

Snail away!
it comes in a bottle, like medicines and it will kill the snails, or stop them breeding or something - whatever it is the end result is no more snails.

I would only drop chemicals in my tank when all other options (like snail-eating fish, or the trick with a piece of apple) are exhausted. Piranha's, even though they are very hardy fish, are relatively vulnerable to chemicals.
But that's just me, and I'm a nut

 

[maggot]

I'll try the apple first and then the other fish. If all else fails maybe the chemicals. I'll post back which method worked best. I counted last night and the count is up to 45, and those were the only ones I could see.

 

[Judazzz]

Good luck

 

[traumatic]

does anyone know what kind of snails they have. I have a stowaway that came in my plant from the store, and it's small bout 1/4" long and cone shaped. haven't seen any multiply yet. had it for 4-5 months.

Is there a "good" snail to get, and has anyone ever thought of clam's in thier tanks?

 

[maggot]

My snails are the little pea-sized ones with tiny black spots. Going to put some cucumber in tonight and see what they do with that.

 

[RhomZilla]

Snail away!
it comes in a bottle, like medicines and it will kill the snails, or stop them breeding or something - whatever it is the end result is no more snails.

I would only drop chemicals in my tank when all other options (like snail-eating fish, or the trick with a piece of apple) are exhausted. Piranha's, even though they are very hardy fish, are relatively vulnerable to chemicals.
But that's just me, and I'm a nut

Im with you on NEVER to put as much chemicals in your tank, unless it really needed. But when I had this prob I tried the cucumber, apples, loaches, rafael catfishes. The loach, and catfish of course got eatten after while of helping reduce the snails little by little. But with the cucumber and apples, they'll go after it. BUt after feeding them even more, it seemed like the snails multiplied twice as fast. So my last resort was chemicals. "Snail-acide". Never harmed my RBs. The only thing you'll have to worry about is scouping up dead snails floating on top of your tank.

 

[maggot]

To update, I tried the cucumber. The snails liked it but I never got more than five or six at a time. And as with RhomZilla it seems to have made them even more horny as the little buggers are everywhere. I did notice my p seems to eat the very tiny baby snails, but only a few. The loach or catfish is my next bet. My p is only about 3.5 inches so I'll try to get the biggest snail eater I can find.

(green for St. Patrick's day!)