Ideas for a Fish to control my Exploding Snail Population!

[skibum9884]

I'm not sure what has happened, but I must be the most effective snail breeder of all time. I have little baby snails COVERING the walls of my tank, and this is the 2nd time it's happened.

Any suggestions for a fish that will help control this? I don't, however, want something that will eat my larger snails, or Red Spot Cardinals (Apogon Parvulus).

I love some of the basslets (like a cave basslet) but worry that one would take out some of the cardinals.

Thanks!

 

[michael_cb_125]

I would not worry about the cardinals with most of the Liopropoma basslets, some are large enough to eat them, but most (cave basslet) are not.

But, basslets will not eat snails. I have the same snail issue in one of my tanks, my candy basslet will not touch them, he will only eat flake (green flakes). Seriously, I have a weird candy bass, he will not eat mysis, brine or anything else, ONLY GREEN FLAKES.

~Michael

 

[skibum9884]

Ah, that's too bad. I figured they'd be perfect for the job . I'll continue looking. If anyone has any ideas, please suggest them!

 

[revaltion131]

I'd suggest a leopard wrasse or a wrasse from the halichoeres or pseudocheilinus generas. Both of the latter generas have highly aggressive options and may not be shrimp safe but they should eat small enough snails like there's no tomorrow.

 

[t4zalews]

these wouldnt happen to be small white snails would they...do they look kinda flat? My tank has exploded with these

 

[Ynotme4886]

I had a lunar wrasse that came from a friend that had a 3 snail a day habit.

Pretty fish but I just couldnt support that type of addiction.

He moved on to a new home and hopefully had an intervention done for him to help with his issues

 

[skibum9884]

these wouldnt happen to be small white snails would they...do they look kinda flat? My tank has exploded with these

They are tiny white snails, as for being flat, I can't recall and am not at home. Hopefully they're nothing bad!

 

[skibum9884]

I had a lunar wrasse that came from a friend that had a 3 snail a day habit.

Pretty fish but I just couldnt support that type of addiction.

He moved on to a new home and hopefully had an intervention done for him to help with his issues

Yes, I know they won't eat SPS, but I'd like something a bit less aggressive than a lunare wrasse.

I was really hoping a basslet would do the trick, but I'm thinking maybe a type of wrasse might be good (like 6 line or mysteri). I just don't want anything too aggressive.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

or a wrasse from the halichoeres or pseudocheilinus generas.

I'll second this. I have a halichoeres sp of wrasse that has a taste for margarita snails. My collonista population is virtually gone too. Mine is either an ornate wrasse or a melanarus. It was mislabeled at the lfs.

 

[ShrimpChipGal]

My giant radiant wrasse eat snails like no other!! It seriously just flip a lot of them over, wait for them to die, then pick up + smash against rocks to eat them.

 

[IFbettas]

My sixline and pair of halichoeres chrysus didn't even look at the collonista snails in my tank, so I'm not too sure how well these would work for whatever kind of snails you have.

 

[RealReef7]

a small toby!

 

[skibum9884]

Hmmmm, I'd also like something I could QT. I think that throws out Halichoeres wrasses as they'll need sand. I'll look into pseudocheilinus I guess.

 

[flameangel88]

David,

If they are not the bad snails then I'll take some off your hand (tank). I need a bunch to clean the glass & sand of the various tanks I've in the house. Just ship them in a bag using USPS Priority Mail which I'll be more than happy to pay for the shipping expenses.

Kevin

 

[skibum9884]

Kevin, let me take some pictures tomorrow to make sure they're not the bad kind! If they're good, I'm thinking you'll want to wait a bit as they're sooooo tiny right now.

That said, if you want them, they're yours!

 

[skibum9884]

I'd take some pictures now, but lights are already out.

 

[flameangel88]

Thanks.

Kev

 

[the lars]

Small white round dots? Like this?

That would be eggs from Nerita albicilla..

 

[Creetin]

I am thinking most of the wrasses that would take care of the problem would need sand to sleep. Exquisite coris wrasse would take care of them for sure, I had one and always wondered why i never had baby snails. As soon as i gave him away the snails came.
I would think they would be fine in QT in a small piece of 1/2 inch pvc for a temporary sleeping quarters.

 

[skibum9884]

Creetin, so you would also suggest halichoeres or pseudocheilinus? I wasn't sure if halichoeres would be ok without a sand bed in my QT. Also, I'd like to stay away from pseudocheilinus as they can be somewhat aggressive.