# Help with snail



## smokey11 (Sep 20, 2012)

Hi everyone, I started my tank about 2 weeks ago. Recently I notice more and more snails in my tank. I did some research online and found it is quite usual since i have plants in my aquarium. But they are starting to eat my plants, should I be worried? I notice 2 different kinds of snails (pictures below). Do you know what they are? should I get rid of them? how can I get rid of them?? - thanks all in advance!!!

45L Fresh water
14 little blue fish
6 shrimps
some plants
some logs
at least 10 snails so far - maybe more!!!


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## Knotyoureality (Sep 4, 2012)

You've got a common pond snail (top) and rams horn(bottom). 

Both are scavangers, eating leftover food, decaying plant material and such. They will eat any decayed or damaged material from your live plants, but mostly are on the plants to graze on the algae and bio-film that grow there. 

As planted tank inhabitants, they're quite beneficial. Newly introduced snails tend to go through a population explosion (especially the pond snails) but will stabalize at a much smaller and manageable population if you avoid over-feeding, clean out excessive dead plant material, and make it habit to manually remove any you run across while you're working on the tank.


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## Aeten (Aug 4, 2012)

Yeah I agree 100% with above; they should be good for your tank. If you really don't want them, go ahead and add assassin snails as they will quickly decimate the smaller snails.


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## smokey11 (Sep 20, 2012)

Thanks guys for your advice


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## gar1948 (Jan 25, 2012)

I have used clown loaches with great success when I wanted to get rid of snails completely!


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## roacan (Dec 25, 2010)

One of my new fish has ich and I set up the temp to 88 ~ 90 and added two tablespoon of salt. This lasted for about 3 weeks. The fish still died but I don't see snails anymore. I am guessing the combination of temp and salt killed the snails? Anybody has the same experience?


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## smokey11 (Sep 20, 2012)

what happens to the assassin snails after they eat all the pond snails? do they start feeding on plants too?


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## Aeten (Aug 4, 2012)

smokey11 said:


> what happens to the assassin snails after they eat all the pond snails? do they start feeding on plants too?


No i dont think so they eat algae and leftover food they would only eat plants if they were starving


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## dwilson (Sep 17, 2012)

What kind of shrimp do you have? My ghost shrimp love eating snails. Try crushing a few of the snails that are on the side of your tank, the fish will eat them, realize they're food, and snail problem solved.


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