Wild snails for loaches

[turtall]

Hi. New guy, first post. And nice to meetcha! My question is this: Our outdoor pond is infested with those small, black snails. If we feed them to our loaches will they carry flukes, nematodes or other microscopic terrorist cells?

[Isis_Nebthet]

Does your pond have fish in it? I would guess that if they're okay the others will be too.

[guppy]

Snails like almost everything else can carry disease and parasite but it is not common in this country. By the way, welcome to the site.

[turtall]

Thanks for the input. The "pond" is a fiberglass 12 foot Sears Gamefisher and it has housed many, many generations of mosquito fish. Goldfish thrive in it until the racoons find them (happens every time) and they become 'coon sushi. They got the bulfrogs, too, the other night. Coons eat the larger trapdoor snails, but they don't bother the 'squito fish or small snails. I was taking a sort of inventory when I got the idea that the snails might make a protein rich treat for rapidly growing clown loaches. Also, we noticed these clear little 'water fleas' in there, or water lice? I'm going to do a web search about those, but they definitely aren't clinging to the remaining goldfish or the snails.

[turtall]

wlouse3 Definitely water 'lice'. The biodiversity site I checked says they feed on detritus and old hot dogs, but that a few specialized kinds prey on other crustaceans and some fish, but you say we don't have much of that in this country. I would like to come up with some that prey on racoons, but what can you do.
Also on my google search I saw some great cures for head lice, but that's for another thread I guess...

[repair]

Bears love racoons :ROFL:

[turtall]

Bears love racoons :ROFL:

Oh, we've got bears, too. All they seem interested in though is garbage :WHOA:

[reefman]

ITS NOT AGOOD IDEA TO PUT ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN YOUR TANK i LEARNED THE HARD WAY MY FRIEND HAD SOME TADPOLE IN HIS AND I FED THEM TO MY FISH I LOST A LONG NOSE GAR AND A HYSTRIX STINGRAY

[M|L]

It's not the best idea.

I'd recomend netting some big snails from the pond out, put them in a small tank and let them breed in there while you quarantine them for any parasites.

[guppy]

Your picture did not come through,
I just learned how to do this,
put your chosen pic in your photos file
start a post and click below the dialogue box where it says "go advanced"
Scoll down to where it says manage attachments and click there
that will open a box that contains slots that say browse, click one
then select the photo you want and click open then upload and then close the box
now hit submit reply and you are done
I am curious as to what is being identified as fish lice

Here are pics of true fish lice, the argulus and the Ergasilus sieboldi, both parasitic crustaceans.The little dots on the fish are argulus.

[turtall]

I'll follow your advice to the letter , guppy. I wrote it down for later guidance. Thanks!) Here goes...

[guppy]

That is an isopod, related to sea lice and pill/sow bugs, sometimes called rolliepollies, they are harmless and eaten by many types of fish. They feed on plant debris and other organic detritus and depending on the species range from 1/8" to 3/4" in length. Not a problem to worry about.
As far as feeding snails to loaches, I wouldn't just because the snails will usually out breed the demand for them and then your tanks are over run with as well as your pond. My method for snail control is physical removal of snails and snail egg masses. Just spend a few minutes each day picking out adult snails and wiping up the egg masses that you find with a clean wash cloth. You won't get them all but it should help.
There is also a product made that I believe is called snail-rid that is made to kill snails, I have never used it, and don't know if it would be safe for your pond.

[turtall]

Thanks, guppy. I'll err on the side of caution and keep to bloodworms, etc. And thanks for giving me the tool to upload pics, like this one of our "pond".

[turtall]

Oops. Try this hmmdedumdedum...

[guppy]

Great salvage job, might run a low power eletric fence wire 1" above the edge to discourage critters.

[turtall]

Great salvage job, might run a low power eletric fence wire 1" above the edge to discourage critters.

Water and elctricity! What a rush! :woot:

[guppy]

Above the edge, above,,,,although....,heheheh.