Who's The Culprit?

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Kittiee Katt

Kittiee Katt

Goliath Tigerfish
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Aug 1, 2015
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So I've been trying to get pond snails to breed in one of my tanks for a few weeks now, with obvious success but today I noticed four or five empty shells in the corner of my tank. The shells are all around the same size and I'm assuming someone ate them, but its beyond me who.

Tank residents:
X1 male betta
X2 tiny kuhli loaches
X1 usd catfish
X5 mountain minnows
X1 sucking catfish

From what I've read, none of these fish are known for eating snails, but I'm hoping someone may have a past experience with one of these fish eating snails.. Any input is appreciated. :)
 
I think the khuli loaches did it. Btw do you add any aquarium salt to your aquarium?
 
Hello; I have kuhli loaches in two tanks with snails. The snails are increasing in population for me the last couple of months in those tanks. I cleaned both tanks a few months ago including treating some old stored gravel with Clorox, which should have killed any snails in the gravel. After setting them up I added some pea sized and up ramshorn and half inch MTS. In both tanks there are very small snails now showing up. I do see empty snail shells myself from time to time.
While I have never observed a kuhli kill a snail, it would likely happen in the dark. I have kept kuhli in thanks with snails many times over decades and had plenty of snails. Kuhli may take snails. My speculation being that if the kuhli are well fed it may be that they do not take snails so often. At any rate my experience being that kuhli must not be very efficient snail killers. I have a ten gallon that was set up as a temporary holding tank while I re-did the floor. I have since removed all the fish except four banded kuhli. I will keep an eye on the tank for empty shells. I have seen a good number of very small, sand grain, sized rams horn on the glass lately. The other tank is a 29 gallon temp with five black kuhli. I saw some tiny MTS the last few days in that tank.
I have observed a male betta killing snails. In particular some years ago I had some mystery snails in a tank. I added a male betta. He would hover near the snail waiting. When the snail opened up extending its feelers, the betta would lunge in and take a nip. It took a while but the betta did eventually kill all the mystery snails. Might do the same for pond snails?
Do a search for a picture of assassin snails.
Good luck
 
I have had snails in my tank, mostly in the sump and they don't bother me one bit...they're just trying to survive and are helping the system out by eating detritus.
Now, if snals ever do become a problem, every fish keeper I know will say the same thing....get some loaches. If they mean Kuhli, Clown, Botia....I don't know but I have had all of the above and they have all been cood blooded, calculating and relentless snail murderers.....but I still love them.
 
loaches. clowns are better than kuhlis but both species will eat snails. I would have to say thats who ate several of yours.
 
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tlindsey said:
I think the khuli loaches did it. Btw do you add any aquarium salt to your aquarium?
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Nope, no salt. The tank is kinda planted so no salt at all. :)

Ihsnshaik said:
Why is there a betta fish in your tank?
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The betta was the tanks first resident, is that a problem?

Warborg said:
By sucking catfish...do you mean pleco?
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Nope. Its some kind of algae eater. I've had it for about two years now (I got him from my mums friend who couldn't be bothered with him and was guna flush him - a perfectly healthy fish!!!) he's about 5cms long and hasn't grown since I got him. I've tried working out what he is, but I'm still not sure. I thought he was a Chinese algae eater, but I'm not sure now as I've read that they get huge..


Also, thanks heaps for the responses. :D
 
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