If you have set up an aquarium before, chances are you are no longer unfamiliar with pests. Pests can bring about tremendous harm to your community tank, ranging from their competition for food as well as how they can pollute the water.
Among the most annoying pests, Malaysian trumpet snails are arguably the most well-known. In case these animals have been pestering you for quite a while, keep reading to see how to get rid of Malaysian trumpet snails!
4 Methods To Get Rid Of Malaysian Trumpet Snails
Reduce the amount of food
Restricting the amount of food being fed to snails is the easiest way to control their reproductive rate. Despite being rather fertile, snails can only push out babies if they have enough nutrients to nurture their bodies and create new shells for their offspring.
Thus, limiting the amount of each feeding will ensure that pest snails do not have enough for their needs. You might want to determine how much food is suitable for your fish and not exceed the recommended dose.
This way, not only does it prevent snails from chewing on waste and gaining in number, but it also pushes your fish to finish their meal in one go.
Set up snail traps
Snail traps are what many aquarists turn to if the number of Malaysian snails has become too overwhelming. Feel free to buy ready-made traps or make one on your own. Each trap involves bait, so you might have to prepare a piece of veggie for these snails to feed on.
Next up, create some kind of tunnels that only snails can get through. But make sure the hole is small enough so that once eating, they cannot get out.
Usually, each snail trap takes roughly a night to be fully covered. Should you put the trap inside the aquarium at night, do not forget to come back in the morning and collect the snails.
Put in snail eaters
Various snail eaters happen to be aquatic animals as well. These include lots of species from Mbu puffer, and tiny pea, to zebra, dwarf chain loaches, and even turtles or Oscars.
Given how rampant pest snails are, it is no surprise that snail eaters are always in high demand. If possible, you can bring in certain large fish that do not shy away from eating snails. They will help keep the tank snail-free while freeing you from the burden of having to feed them continuously.
Remove the snails using your hands
Granted, this is not the best way to get rid of Malaysian snails. But if you can still see these pests with your eyes, then it means they are manually removable. Some simply shove their hands into the water and pick these snails out one by one.
But in case the snails are too small for your fingers, consider using a siphon hose to suck them out instead. This device helps you save plenty of time and energy, as it can remove up to ten snails at the same time.
Last but not least, a snail catcher is recommended should you want to keep your hands clean and dry. While this type of catcher can only scoop out one snail at a time, it is still rather effective.
FAQs
What will eat Malaysian trumpet snails?
Most snail eaters will have a good time feeding on Malaysian trumpet snails. Some of the most common choices include yoyo loaches, skunks, and clown fish. You can also enlist help from freshwater pufferfish.
And in case you want to take things seriously, assassin snails might be your best bet. These animals are ruthless in their pursuit of food, and will use smaller snails as their main diet in the tank.
How do you keep Malaysian trumpet snails under control?
To control Malaysian trumpet snails, you have to monitor how fast they reproduce and the number of baby snails they push out. Tailoring the external environment is the best way to achieve this goal.
Ideally, the more unfavorable your tank is, the harder it is for snails to breed. Keep your feeding routine random and controlled while never letting the temperature become too warm.
This way, pest snails will not stand a chance of fast reproduction.
How fast do Malaysian trumpet snails reproduce?
Malaysian trumpet snails will reproduce once every 4 to 5 weeks. Sometimes, you can see snails breeding in fewer than 4 weeks if they have already matured. Given the growing rate of snails, it is not surprising how fast these pests can end up giving out the next generation.
How long do Malaysian trumpet snails live?
The average lifespan of Malaysian trumpet snails is about a year. If the conditions are optimal, expect these animals to live beyond 15 months.
Since they are not useful either for your tank or its residents, you may want to cut down on the number of Malaysian snails instead of letting them reign free.
How fast do Malaysian trumpet snails grow?
Reports have shown that Malaysian trumpet snails usually grow around 0.1 inches per month. Considering their tiny size, this discrepancy is something. If left on their own and fed with enough food, these annoying pests can grow much faster within the given time frame.
Conclusion
How to get rid of Malaysian trumpet snails in aquariums is not easy. But if you keep an eye on these pests and monitor the environment carefully, you surely will come up with effective ways to minimize their breeding rate.
