Who’s snacking on the ramshorn snails

[JessLynne7]

I have two horned garras and one female paradise fish in a 20 long. Right now that is the only three fish in the tank. I used one large ramshorn to start the cycle as well as seeded media from my other tanks. I took the snail out and stocked the tank with two garras and my female paradise fish.  The snail had laid some eggs and I had some baby ramshorns early on. I picked some out and now they have just disappeared.

tonight I did a gravel vac. Tons of empty shells came out. Ramshorns sucked clean outta the shell. Except one- one was deader than a doornail with some snail matter left in the shell. I pulled out 6-7 empty dead snails. 
 

curious who ate them the garra or paradise fish!? 💁‍♀️

😀

Edited February 11, 2023 by JessLynne7

[KittenFishMom]

My guess the one with the narrower mouth. My yoyo loaches went nuts for snails and they had a narrow mouth , just right for getting into the shells.

[mynameisnobody]

Are you feeding the aquarium as opposed to the fish? If so, they could of starved. Snail populations can be easily controlled with food or lack thereof. 

[JessLynne7]

On 2/10/2023 at 10:08 PM, KittenFishMom said:

My guess the one with the narrower mouth. My yoyo loaches went nuts for snails and they had a narrow mouth , just right for getting into the shells.

That would the best he garra the prim suspect

On 2/10/2023 at 11:49 PM, mynameisnobody said:

Are you feeding the aquarium as opposed to the fish? If so, they could have starved. Snail populations can be easily controlled with food or lack thereof. It’s possible- I am feeding the fishI

[mynameisnobody]

@JessLynne7 There you go, if you don’t add enough food for the snails to eat, they eventually die off. Afterwards all you see are empty shells. Try tossing in an algae wafer after feeding the fish. That should get the inhabitants in the aquarium fed. 

[KittenFishMom]

I found this on en.aqua-fish.net:

"Paradise fish will also enjoy having Ramshorn snails in the tank as snails are vital part of their diet."

[JessLynne7]

On 2/11/2023 at 10:26 AM, KittenFishMom said:

I found this on en.aqua-fish.net:

"Paradise fish will also enjoy having Ramshorn snails in the tank as snails are vital part of their diet."

I saw that online too! I just can’t figure out how they suck the whole snail out!!! I mean all the shells where 100% empty but one

[Katherine]

On 2/12/2023 at 1:27 PM, JessLynne7 said:

I saw that online too! I just can’t figure out how they suck the whole snail out!!! I mean all the shells where 100% empty but one

They're not as firmly attached to the shell as you'd think. If you're not careful removing them from the glass you can pull the shell right off them.

[KittenFishMom]

@JessLynne7 I think it is a patented trade secret. Only the fish know how it works.

[knee]

I’m leaning more towards the gourami only because I’ve seen how my betta hunts ramshorn snails and they’re related. There’s a graveyard of shells on the front of the tank and I’ve caught him a few times doing it. Once they bite a good chunk of the snail they can easily pull it out. 

[JessLynne7]

On 2/12/2023 at 2:39 PM, Katherine said:

They're not as firmly attached to the shell as you'd think. If you're not careful removing them from the glass you can pull the shell right off them.

Crazy didn’t know that 

On 2/12/2023 at 2:42 PM, KittenFishMom said:

@JessLynne7 I think it is a patented trade secret. Only the fish know how it works.

Hahahaha right

On 2/12/2023 at 3:20 PM, knee said:

I’m leaning more towards the gourami only because I’ve seen how my betta hunts ramshorn snails and they’re related. There’s a graveyard of shells on the front of the tank and I’ve caught him a few times doing it. Once they bite a good chunk of the snail they can easily pull it out. 

I am thinking your right!

[YYC Carrie]

I have a similar issue with keeping snails in my 90 gallon. The 55 community tank stays teaming with snails so every once in a while I throw and apple slice or some cucumber in there and get a whole whack of them  on the fruit, then toss the whole kit n kaboodle into my 90. It's stocked with convict cichlids, snow white parrots fish and some synodontis cats. Every time I clean the tank, I see dozens of empty snail shells. I wish I could keep them alive in there though, snails do a good job of cleaning the glass :/.

[JessLynne7]

On 2/12/2023 at 8:02 PM, YYC Carrie said:

I have a similar issue with keeping snails in my 90 gallon. The 55 community tank stays teaming with snails so every once in a while I throw and apple slice or some cucumber in there and get a whole whack of them  on the fruit, then toss the whole kit n kaboodle into my 90. It's stocked with convict cichlids, snow white parrots fish and some synodontis cats. Every time I clean the tank, I see dozens of empty snail shells. I wish I could keep them alive in there though, snails do a good job of cleaning the glass :/.

I’m happy the fish ate them but I am very surprised. That’s crazy. Sorry you have the opposite problem as me since you want them.

[YYC Carrie]

On 2/12/2023 at 6:11 PM, JessLynne7 said:

I’m happy the fish ate them but I am very surprised. That’s crazy. Sorry you have the opposite problem as me since you want them.

yeah, I'm a weirdo truthfully. Snails you say??? the more the merrier! Algae on the glass/substrate/decorations/plants.... everything else? Well that's just more biological filtration cleaning up what the bacterial colonies leave/produce. I do like a nice crystal clear tank, but I don't mind the algae either TBH.

[JessLynne7]

On 2/12/2023 at 8:15 PM, YYC Carrie said:

yeah, I'm a weirdo truthfully. Snails you say??? the more the merrier! Algae on the glass/substrate/decorations/plants.... everything else? Well that's just more biological filtration cleaning up what the bacterial colonies leave/produce. I do like a nice crystal clear tank, but I don't mind the algae either TBH.

I do have snails in some of my tanks but not all. They do clean up your 100% correct