Do snails eat eggs?

[donnots]

I've never had a problem with this in decades of fish keeping. but lately I can't help but notice that my tanks with ramshorn and bladder snails seem to produce a lot less fry. These are in tanks with CPDs.

I moved some fish to snail-free outdoor tubs and I'm seeing a lot more fry again. Though that could be from any of a number of reasons, like increased food for the fry. 

Do we have a definitive answer on this question?

[Tony s]

Snails will basically eat anything organic. Including eggs, algae, food waste, and dead fish. So they could definitely be a reason for less fry. 
 

[T. Payne]

Snails 100% eat fish eggs. In all my breeding tanks I do my best to keep the snail levels at a minimum.

[Mark S]

On 7/29/2024 at 3:35 PM, T. Payne said:

In all my breeding tanks I do my best to keep the snail levels at a minimum.

What are your preferred methods for keeping snails at a minimum in your breeding tanks?  

 

I've been baiting with green beens or zucchini and removing them, but it is a slow and never ending task.

[T. Payne]

Manual removal, baiting and assasin snails. 

[donnots]

On 8/8/2024 at 2:20 PM, Mark S said:

What are your preferred methods for keeping snails at a minimum in your breeding tanks?  

 

I've been baiting with green beens or zucchini and removing them, but it is a slow and never ending task.

I moved my fish outside  and breeding numbers picked right up back. At first I thought the tubs were snail free. But I am now seeing them in the tubs outside too! So it looks like snails might not have been the real reason I was getting bad hatch rates. 

Edited August 8 by donnots