# A hitchkiker



## dieseldoc

No fish in this tank as I am setting it up and working on getting the water parameters where I need them. But I have observed some life other than the plants.




























Images taken with a Canon Rebel XT, Tamron 70-200 lens, f/2.8, 1/5 sec, ISO-100, focal length 200mm, and a custom white balance


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## sam7152004

is that a problem?
people see snails as bad but they keep the tank realy clean. you just have to take a few out every once in a while.


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## n2b8u

A few. You will have many soon. I would through a clown loach in if there is too many for you to handle.


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## thekoimaiden

Clown loaches get huge and need to be kept in groups of more than 6. They need 100+ gal tanks. Smaller loaches like dwarf chain loach would be a better alternative for smaller tanks if you're looking for loaches. Either way, introducing a fish to a tank just to deal with a snail problem is a short-sighted solution to the problem. That and snails aren't a big problem in a healthy aquarium.

But that's a great shot of a ramshorn snail. I've got a few of those in my pond and tanks. Great for getting rid of the brown algae blooms in new tanks.


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## SEAWEED54

coli leaches love snails also

the black snails are the nasty s 

that pink guy is neat


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## Olympia

thekoimaiden said:


> Clown loaches get huge and need to be kept in groups of more than 6. They need 100+ gal tanks. Smaller loaches like dwarf chain loach would be a better alternative for smaller tanks if you're looking for loaches. Either way, introducing a fish to a tank just to deal with a snail problem is a short-sighted solution to the problem. That and snails aren't a big problem in a healthy aquarium.
> 
> But that's a great shot of a ramshorn snail. I've got a few of those in my pond and tanks. Great for getting rid of the brown algae blooms in new tanks.


I second this, clown loach get huuuuge o-o A tankbuster that is all too commonly sold as a cute little baby. 
If you ever have snail overpopulation, -you- are either overfeeding your fish, providing too many resources for the snails, or there is food such as algae which they are responding too, and you should be thanking them 
A snail population will self regulate as long as you control resources.

He's a cute little guy


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## Tikibirds

Awwh, he is cute. 



> the black snails are the nasty s


That hurt my snails feelings.
*comforts Perry* It's OK, they didn't really mean it...

J/K

Don;t people also use assasin snails to help with population control?


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## Norbert

If my snails would look like that I would get rid of clown loaches and watch aquarium with magnifying glass :shock:


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## thekoimaiden

Snails really aren't bad at all. I don't understand why people want to get rid of them. I _introduce_ them into all of my aquariums. I'm most vigilant about my MTS. I really dislike it when I lose one especially my really old ones. I've had them now for years and they've given me so many babies. 

Also adding fish to deal with a problem like snails is a terrible idea. The reason the snails are there is that you have too much fish poop. Lessen the feeding (which you can't do if you add more fish), and the snails will go away. Plus, clown loach get about a foot long and need large groups. Terrible choice for a typical community.


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## Norbert

Snails don't eat fish poop. They only eat plants (rotten or live ones) and food left to decompose in a tank.
And yes, snails are useful unless they give you problems with live plants.


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## marshallsea

Norbert said:


> Snails don't eat fish poop. They only eat plants (rotten or live ones) and food left to decompose in a tank.
> And yes, snails are useful unless they give you problems with live plants.


What do the snails do if the poop gets mixed in with the rotting plants and food?I dont see snails passing up a free meal.My snail doesnt eat my live plants.He cleans them.


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## eug

marshallsea said:


> What do the snails do if the poop gets mixed in with the rotting plants and food?I dont see snails passing up a free meal.My snail doesnt eat my live plants.He cleans them.


ya fairly certain that many snail species will eat anything that has any nutritional value left in them at all, so if partially digested stuff in the form of fish poo is lying about, you can probably expect it to be "reprocessed" by the snails.


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