Snails - lots of ramshorns

I was getting tired of seeing so many ramshorn snails in my 50 gallon. So I spent half an hour picking them out and putting them in a bowl. Well over 60! On large black one is an inch, for sure. Reds, browns and leopards.

I 'thought' my mystery snails have also been reproducing. I have gold, ivory and black, and I may have a blue one, not sure. Point is, I was just reading online about the colors for ramshorns and ... seems THEY can come in a blue, as well. So now the little blue ones I left in the tank (along with the gold and ivory) well, I'm not sure what they are, lol.

So now I have a bowl sitting on the kitchen counter, with all these ramshorn snails. I didn't think this through, no clue what to do with them now.

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Originally Posted by Freedom

I was getting tired of seeing so many ramshorn snails in my 50 gallon. So I spent half an hour picking them out and putting them in a bowl. Well over 60! On large black one is an inch, for sure. Reds, browns and leopards.

I 'thought' my mystery snails have also been reproducing. I have gold, ivory and black, and I may have a blue one, not sure. Point is, I was just reading online about the colors for ramshorns and ... seems THEY can come in a blue, as well. So now the little blue ones I left in the tank (along with the gold and ivory) well, I'm not sure what they are, lol.

So now I have a bowl sitting on the kitchen counter, with all these ramshorn snails. I didn't think this through, no clue what to do with them now.

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Why not call local aquarium stores and see if they will buy them? Or offer them for sale somewhere ...

Ramshorns are considered pests, because they multiply so quickly. They are a dime a dozen.

They are used as food for rays and puffers. The guy I knew with a ray has sold his (I emailed him).

I was told I can put them in a baggie and use a hammer to smush them up, makes a high protein fish food. I just couldn't do that.

Since I had to go to bed, I finally put them all back in the tank. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Freedom

Since I had to go to bed, I finally put them all back in the tank. :rolleyes:

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LOL :D

And that's why I never had snails in my tank.

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Originally Posted by pomtzu

LOL :D

And that's why I never had snails in my tank.

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Any elementary school that might want them? Whatever you do, do not set them free in the environment - if nothing else, sell them to a bait shop!

Maybe craigslist - offer them free if someone is willing to come meet you at a local coffee shop or something?

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Originally Posted by pomtzu

LOL :D

And that's why I never had snails in my tank.

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Ellie, I never wanted ramshorns, they are well known in the hobby. One hitchhiked in on a plant and, as they are asexual, one is all it takes.

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Originally Posted by Freedom

Ellie, I never wanted ramshorns, they are well known in the hobby. One hitchhiked in on a plant and, as they are asexual, one is all it takes.

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Ah-ha!!! I sort of wondered why you would have a snail in the tank in the first place. Pesty critters at best. :eek:

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Originally Posted by pomtzu

Ah-ha!!! I sort of wondered why you would have a snail in the tank in the first place. Pesty critters at best. :eek:

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Not all snails are bad. The Malayan Trumpet Snails are excellent helpers in a planted tank. I have hundreds of the little guys. I never see them until the lights go out. Then they get to work cleaning the tank. Once a year I use a net and sift the sand to put a few hundred into the turtle tanks. Turtles love snails :)

If you are having a snail problem, buy 1 assassin snail. It'll eat them all.

I can't get an assassin snail, because I also have mystery snails -- which I love, and want to keep. They have also had babies!

I returned the ramshorns to the tank that night, before going to bed. A few days later, I again got them out and in a bowl, left that sitting on the counter for 4 days. Then dumped the entire thing in the garden.

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Originally Posted by Freedom

Then dumped the entire thing in the garden.

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Is there any chance any of them will survive and become an invasive species problem? Yikes!

No, no chance. First, most were already dead. Second, they only live in water, can't live out of water. And it has been dry, dry, dry!

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Originally Posted by Freedom

No, no chance. First, most were already dead. Second, they only live in water, can't live out of water. And it has been dry, dry, dry!

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Okay, just wanted to be sure, as there are snails wreaking havoc in the Great Lakes - have the wild birds or raccoons been by to eat the snail bodies, at least?