snails

[Scott Far Thunder]

Hau kolas..I have a 29 gallon heavily planted tank that is equally heavily infested with MTS..I've pulled 2500 of these little suckers out of this tank alone since April. Unfortunately, no exaggeration. ;) Loaches have been less than impressive in controlling these, perhaps they're overwhelmed by the numbers, perhaps too well fed to "hunt". Usually the culled snails end up as supplemental bird food, but after pulling another 125 or so out of there today, it occurred to me that somebody here may have use for them; e.g. food for a puffer or the like. Got some pretty prolific ramshorns in there also. I'm in Lansing MI, if by chance anybody here is also or nearby and wants them, drop me a line. On a related note, what exactly do these buggers eat?!? Seems the population has never reached it's threshold and crashed, even before I started culling in April (do you know what a pound of MTS looks like?!? :)). Predation is having minimal effect, I won't use chemical control, so perhaps resource limitation is next control? TIA for any input.

lila pilamaya
--
**FREE LEONARD PELTIER NOW**

[Dean A. Markley]

Scott Far Thunder wrote:
> Hau kolas..I have a 29 gallon heavily planted tank that is equally
> heavily infested with MTS..I've pulled 2500 of these little suckers out
> of this tank alone since April. Unfortunately, no exaggeration. ;)
> Loaches have been less than impressive in controlling these, perhaps
> they're overwhelmed by the numbers, perhaps too well fed to "hunt".
> Usually the culled snails end up as supplemental bird food, but after
> pulling another 125 or so out of there today, it occurred to me that
> somebody here may have use for them; e.g. food for a puffer or the like.
> Got some pretty prolific ramshorns in there also. I'm in Lansing MI, if
> by chance anybody here is also or nearby and wants them, drop me a
> line. On a related note, what exactly do these buggers eat?!? Seems
> the population has never reached it's threshold and crashed, even before
> I started culling in April (do you know what a pound of MTS looks
> like?!? :)). Predation is having minimal effect, I won't use chemical
> control, so perhaps resource limitation is next control? TIA for any input.
> lila pilamaya
> --
> **FREE LEONARD PELTIER NOW**
Would you consider sending some to me? I love those MTS....

Are you sure they are a problem? They are not planteaters as far as I
know. My 110 gallon tank is kept perfectly clean by MTS.

Dean

[Tedd Jacobs]

"Scott Far Thunder" wrote...
>Hau kolas..I have a 29 gallon heavily planted tank that is equally heavily
>infested with MTS..I've pulled 2500 of these little suckers out of this
>tank alone since >April. Unfortunately, no exaggeration. ;) Loaches have
>been less than impressive in controlling these, perhaps they're overwhelmed
>by the numbers, perhaps >too well fed to "hunt". Usually the culled snails
>end up as supplemental bird food, but after pulling another 125 or so out
>of there today, it occurred to me that >somebody here may have use for
>them; e.g. food for a puffer or the like. Got some pretty prolific
>ramshorns in there also. I'm in Lansing MI, if by chance >anybody here is
>also or nearby and wants them, drop me a line. On a related note, what
>exactly do these buggers eat?!? Seems the population has never >reached
>it's threshold and crashed, even before I started culling in April (do you
>know what a pound of MTS looks like?!? :)). Predation is having minimal
> >effect, I won't use chemical control, so perhaps resource limitation is
>next control? TIA for any input.

lila pilamaya




african dwarf frogs. although i have not read any information regarding
their use as snail control, nor of them even eating snails, i have eight in
one of my tanks and tried introducing snails that came as travelers on some
plants i purchased. the mature snails are still there and thriving, but
*never* i have seen even any new snails. i tested this out by introducing a
few of the larger ones into another tank with no adf's and sure enough, in
almost no time at all i had new snails. i placed two adf's into that tank
and the increase stoped and the new snails disappeared, leaving only the few
large ones that are too big for them to even attempt to eat.

mayhaps N*tM*x can elaborate on this phenomenon.

[NetMax]

"Tedd Jacobs" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Scott Far Thunder" wrote...
>>Hau kolas..I have a 29 gallon heavily planted tank that is equally
>>heavily infested with MTS..I've pulled 2500 of these little suckers out
>>of this tank alone since >April. Unfortunately, no exaggeration. ;)
>>Loaches have been less than impressive in controlling these, perhaps
>>they're overwhelmed by the numbers, perhaps >too well fed to "hunt".
>>Usually the culled snails end up as supplemental bird food, but after
>>pulling another 125 or so out of there today, it occurred to me that
>> >somebody here may have use for them; e.g. food for a puffer or the
>>like. Got some pretty prolific ramshorns in there also. I'm in Lansing
>>MI, if by chance >anybody here is also or nearby and wants them, drop
>>me a line. On a related note, what exactly do these buggers eat?!?
>>Seems the population has never >reached it's threshold and crashed,
>>even before I started culling in April (do you know what a pound of MTS
>>looks like?!? :)). Predation is having minimal
>> >effect, I won't use chemical control, so perhaps resource limitation
>> >is
>>next control? TIA for any input.
>
> lila pilamaya
>
>
>
>
> african dwarf frogs. although i have not read any information
> regarding their use as snail control, nor of them even eating snails, i
> have eight in one of my tanks and tried introducing snails that came as
> travelers on some plants i purchased. the mature snails are still
> there and thriving, but *never* i have seen even any new snails. i
> tested this out by introducing a few of the larger ones into another
> tank with no adf's and sure enough, in almost no time at all i had new
> snails. i placed two adf's into that tank and the increase stoped and
> the new snails disappeared, leaving only the few large ones that are
> too big for them to even attempt to eat.
>
> mayhaps N*tM*x can elaborate on this phenomenon.


N*tM*x? lol. Anyways, that sounds really interesting. There are a few
loaches who also don't eat snails but polish off snail eggs in a real
hurry. I suspect many fish would as well, but I would never have
suspected the clumsy near sighted ADF ;~).
thanks
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Justin Boucher]

That does sound strange. Most frog's vision is motion based. Meaning that
they see in monochrome and shapes become most prominant when in motion.
This is why most frogs need to have thier food wiggling in front of them.

Nevertheless, your observation with ADF is something to remember.
Justin

"NetMax" > wrote in message
...
> "Tedd Jacobs" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Scott Far Thunder" wrote...
> >>Hau kolas..I have a 29 gallon heavily planted tank that is equally
> >>heavily infested with MTS..I've pulled 2500 of these little suckers out
> >>of this tank alone since >April. Unfortunately, no exaggeration. ;)
> >>Loaches have been less than impressive in controlling these, perhaps
> >>they're overwhelmed by the numbers, perhaps >too well fed to "hunt".
> >>Usually the culled snails end up as supplemental bird food, but after
> >>pulling another 125 or so out of there today, it occurred to me that
> >> >somebody here may have use for them; e.g. food for a puffer or the
> >>like. Got some pretty prolific ramshorns in there also. I'm in Lansing
> >>MI, if by chance >anybody here is also or nearby and wants them, drop
> >>me a line. On a related note, what exactly do these buggers eat?!?
> >>Seems the population has never >reached it's threshold and crashed,
> >>even before I started culling in April (do you know what a pound of MTS
> >>looks like?!? :)). Predation is having minimal
> >> >effect, I won't use chemical control, so perhaps resource limitation
> >> >is
> >>next control? TIA for any input.
> >
> > lila pilamaya
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > african dwarf frogs. although i have not read any information
> > regarding their use as snail control, nor of them even eating snails, i
> > have eight in one of my tanks and tried introducing snails that came as
> > travelers on some plants i purchased. the mature snails are still
> > there and thriving, but *never* i have seen even any new snails. i
> > tested this out by introducing a few of the larger ones into another
> > tank with no adf's and sure enough, in almost no time at all i had new
> > snails. i placed two adf's into that tank and the increase stoped and
> > the new snails disappeared, leaving only the few large ones that are
> > too big for them to even attempt to eat.
> >
> > mayhaps N*tM*x can elaborate on this phenomenon.
>
>
> N*tM*x? lol. Anyways, that sounds really interesting. There are a few
> loaches who also don't eat snails but polish off snail eggs in a real
> hurry. I suspect many fish would as well, but I would never have
> suspected the clumsy near sighted ADF ;~).
> thanks
> --
> www.NetMax.tk
>
>

[Tedd Jacobs]

[top post repositioned]

"Justin Boucher" wrote...
> "NetMax" > wrote in message
> ...
>> "Tedd Jacobs" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >
>> > "Scott Far Thunder" wrote...
>> >>Hau kolas..I have a 29 gallon heavily planted tank that is equally
>> >>heavily infested with MTS..I've pulled 2500 of these little suckers out
>> >>of this tank alone since >April. Unfortunately, no exaggeration. ;)
>> >>Loaches have been less than impressive in controlling these, perhaps
>> >>they're overwhelmed by the numbers, perhaps >too well fed to "hunt".
>> >>Usually the culled snails end up as supplemental bird food, but after
>> >>pulling another 125 or so out of there today, it occurred to me that
>> >> >somebody here may have use for them; e.g. food for a puffer or the
>> >>like. Got some pretty prolific ramshorns in there also. I'm in Lansing
>> >>MI, if by chance >anybody here is also or nearby and wants them, drop
>> >>me a line. On a related note, what exactly do these buggers eat?!?
>> >>Seems the population has never >reached it's threshold and crashed,
>> >>even before I started culling in April (do you know what a pound of MTS
>> >>looks like?!? :)). Predation is having minimal
>> >> >effect, I won't use chemical control, so perhaps resource limitation
>> >> >is
>> >>next control? TIA for any input.
>> >
>> > lila pilamaya
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > african dwarf frogs. although i have not read any information
>> > regarding their use as snail control, nor of them even eating snails, i
>> > have eight in one of my tanks and tried introducing snails that came as
>> > travelers on some plants i purchased. the mature snails are still
>> > there and thriving, but *never* i have seen even any new snails. i
>> > tested this out by introducing a few of the larger ones into another
>> > tank with no adf's and sure enough, in almost no time at all i had new
>> > snails. i placed two adf's into that tank and the increase stoped and
>> > the new snails disappeared, leaving only the few large ones that are
>> > too big for them to even attempt to eat.
>> >
>> > mayhaps N*tM*x can elaborate on this phenomenon.
>>
>>
>> N*tM*x? lol.

just checking to see if you're watchin'. ;-)

[...]Anyways, that sounds really interesting. There are a few
>> loaches who also don't eat snails but polish off snail eggs in a real
>> hurry. I suspect many fish would as well, but I would never have
>> suspected the clumsy near sighted ADF ;~).
>> thanks
>> --
>> www.NetMax.tk
>>
> That does sound strange. Most frog's vision is motion based. Meaning
> that
> they see in monochrome and shapes become most prominant when in motion.
> This is why most frogs need to have thier food wiggling in front of them.

i suspect these may have an acute sense of smell based on their behavior.
they are rather reclusive and spend their time hiding in the rocks and
plants. when i feed them they are nowhere around to see the food. about a
minute or two after the food has reached the bottom and is sitting there
(not moving) they start to appear and seem to search out and find every last
morsel. i have seen them go after even those that fall down between the
pebbles of the substrate out of site. a quick search on the web gave me
this:

http://davidcecere.pipidae.org/Page2.htm#care
http://davidcecere.pipidae.org/

which said: "African dwarf frogs seem to be visual hunters, but it's likely
that they can also detect food by scent. Their nearly binocular eyesight
will detect movement once they are close to the food."

>
> Nevertheless, your observation with ADF is something to remember.
> Justin
>

[NetMax]

"Scott Far Thunder" > wrote in message
...
Hau kolas..I have a 29 gallon heavily planted tank that is equally heavily
infested with MTS..I've pulled 2500 of these little suckers out of this tank
alone since April. Unfortunately, no exaggeration. ;) Loaches have been less
than impressive in controlling these, perhaps they're overwhelmed by the
numbers, perhaps too well fed to "hunt". Usually the culled snails end up as
supplemental bird food, but after pulling another 125 or so out of there
today, it occurred to me that somebody here may have use for them; e.g. food
for a puffer or the like. Got some pretty prolific ramshorns in there also.
I'm in Lansing MI, if by chance anybody here is also or nearby and wants
them, drop me a line. On a related note, what exactly do these buggers
eat?!? Seems the population has never reached it's threshold and crashed,
even before I started culling in April (do you know what a pound of MTS
looks like?!? :)). Predation is having minimal effect, I won't use chemical
control, so perhaps resource limitation is next control? TIA for any input.

lila pilamaya
--

Resource limitation is one option. Water temperature, pH and hardness might
also be control variables if the fish will tolerate the changes (but I don't
know what settings). Also MTS are nocturnal, so playing with the light
might have some effect. Shine a light under the tank so they can't sleep
;~).

If I remember correctly, baby MTS can be found along the surface very early
in the morning, so perhaps a carnivorous top feeder might dent their
population rate.
--
www.NetMax.tk