toddnbecka

Sunfish are related to cichlids, and about as aggressive as Africans in an aquarium. They're fine if you have a large enough tank to keep them comfortably, but not suitable to mix with tropicals.

toddnbecka

Shrimp will eat snail eggs, but MTS are livebearing critters. I'm doubtful that even a crayfish would be much help controlling them.

onemyndseye

You are most certainly correct. They should be kept in a species tank or in a native community of compatible fish ... The smaller ones (1.5inch-3Inch) can be kept for quite awhile and then reintroduced back into native water.. The Larger ones though require a bit more room... and they are VERY VERY aggressive. ALot of fun at feeding time though

My last batch was a set of 8 of varying sizes from 3inches to about 6 or so in a 29Gal tank.. They did quite well - even spawned - which is what led me to take the tank down..... it was a soil tank you see... and just like cichlids.... sunfish dig (They did nests when spawning starts.. HUGE Mess

Alot of fun though.... I usually try to catch them about this time of year... and then release them in the spring. They don't spawn under the cool temps of winter

Id love to have a 125G Native Tank with all sorts of species in it. Our natural rivers, lakes, and streams sometimes make the best LFS on the planet

I'm starting a small pond in the next few weeks that will be stocked with Natives. Should be a neat project.

-Justin
One Mynds Eye

elaphe

It helps that I also keep 3 turtle tanks. I just pick out any ramshorns and throw them in the turtle tanks. Gone in no time. The MTS don't seem to overrun my tank right now. I think the really soft water keeps them at bay.

Turtles are also a great way to get rid of any plant clippings and dead /dying shrimp. They'll pretty much eat anything .

Brian

toddnbecka

Do turtles eat MTS?

elaphe

I haven't tried feeding them any MTS yet. With my soft water, that keeps them under control. I know the ramshorn shells almost break when I pick them up out of the tank (yet they still spread like wildfire).

If I ever do feed the MTS to my turtles, I would probably break the shells with a pair of pliers before dropping them in. The calcium from the shells isn't going to hurt the turtles any. I do bet my Texas Map could eat the MTS without any help - They are mollusk and crustacean eaters in the wild.

Brian

toddnbecka

I was just wondering, I remember reading a post elsewhere about an oscar that had eaten MTS, and the shells had cut up its intestines. The fish had actually been taken to a vet, and had surgery to repair the damage. Considering that fish can't be anesthetised, I'm not sure which was worse, the problem or the treatment.

bigtroutz

If you want to try a pretty exotic invertibrate, how about Sciomyzid flies ? The larval stage of some species will attack and consume aquatic snails (but I doubt any of our local species would go for MTS in the gravel

Sciomyzidae - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

more pictures - http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/marsh_flies_sciomyzidae

Wood

I collect the ramshorns in my 10 gallon with a small net. I probably get about 10. I then put all 10 in a plastic spoon and stack another plastic spoon right on top. I crush them by pressing the spoons together, crushing them real good. You will actually see snail blood.

After I crush them I put the remains back into the tank. They sink right to the bottom. The shrimp go BALLISTIC! The gourami LOVES them as well. And the Rummynose Tetras will eat them if they can get them before the shrimp do.

I don't do anything with the trumpet snails, they are hard as a rock.

I feel that if you are going to control the snail population you might as well let the tank feed on them, you are just making it possible.

Just my .02