Babysitting aquarium.

**MagickFish** · 09-05-2006, 09:45 PM

Ok I have not been able to post for a while for I have been buisy moving into a new apartment whit my fiance. The apartment came whit an aquarium I have agreed to babysit unthil they can move it, the problem is, it have hardly any plants, the fish are sressed, tere is a snail problem and I generaly feel a bit at a loss, what should I go firstly to:

Get rid of the snails, tiny snalis smalter than m little finger nail, how to I get them out?

What sort of plant should I get that would be good for a wery tall sylinder typw aquarium.

There is only six little fish in that aquarium, should I get more as they look a little lonly in the tank?

Where can I find out what sort of fish they are, one pair I now what is, the others I am not sure aboute.

**gwenkat** · 09-05-2006, 11:30 PM

The snails will continue to multiple I am sorry to say. You can pick them out yourself (a turkey baster works well to suck up the small ones), get a fish that eats them, or try chemicals. I tried "Had a Snail" and it did nothing, so avoid that one. I picked mine out until I got it to a manageable level and now my dojo keeps it under control.

What kind of fish are you sure you have? You could post a picture of the others and let us try to ID them for you....

**MagickFish** · 09-06-2006, 10:29 AM

I am sure I have 2 sirt tetras, the others seam like some type of platy. I will see if I get a picture taken as soon as I have unpaked my camara. Thanks for the information.

**kimmers318** · 09-06-2006, 11:41 AM

Drop a slice of zucchini in the tank (weighted down with something) before bed and you will probably find loads of snails chowing down the next morning on it, then simply remove the snail laden zucchini and keep at it until the snails reach lower numbers. Don't be surprised if the fish eat it too!

**Full3R** · 09-06-2006, 12:12 PM

also when i had a mass snail problem i put 2 clwon loaches in the tank they were gone pretty quick

**MagickFish** · 09-06-2006, 04:43 PM

Ok thank you for the advice. As for a snail eating fish are there any of them that are not so big as to be a hazard for smal fish?

**BettyBoop** · 09-06-2006, 08:26 PM

I once got two small puffers, my snail prob was gone completly within two days!

**MagickFish** · 09-07-2006, 12:50 AM

Would the puffers eat skirt tetra size fish or wold it be safe for the little fish?

**BettyBoop** · 09-07-2006, 05:58 PM

My puffer's never tried to eat any fish, I found them to very peacefull they were kept with lots of small fish neons ect.

**kimmers318** · 09-08-2006, 04:47 AM

Although there are exceptions for every fish...puffers usually aren't recommended with other fish....even the small ones. My dwarfpuffers can wreak havoc on platy and tetra fins in a few short hours....trust me, I learned the hard way. Besides the fact, you are BABYSITTING this tank, correct? It may not be a good idea to add any fish, the owners may not want them, especially since puffers need to be fed foods other than typical fish flake. Do what you can as far as tank maintenance to clean it up as best you can, but until the owners decide they want more fish, or don't want to come get it, you might be best to not add anything to it.