Fresh water shrimp

by Sandman1969 Sun Mar 29, 2015 4:14 pm

Any thoughts on these for controlling snail populations? I am thinking about one for my 130g tank. I would have to try & move the trumpet snail to the 125g tank though. I don't want him killed, just all the small black ones.

by **CAAIndie** Sun Mar 29, 2015 5:10 pm

I'm not really aware of any shrimp that will eat snails, not unless the snails are already deceased. Maybe if you had some of the really aggressive macrobrachium types, but then anything that moves in the tank might be at risk.

by Sandman1969 Sun Mar 29, 2015 5:12 pm

I watched a video recently of a fresh water Ghost shrimp eating a snail.

by **CAAIndie** Sun Mar 29, 2015 5:16 pm

Sandman1969 wrote:I watched a video recently of a fresh water Ghost shrimp eating a snail.

There are a lot of different species of shrimp that get called ghost shrimp, even get mistaken for ghost shrimp. Even some of the macrobrachiums that I mentioned above.

Might some "ghost shrimp" opportunistically eat the occasional snail that was dying or dead? Probably. Would they seek them out? Maybe if they were absolutely starving, and even then I wouldn't count on it. If they are seeking out snails, you are probably dealing with some of the macrobrachs, some of the species can be super aggressive little things. I've heard of issues where they take down tetra.

by l_l_l Sun Mar 29, 2015 9:08 pm

The only shrimp I have seen eat a snail is my amano shrimp..
Even there, it is a very rare sight.

by Rodda Prime Sun Mar 29, 2015 9:45 pm

Most shrimp don't eat snails, not unless theyre already dead. I've seen my shrimp eat dead flies, snails, other dead shrimp RIP,
they will pick up little snails sure, to eat the microscopic flora that grows on their shells, so it might seem like they might eat them but no shrimp that's currently in the aquarium world actively goes after snails,

I got an assassin snail for my 5 gallon tank, but it hardly seems interested in the other snails or shrimp, i suppose my endlers are more messy than i thought and it eating leftovers ,cause they are scavenger snails mostly

by GaryE Mon Mar 30, 2015 4:12 am

I'm reading this with interest as I have never heard of a freshwater snail predator shrimp. Scavengers, yes, predators, no. Lots of fish eat them but then you have the fish later and that is a whole other problem.

by cyum Mon Mar 30, 2015 5:14 am

l_l_l wrote:The only shrimp I have seen eat a snail is my amano shrimp..
Even there, it is a very rare sight.

Hahaha, I saw that happen last week, Saw a Amano shrimp swim off with a small pond snail to much it down.

by l_l_l Mon Mar 30, 2015 6:42 am

They are fun to watch.
My amano actually was picking the snail out of it's shell.
And the snail was alive I guarantee it.
Not like there is not enough food in my tank, it's full of different types of algae and I even feed waffers when night falls.

by **CAAIndie** Mon Mar 30, 2015 10:02 am

l_l_l wrote:They are fun to watch.
My amano actually was picking the snail out of it's shell.
And the snail was alive I guarantee it.
Not like there is not enough food in my tank, it's full of different types of algae and I even feed waffers when night falls.

How strange. I've had amanos for several years now and I have never seen anything like that.