Snails breeding too fast

Question
Hi.

I have a 10 gallon tank with a heater and a filter.  I have 5 Neon Tetras, a Catfish, and some snails. My snails are breeding like... um, snails.  I have WAY TOO MANY baby snails and I was wondering what you would recommend.  I heard that Clown Loaches are good but my tank isn't that big and apparently they can be a foot long.  Is one Clown Loach fine on its own or do you need to get some more so they can school?

I am having my pH, ammonia and nitrate levels checked regularly at a pet store but I'm not sure the exact levels.

Thanks for the Help!!!

Quin

Answer
Hi Quin;

You are right, your tank is too small for clown loaches. The safest way to control snails is through control of their food source. Snails go crazy on the excess food and waste from our fish. If you cut back on food for your fish by 50%, your fish will even start to eat the softer shelled baby snails as they hatch. We often make it too easy on our fish so they never have to forage (search for food) as they would in nature. You don't see a big hand drop food out of the sky over lakes and rivers. Fish have to really look for their food, and many don't even get a substantial meal on a daily or even weekly basis. They have to pick through their environment and usually get plenty of food over the course of a day. It's a natural thing for them to do. Our aquariums are considerably smaller with less resources available, but the concept is the same. Feed minimally and the fish will feed on the snails so they will fade away. Snails are very nutritious too.

You can get a head start on the snail removal process by leaving a piece of lettuce in the tank at night. Remove it with any snails attached in the morning and either throw them away, or squish them and feed them back to the fish.

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins