# escaping from tank??



## kcrunch (Aug 17, 2012)

I have never had snails before i currently have 6 assassins in small tank with rocks and some fresh plants. With the rimless tank that i have is there a possibility of a breakout. I plan to go,today to lowes to get two pieces of plexiglass cut for the top but there will still be spaces to escape from by the tubes and therm.


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

Snails, shrimp, fish, and any other aquarium inhabitant will always find a way to escape an aquarium no matter how well you cover it up. The way to keep them from escapeing is to provide them with a living environment they like. If they don't have a reason too escape they wont try. This means keeping the water clean, the right temperature, providing food, and everything else that goes with fish keeping. I personally wouldn't worry about it too much.


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## kcrunch (Aug 17, 2012)

Another question.... will the cichlids try to eat them?


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## P.senegalus (Aug 18, 2011)

kcrunch said:


> Another question.... will the cichlids try to eat them?


What type of cichlids do you have?


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## aMawds (Aug 29, 2012)

The only snails I've heard try to escape are snails that aren't fully aquatic. That said there's plenty of fish that try to jump. I have an uncovered 15 gallon and had harlequin rasps for a while. Big mistake. But my paradise and of course my cory's never have a problem. One simple solution to prevent fish jumping out is lowering the water level but I can't stand that look.


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

They will also try to escape if the water quality is bad. In nature they can just move to a different patch of water if they are in a part they don't like. In an aquarium they will try to do the same thing and die because they dry out once they are out of the aquarium.


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

I've had several hundred pond snails living in my 125 for a couple years now and one has never gotten out. I don't mind them either since they do an excellent job of eating uneaten food that the cories miss.


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## kcrunch (Aug 17, 2012)

I have a list of my inhabitants now and I am so happy to have a healthy tank and I sit and watch them for hours at a time. I think I am done for now.

8 OB Peacocks
2 Ruby greens
2 Dragon Bloods
2 Electric yellows
2 convicts
2 Tinfoil Barbs
7 Albino Cory's
6 Assassin Snails


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## Ice (Sep 25, 2006)

Well this explains why my cherry shrimp was on the glass near the lid. I have a fake bonsi plant and caves in my tank. Although it is my son's tank, not mine. It is a 3 gallon tank and all I have is 3 neons and a small serbati cory. I have thought of purchasing a moss ball for beta fish. Not sure if I want to get it or not. 

Also, I have thought of adding a bee shrimp or ghost shrimp as well. Thoughts?

No rude responses please for this is my son's tank.


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## aMawds (Aug 29, 2012)

Ice I suggest posting your own thread. Then we can give you suggestions. Otherwise people will avoid replying so the thread isn't hijacked.


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## FRIENDLYFISHIES (Aug 7, 2012)

When I was a kid I bought crabs and put them in my fresh water tank, we had no idea that they couldnt live in the water 24/7 and now I feel terrible that we tried to make them! The things you learn over time ha. Anywho, they kept escaping! I dont even know how...we would catch them often and put them back in, then one day they officially vanished...we dont know if they died and the fish ate them? or if they escaped down into out heater vent lol...for all I know we may have 2 giant crabs living in the damp dark basement LOL!


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## Redhead305 (May 30, 2012)

snails wont escape but fish can jump out if they aren't cared for properly like they stated earlier


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## kcrunch (Aug 17, 2012)

The fish seem happy and content so far and appear healthy some even bearing resemblance of the start of some sweet colors. I came in today after doing a double and found 3 snails in the kinda turned over on their backs so it seems no motion or movement. I dont think they are alive but I guess only time will tell. I dont see the other 3 at all I had six. I dont know what happened but I guess soon enough I will see.


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## kcrunch (Aug 17, 2012)

Looking closely i saw they moved so they are alive but i dont see all of them.


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

Assassin snails will bury in the sand to pop out and assassinate their prey. At least this is something I red on another cite.


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## kcrunch (Aug 17, 2012)

They really are dug in. Every now and then I see them come up but I am assuming they all are alive because I havent seen them all at the same time since the second day after I put them in the tank.


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

Maybe pop a snail or two in there to see them hunt.


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## kcrunch (Aug 17, 2012)

what kind of snail should I use ? Can a regular shelled garden snail do the trick??


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

I don't think so since they wont be able to survive long enough for the assassin snails to hunt them down. I think a regular garden snail would just spoil the water. I would just put ONE (no more until you know that your assassin snails actually hunt) MTS in there. My fish store gives them away for free since they have become a pest in their tanks. Once you see that it got eaten an adult assassin snail I was told eats 1 adult snail per day. Just do the math and add the rerquired amount of snails into the tank.


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

If you put in even a single MTS then be prepared for an infestation.


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

Well since he has assassin snails in there which eat snails I don't think there would be an infection. If you want to totally be on the safe side remove one assassin snail from your aquarium and put it in a plastic container alongside one MTS. If the snail is eaten you can add some to your main tank as they will also be eaten.


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## kcrunch (Aug 17, 2012)

The thing is I dont know what they are eating because the fish in five minutes or so are killing the food that is dropped in the tank. I dont see them getting any of the left overs. When I look into the substrate I can see the backs of the snails or I see them hunkering down but not eating. Since the tank is new I dont think there is much algae for them to eat. I would rather wait to see them surface and them grab a few out, i dont want to risk blowing all that has been done.


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