Snails and planarians

Although snails hold a key role in the aquarium, some species can multiply rapidly and take the upper hand in the aquarium. They are often a nuisance when fish are fed too abundantly; the snails will find a very large food supply.

They can be removed via special snail traps. Also, some species eat young snails, but one must note that often the recommended snail-eating fish require special requirements which are not realized in many aquariums. For example, striata can certainly be up to 30 cm long, require several other striata, and need an aquarium with a minimum edge length of 150 cm.

Planarians also sometimes occur in aquariums. These are worms, up to several millimeters in size, which can be found crawling on the windows and furnishings. Fish are a danger to them when they are young, but they can eat the fish spawn. Planarians reproduce especially strong when uneaten food and organic wastes are abundant in the aquarium.

The planarians can be treated chemically, with snails, or they can also respond to appropriate plants. It may be helpful if the aquarium has, for several days, a water temperature of at least 35 degrees Celsius. During this time, the fish and “desired” invertebrate must be cared for in a replacement tank.