Loaches and snails.

[valkyrie]

I know that clown loaches love snails for breakfast, lunch and dinner. What I would like to know is, would it be ok to feed my loaches snails from my outdoor ponds. They breed like mad in my ponds and just wondered if they would make a good snack for my babies.

Cheers
Debbie

[Jim Powers]

One thing you need to remember is that snails can carry disease and parasites so make sure the source is clean.

[valkyrie]

I have had this pond for about 3 years now and have not introduced these snails they have come in on the plants. How would I know if they have disease/parasites and is their something I could do to check.

[Jim Powers]

I'm not sure there is any way you can be positive. If you have not had any fish deaths in the pond, that would be a start.
The reason I am so cautious is that I put contaminated snails into a tank and killed off the entire loach population.

[shari2]

one thing you could do is set up a small 10g tank for the snails with plants, wood etc. and treat it with levamisole before you feed any to the tank. won't harm the snails but will kill off any nematode type parasites before they get to the fish. Once you have a 'clean' population that is self propagating you can throw them into your main tank for a healthy treat.

many parasites have a fish/snail/bird/ life cycle which an outdoor pond will support. removing the bird portion of the life cycle may be enough of a break in and of itself.

no guarantees, though.

[bslindgren]

I would stay clear of it. Some life stages of flatworms are quite well protected in various types of resting spores, so levamisole may not be able to get at them. Why take the chance when there are so many good food sources to be had!

[valkyrie]

Thanks for all the replies is gives me plenty of food for thought.

Cheers
Debbie