do fish eat snail eggs

Do Fish Eat Snail Eggs? (21) Awesome Fish That Do

Do fish eat snail eggs? most fish will have a good go at eating some eggs even their own eggs. They will definitely try snail eggs and even snails.

I’m guessing you’re looking into this because you have a snail issue. Or you want to know if it’s harmful to your fish to eat snail eggs. Let’s look at and answer some common questions and concerns along the way.

As the article title suggests we have 21 fish that will eat either snail eggs snails or both and there are a plethora of other aquatics that love eating snails and their eggs.

Do fish eat snail eggs?  Here are two catfish eating some snail eggs

Do Fish Eat Snail Eggs

Do fish eat snail eggs? Yes, several species of fish will eat both snails and their eggs. The snail’s eggs provide a healthy source of good nutrients that these fish thrive on.

Are Snail Eggs Good For Fish

Do fish eat snail eggs? Yes, snail eggs are fine for fish as they contain all the nutrients that fish need to grow and thrive. Although some prefer to let them hatch. This gives them more protein and may be easier to eat.

Is Snail Egg Toxic To Fish 

If the eggs have been left in the tank and have not yet hatched. They can produce too much ammonia which as we know can course major issues within the tank. Ammonia poisoning can burn and even kill your fish.

As a dietary treat, there will be no real ill effects unless it was a dirty snail. All joking aside any fish that eats eggs or the snail itself does so for a reason. They love eating them and their good for the fish.

What Fish Eat Snails And Eggs

As I’ve alluded to above and within the title, there are plenty of fish that love to chow down on snails and eggs here are 21 amazing fish that eat snails and or snail eggs.

  1. Goldfish
  2. Koi
  3. Guppy
  4. Yoyo loach
  5. Gourami
  6. Striped Raphael Catfish
  7. Clown loach
  8. Dwarf chain loach
  9. Bala shark
  10. Zebra loach
  11. Cory catfish
  12. Green spotted puffer
  13. Betta fish
  14. Plecos
  15. Cardinal tetras
  16. Cichlids
  17. Oscars
  18. Jack Dempsey
  19. Khuli Loach
  20. Trigger Fish
  21. Whiptail catfish

Most of these fish eat snail eggs and said snails out of convenience. Although loaches tend to eat snails by sucking them out of their shells. If the shells are left to decay they may cause a bacteria build-up. Best to remove those empty shells.

In the case of the Pufferfish, they do utilize those shells by grinding their teeth on them keeping them in great shape.

The Cardinal Tetra is interesting. These fish seem to eat snails and snail eggs for health benefits as they stop their gills from rotting.

Snails And Eggs That Fish Don’t Eat

Zebra nerite snail

Nerite snails are notoriously difficult to eat. These eggs tend to be left alone as they are far too sticky and very chewy.

Also, mystery snails are hard to eat as they are just too big. Jack Dempsey fish will seek these out as these fish are bigger. 

Is It Ok For Fish To Eat Eggs

Yes, fish get plenty of nutrients from eggs. They are also fine to eat snails themselves as many species of fish have thrived over the years by eating sails and eggs.

Even eating their own eggs seems to be good for them. As they extract all those amazing nutrients which in turn help the fish. This may be why fish seem to eat their own young too nothing is off-limits for some fish.

Fish Egg FAQ

If you need more information on fish eggs. How to recognize fish gestation periods hatching times and how to protect the fry. Please check these articles out and enjoy. What Do Fish Eggs Look Like? 23 Species Of Egg Examined As well as Do Fish Lay Eggs? 90 Percent Of Bony Fish Do and How Many Eggs Do Fish Lay The Most Is 300 Million Eggs.

Also, it might help to know how long eggs take to hatch and if females lay eggs without a mate. How long do fish carry eggs and how do you know if they are fertilized?

These articles will help but on with the snail’s eggs. Let us continue on with Do fish eat snail eggs?

How Did Snail Eggs Get Into My Tank

Do fish eat snail eggs    (snail in tank)

 This is the age-old question no one seems to have decided to have snails. Most hobbyists start with fish and maybe shrimp but not snails. So where do they come from? Snail eggs are tiny and hard to see at the best of times.

We usually get these eggs from the pet shop we got our fish from. When transferring the fish there can be eggs in the water. When we are acclimatizing the fish we float our bag on top of our tank then we usually transfer some pet shop water into our water when letting the fish swim out.

This can happen when transferring plants and or ornaments from aqua shops too. When transferring fish it’s best to not mix waters. When transferring plants or other ornaments it’s advised to wash them by putting a bit of your water in a clean bucket.

Do Snails Multiply In Aquariums 

Yes, they multiply fast and they can do so by themselves. As they are asexual and can lay and fertilize their own eggs. This means things can get out of control pretty fast. Also, you may have more snails than you think as they tend to hide well. usually burying themselves under the substrate. With this in mind bet you are glad the answer to the question do fish eat snail eggs is yes.

How Fast Do Snail Eggs Hatch

Snails hatch their eggs within a fairly wide range of time. Anywhere between one and five weeks depending on water temperature and conditions.

How Do You Control A Snail Population Problem?

First, don’t overfeed your fish tank most problems occur from overfeeding. Second, keep fish that do indeed like eating snails and or snail eggs. Third, keep a snail trap fourth manual removal and hoovering of substrate cleaning of plants and ornaments, etc. last but not least chemical treatment for removal of snails.

Can Fish Become I’ll Eating Snail Eggs

There are some reports of snails that carry a parasite called cercaria within their larvae but this is thought to be very rare. As with all food especially live food, we have to keep an eye on things and make sure everything is good.

How Often To Feed My Fish Snails

Most fish will be happy to be fed snails once or twice a week. They should be given as a treat, not none stop. Otherwise, you will end up with some fat fish and a fair bit of waste.

Do Fish Eat Snails Eggs Conclusion

In conclusion, Do fish eat snail eggs I can safely say yes fish do eat snail eggs. We’ve seen here some 21 fish that love to chow down on snails or snails’ eggs. There are many more to many to mention there are other aquatic life that like a bit of snail eggs heck even other snails that like eating both snails and snail’s eggs.

Do Fish Eat Snail Eggs Out Of Instinct 

Some fish eat snails or the eggs thereof out of instinct or for predatory reasons. There are also fish that do eat snails or snail eggs for health and beneficial reasons. I hope you have enjoyed the read and also please feel free to have a look around the site for more great information. Remember when asked do fish eat snail eggs yes they do.

 

 

 

 

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