Just a little rambling...
So after witnessing in previous months both Ghost Shrimp (Palaemonetes) and Spixi snails eating bladder snails- I add a new snail eater to my tank inventory.
I've had my Cambarellus Shufeldtii Dwarf Cajun Crayfish for a few months now- and never witnessed any anti-snail behaviour.
Then last night my Crayfish went on a rampage. At first I witnessed one crayfish pick up a baby Spixi and start attacking it- I immediately got my "stirring" stick and knocked the snail out of the cray's grasp.
Moments later I saw a crayfish (same or different I don't know) assaulting one of my brand new Tylos- despite the fact the Tylo was as big as it was. I don't think having a trapdoor that it could have hurt it- but I chased it off nonetheless to be safe.
Then later that night I withnessed a crayfish with a small bladder snail in it's grasp and appeared to be eating it.
Certainly in the last 6 months or so the "balance of power" between the fast replicating snails at first switched from bladder to ramshorn and now to Quilted Melania... presumably because with all these inverts in my tank now that will eat baby snails- only those with trap-doors stand a chance.
Between the Ghost Shrimp, Spixis and Dwarf Crayfish I don't think my bladders or Ramshorns stand a chance. I have maybe 8 ramshorns left in my tank now when at one time I probably had close to 50- and probably about a dozen bladders when at one time it was closer to 100.
As much as bladder snails annoy me- I think I'm going to miss them when they're gone. I think the Rams may survive because once they reach a certain size they're safe- I've never seen any of the larger rams shells empty at the bottom of the tank.
So after witnessing in previous months both Ghost Shrimp (Palaemonetes) and Spixi snails eating bladder snails- I add a new snail eater to my tank inventory.
I've had my Cambarellus Shufeldtii Dwarf Cajun Crayfish for a few months now- and never witnessed any anti-snail behaviour.
Then last night my Crayfish went on a rampage. At first I witnessed one crayfish pick up a baby Spixi and start attacking it- I immediately got my "stirring" stick and knocked the snail out of the cray's grasp.
Moments later I saw a crayfish (same or different I don't know) assaulting one of my brand new Tylos- despite the fact the Tylo was as big as it was. I don't think having a trapdoor that it could have hurt it- but I chased it off nonetheless to be safe.
Then later that night I withnessed a crayfish with a small bladder snail in it's grasp and appeared to be eating it.
Certainly in the last 6 months or so the "balance of power" between the fast replicating snails at first switched from bladder to ramshorn and now to Quilted Melania... presumably because with all these inverts in my tank now that will eat baby snails- only those with trap-doors stand a chance.
Between the Ghost Shrimp, Spixis and Dwarf Crayfish I don't think my bladders or Ramshorns stand a chance. I have maybe 8 ramshorns left in my tank now when at one time I probably had close to 50- and probably about a dozen bladders when at one time it was closer to 100.
As much as bladder snails annoy me- I think I'm going to miss them when they're gone. I think the Rams may survive because once they reach a certain size they're safe- I've never seen any of the larger rams shells empty at the bottom of the tank.
