Apple Snails

[Zr0]

Would one apple snail be sufficient if i wanted a bottom dweller to clean my tank sand (29g)? I would get a catfish but I don't want any conflicts with my young RTS over hideouts. How messy are apple snails and how many would be good for a 29g?

I don't want any mating going on so thats why I'm thinking of only getting one.

[thebullit]

apple snials will need about 2.5 gal each as adults i think as they do produce a bit of waist. they will clean some of your tank but you wont see it with a bucket and a bar soap.lol. i think i have heard here b4 some were, that snails dont perticuly like sand as a substrate, but i could be wrong.

[Carp37]

My channelled/giant apple snails (Pomacea canaliculata) didn't do at all well with a sand substrate- I put 2 of the 5 snails in a 30" tank with sand for about a month, and they virtually stopped growing, whereas the other three virtually doubled in size over that time.

[msjinkzd]

what do you mean clean your sand? Are you talking about leftover food, or fish waste? The snails are not what I would consider a reliable "clean-up" crew. They will eat leftover foods, but are not a replacement for regular maintenance or good vacs. Apple snails are the plecos of the invert world as they eat/graze constantly and poop constantly. That being said, I really enjoy them and they can be a great addition to a tank.

[Zr0]

by clean I meant algae/leftover food which I don't have too much of, but I cant put an algae eater in with my rts. Didn't know they were so messy and my search continues for a cleaner-upper.

[lulu]

Also apple snails are really social and bond with the other snails. I would be sad for one that's alone. I have a single one now, because a couple of mine died, and I'm waiting for 2 new companions for her. She seems lonely, and spends a lot more time in her shell and at the water line.

[LuxyBlue]

Is this true? They don't like sand I mean. I have 3 apples and 3 ramshorns (and a couple of hitchhiking ponds) in my 20G sand bottom. They seem fine, but aren't as all over the place as my apples in my 10G at work with the gravel bottom. Also, I found one buried in the sand when I did a WC the other day. He/she was fine and went trucking across the tank when i unburied him/her. They are eating like pigs and growing like weeds, so other than not seeing them as much, is it ok?

If they don't like sand Ill move them, but that makes me sad.

[msjinkzd]

well, i don't use sand. I have read many posts with people keeping them on sand successfully, but also many posts about apple snails not liking the sand as it binds up their slime coat and they are much less active.

[LuxyBlue]

Same for ramshorns?

Thanks for the info :)

[msjinkzd]

nah, ramshorns are pretty indestructable (assuming you mean common ramshorns)

[LuxyBlue]

So maybe I'll swap them all out, but thats a lot of bioload in a 10G with 5 apples. I could switch all the ramshorns for the 3 apples here.

*sigh*

What to do, what to do?


Edit: They are regular ole ramshorns I got from you... 3 reds in this tank, all the rest are in the 10G at work.