Best snail that won't multiply alone or eat plants?

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kimmisc

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Mar 12, 2007
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I started out with a few red ramshorns and now I literally have hundreds. One is cute. Clusters of them everywhere is disgusting. I am in the process of trapping them and thinning their numbers.

I'd like to have 1 large growing snail that won't become a hundred snails and won't eat my plants.

From my reading, it seems mystery snails are the best for this, but I've still seen some say that it depends what kind. So, what kind is the best for a planted tank and not hemaphrodite? I would like to be able to breed them in their own tank, but only have 1 in each of my display tanks... provided I can ever fully eradicate my ramshorn infestation.
 

vampie

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Oct 25, 2006
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As you mentioned, the Mystery Snail (Pomacea Bridgesii) is a good choice. They get to around 2" across, have seperate sexes, and does not eat plants.
 

lovejonesx

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or even if you get multiple snails, they lay their egg clutches above the water line so they are easy to remove. you can go to www.applesnail.net for more info on different species of apple snails.
The above is true in my experience & while they can make you work, if you get some pretty prolific breeders, trying to keep up with them dispositing eggs on the top glass of your aquarium, it's pretty darn easy to see if you are looking out for that & you can remove keep them from hatching.

LJx
 

RoseFishWatcher

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Oct 31, 2006
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Another reason apple snails are a good choice is the variety of colors they can be. Commonly, I have seen white, black or yellow, and occasionally blue. Online (from an applesnail.net vendor) I found pink, purple, jade, etc. So, if you are willing to pay to get them online, your color choices are basically endless. Course, it matters less what color they are if their shell gets covered in algae, but oh well : )
 

kimmisc

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No matter what kind of mystery snail I get, they won't eat plants? And mystery snails are apple snails?
 

msjinkzd

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mystery snails are apple snails. There are some apple snails that will eat plants, however, I don't think they are as commonly sold in pet stores. Mystery snails do not eat live plants. check out the applesnail.net site to get more specifics on the snail which will eat plants.
 

kimmisc

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All they say is it depends what species, but on the species pages they don't say anything about it. However, on their forums there is a thread about "snail-proof plants" and that doesn't look promising.
 

msjinkzd

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the species pomacea bridgessi is the one most commonly found in the aquarium trade (mystery snail). The bridgessi do not eat healthy live plants, although you will see them eating dead plant matter, algae, and food stuck in the plants. Pomacea canaliculata are apple snails that can decimate all plants. On the site, you can look of pictures of both in order to differentiate. I have only ever seen bridgessi in the lfs around here. Good luck.
 

vampie

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Oct 25, 2006
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There is only one kind of Mystery Snail, and that's the species Pomacea Bridgesii. The Mystery Snail is a kind of Apple Snail, much like a Neon Tetra would be a kind of Tetra.

Mystery Snails are plant-safe, other Apples might not be.
 
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