I agree. Also, even though your LFS may not have them listed for sale they may still be in their tanks...if that is the case then they probably wouldn't mind giving away some "nuisance" snails.
Anaerobic Bacteria
- Thread starter Goodcreature
- Start date
Alright, I'll be checking out the marketplace then, and seeing where else I can find them, just to compare price and convenience.
You guys have been a tremendous help. Thanks!
You guys have been a tremendous help. Thanks!
Like Jpappy says..... your LFS should have plenty of these MTS...... Usually in the plants.
I just bought a java fern and discovered one in the plant when I got home.
I've brought home plants before that had snails on them, but they were pond snails. I went ahead and just let them breed in my ten gallon and periodically fed them to my cichlids.
Okay, today I'm taking out the styrofoam. Finally found a good day for it. Do I need to take out the fish for that? I'm not really worried about them getting hurt in the move, but if there is anything in my substrate or styrofoam, I don't want them to be in there when gases are released. What do you guys think?
I've had my fish do just when I've destructed and reconsructed my sand bottom tanks. If there has been excessive methane buildup in the substrate I would just do a quick vacuum of the deeper layers. You don't really have to remove alot of water but it gets the gasses out and away from the tank. At anyrate it has worked well for me. You will end up with really dirty looking water till the filter gets the small particles trapped and or you do a good water change. Hope this helps.
From what I gather, your tank has not been up that long, so you should not have too much schmutz accumulated.
LiveMermaid07
Bloody Mary. As in, hand me one.
and if one of the mangers doesn't want to give away what they are trying to get rid of anyway, try the other managers
The petsmart here just one of the managers won't give their nuisance snails away, the others will stuff a bag full for me lol.
The substrate of most tanks will contain some anaerobic bacteria. There's no way to prevent it. Some folks think that Malaysian Trumpet snails aerate the substrate so this doesn't happen. It's really a myth. MTS require oxygen so they only burrow in the upper inch or so of substrate where the O2 is. So if the O2 is there, the aerobic bacteria is there too! MTS are beneficial as they expidite the breakdown of organic material, but they do nothing to prevent anaerobic bacteria deep in the substrate or under rocks.
Anaerobic bacteria is not really bad. Some anaerobic bacteria processes nitrates, converting it to nitrogen, completing the N2 cycle. The only time anaerobic bacteria becomes a potential problem is when it decomposes organic matter and produces toxic gases like hydrogen sulfide. To prevent this DO NOT stir detritus deep into the sand or gravel bed. Let aerobic bacteria decompose in the upper layers of the substrate or remove it with routine siphoning.
If you have a gravel substrate, you can do aggressive gravel siphoning during the weekly water change or not. For sand you pretty much just hover above the surface of the sand.
The substrate is a diverse eco-system and like most all bio-media 'platforms' it is best left undisturbed. It really does not need to be stirred up as this doesn't really accomplish anything but upset the natural environment.
Anaerobic bacteria is not really bad. Some anaerobic bacteria processes nitrates, converting it to nitrogen, completing the N2 cycle. The only time anaerobic bacteria becomes a potential problem is when it decomposes organic matter and produces toxic gases like hydrogen sulfide. To prevent this DO NOT stir detritus deep into the sand or gravel bed. Let aerobic bacteria decompose in the upper layers of the substrate or remove it with routine siphoning.
If you have a gravel substrate, you can do aggressive gravel siphoning during the weekly water change or not. For sand you pretty much just hover above the surface of the sand.
The substrate is a diverse eco-system and like most all bio-media 'platforms' it is best left undisturbed. It really does not need to be stirred up as this doesn't really accomplish anything but upset the natural environment.
