Are snails a good idea?

supgourami

supgourami

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Jun 10, 2006
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My tank is getting rather filled with algae. I have a small common pleco, only about 2" long, and he just isn't doing the job. The sides are starting to get green, and its rather unattractive. I don't want to use algea killers, but rather a more natural option, snails.


Not the little snails that appear in your tank, but ones that you buy at a pet store and such. Should I even bother investing in such a snail, or should I just let my pleco work slowly at the algae?


And if you do suggest a snail, what kind of snail do you suggest?
 
The snails for sale in a pet store won't bother much with algae unless they are babies (less than m&m size generally) or starving. Pond snails and ramshorns (the "bad" snails that aliens bring to the tanks) are actually pretty good little algae eaters. I'm even enjoying watching the ramshorns glide around and do snaily things.

To get to the bottom of an algae issue, you have to fix the cause not just control symptoms.
~Does your tank get direct sunlight?
~What are your water parameters?
~How long has the tank been up and running?
~Planted?
~How long are the lights left on?
~What is your water change routine?

Without knowing what your tank's water or inhabitants are like, my only suggestion would be to get a few bunches of anacharis. They are nutrient hogs and 4 6" sprigs have completely cured my hair and spot algae issues in one of my tanks. They are now about 15 6" sprigs, but it is working quite well to keep the tank clean and clear. I'm sure someone with more algae experience will pipe in, but for now this is a start.
 
get your hands in there and clean the glass or get those mag-float thing to scrub it off.
thats the best way
 
supgourami said:
Not the little snails that appear in your tank, but ones that you buy at a pet store and such. Should I even bother investing in such a snail
Click to expand...

In my newbie stage, before I even knew what a water change was, I had a 10g that was literally choked with algae; you couldn't even see through the glass. My solution, add 3 golden apple snails.

They didn't even make a dent in it.

So, I tried something new, cleaning the tank. I got out a sponge and within 5 minutes the glass was crystal clear.
 
I would tend to disagree. when I got my very first aquarium, way back in 1998, all I had was a gold fish, and his nice 10g tank got filled with algae quick. so I got some snails (dont know what kind, probably just reglar pond snails), though my mother warned me they would overrun the tank,which they did. my algae was at normal levels in 1 week and my goldfish loved eating the young snails!:D though getting an algae scraper is a VERY good idea.
 
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A begginers Guide to Snails

This should answer some Questions for you.
Snails will help control and remove a good buit of algea, but will nt ocunteract a poorly maintained tank as mentioned. Both Cleaning and Snails would be in Order IMO. I have snails in all tanks and love them.

Dave
 
i have a 10 gal tank divided for 2 bettas and theres some real thick green algae growing, could i use 1 snail on each side to counteract this problem, or will my bettas go after them?
 
Snails are a nice addition to tanks as they are general scavengers. I adore my little pond snails and will be adding some nerite snails once my new tank is up and running as they are one more line of defense in removing dead plant material. You can't count on them for doing more than help control small levels of algae, and then only in areas you can't really reach. If you keep the walls and rocks and big areas clean, the snails will be able to concentrate on the little stuff you can't get to--plant stems, gravel, underhangs, weird corners, etc. If you leave all the big stuff in place that YOU could clean, they'll never be able to make more than the tiniest of difference.

And as pointed out, snails add to the bioload. I'd rather spend a little time on elbow grease and save the bioload for more fish.
 
read the above info regarding snails and algae. My old betta lived with a mystery snail, but in the beginning he would nip at the snails antennae. Nipped some off, actually. After a week or so he left the snail alone.
 
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