Malaysian Trumpet Snails in Frontosa Tank - Safe ?

nagukush

nagukush

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Jan 1, 2008
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Hi Friends,

Kindly excuse me if this is a dumb question. This has been worrying me a lot and I thought I'd get your kind help and guidance.

I'm going to switch to my new 212 Gallon (from the current 50 Gallon) in the next week and I've decided to use the same substrate / gravel. I know I'll need more for the larger tank, but I thought I'll get the same substrate and mix in the current substrate, so that I'll need to buy and clean less additional gravel and also to help with the Cycling of the new tank.

My dilemma is that the current tank's substrate contains millions of MTS (Malaysian Trumpet Snails) in it. They have always been in the tank and I've never ever noticed any ill effects because of these guys. Infact they've been really helpful to keep the substrate clean and aeriated. For example - as soon as I feed my fronts, they start excreting and the whole tank floor is flooded with their excreta. Within a few minutes hundreds of tiny MTS come to the surface of the substrate and start feeding on the poo. I always wonder to see that all that poo disappears within half an hour !!!

Anyways, I guess they are great little animals but the downside is that they're really hard to eradicate (as they bear live young and multiply fast)

My cause of worry is that when my Fronts grow bigger and start breeding, they might pick up a few little snails along with the gravel. As these snails are sharp, they might damage the developing eggs in the female's mouth. I'm afraid that they might also start feeding on the developing eggs inside the mouth...

Right now I have the choice - I can add them to the new tank along with old gravel or I can avoid them completely by not using the current gravel and use all fresh one.

I want to have them because they've always helped me maintain my tank but I'm also worried if they can harm the eggs. If I dont use the current gravel, I also loose the convenience of easier cycling of the new tank...

Will be a great-great help if you kind friends can kindly consider and think about this, and kindly guide me on what to do. Please help me Friends...

Thanks a lot !
Regards and Care
Kush
 
I don't think you should be worried about the MTS doing any damage to your fronts or their eggs, Kush. IMHO, the only thing I would worry about is that maybe many snails will be snacks for the fronts as they grow up; but that's it, Kush!
 
They are fine in my Malawi Tank.

Nearly all my fish are big enough to pick up and swallow even the largest MTS.

When I first put them in, the fish were curious and picked them up, sucking them for a while - but now there is no interest (except when I suck a snail out by accident and have to throw it back in).

I have never head of MTS causing any of the problems you are worried about so I don't think I'd worry matey.

As you say, they do a great job. I'd keep them and not worry.
 
They are fine Kush also a necessity in a sand substrate setup since they like to burrow down into the sand..
 
well...my fish always spit them out if they irritate them. I wouldn't have a planted tank without them though.
 
jpappy789 said:
Not to mention the majority of MTS will stay buried, at least IME. The only time I would see them is during feeding time and when the lights are off.
Click to expand...

I NEVER see mine in the day or even during feeding. Then at night - hundreds appear out of nowhere. I only put 20 in at the beginning. I keep finding tiny ones all the time when cleaning. THEY ARE KNOWEHRE YET THEY ARE EVERYWHERE.

I hear they are a good indicator of water conditions too? They try and climb out the top if it bad, any truth to this?
 
Istanbul_Kop said:
I hear they are a good indicator of water conditions too? They try and climb out the top if it bad, any truth to this?
Click to expand...

I have read about that, Kop. If you see many of them too much time during day hours climbing out to the top of the tank, water conditions may not be good.
 
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