Malaysian Trumpet Snails or California Blackworms?

Chrisinator

Chrisinator

Ripariumist
Sep 27, 2008
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Chris
I'm trying to find some form of organism to stir up my gravel. I don't want to have to vaccum the crud off because I have a planted tank and a lot of heavy root feeders and I'm mainly looking for a way to stir it. In your experience, do the malaysian trumpet snails or california blackworms worm more efficiently in stirring the sand?

I'm more leaning towards the california blackworms because they won't over breed.. and if they do, my fish can eat some of them.

If I go with the california blackworms, how should I go about putting them in the substrate with all my fish in with them? I'm afraid they'd get eaten before they even get into the subtrate if I do that.
 
I have been feeding live blackworms regularly to my tanks lately, and while definitely some make it to the gravel, not enough are left in order to do what you desire. Sometimes at night there will be a bit of food left behind (some cucumber, or a NLS algae wafer) which I'll notice a few worms are eating, but I don't think there are all that many in the gravel bed.

I would recommend MTS, I have them in all my tanks - intentionally or not! They don't massively overbreed unless you overfeed, and if they get to be a problem you can always add an assassin snail or two to keep the numbers tapered off.
 
+1 to platytudes.

I've picked up blackworms at the local LFS, usually about an ounce at a time. For about a week or so, you will see them hanging out under the driftwood, or in the substrate. Then that's about it.

However, i also have MTS, and since I've put them in a year or so ago, I haven't been overrun like the horror stories you hear. I have much larger problems with pond/bladder snails in one of my shrimp tanks with bad lighting and algae growth.

I would say a couple dozen med to large MTS in the tank will find you a happy equilibrium.
 
I've yet to notice an MTS population explosion either. Either they breed more slowly or they just are always buried so I hardly notice them. Like other snails with proper feeding and maintenance you can keep them well under control. Also, I'm sure they would do a better job stirring things up.
 
+1 for MTS

Blackworms do a great job of reducing the mulm to smaller particles that are easier for bacteria to break down. My shrimp tank is full of them and they are happy and numerous. Unfortunately(for them) they have the habit of leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch of themselves sticking up from the gravel. So if you have any fish that like to eat them you won't have any blackworms long term.
 
why does it have to be one or the other?...i have both

I feed live black worms that i grow my self.and after every one is fat and full i take a turkey baster and put a bunch around the tank in nooks and crannys ..This gives them a chance to dig own and get hidden and move around ...witch when my fish are over there fat lazy full state they can go hunting for them!...keeps the fish busy and hunting witch really seems to bring out the best in them... I do this about once a month and by the end of the month most of them are gone..but i find lots when i dug up the sane for cleaning.

^_^ good luck.
 
That's some good advice, another option might be to add them to the tank at night after the lights (both in their tank and ambient) have been out for a while. They probably won't hunt them then! By the way, I don't know why I said gravel and gravel bed since I now only have 2 tanks with gravel, the other 6 are sand ;)
 
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