Rotten Egg Smelling Snail Water

Shawna

Shawna

AC Members
Jul 7, 2005
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Eeew its so grose. When I do water changes in my snail/betta tank, the water that comes out smells like rotten eggs. When the water is in the tank, you dont notice any smell at all (just normal aquarium smell) But as its pouring into the bucket, peeeEeeew~~!!! Its a 10 gallon, with one male betta and 7 baby snails. I have been doing daily water changes hoping that the water pouring into the bucket would get better. I haven't had my snails very long ( a little over a week I believe?) But this doesnt seem normal to me. Nothing is rotting under the gravel, and Ive been trying to remove as much snail poo as I can during water changes, as thats the only thing I can think of that it could be.
 
How are you removing the poo?

How long has the gravel been in the tank. I think that if it doesn't get aeration there is anaerobic bacteria that builds up and causes the smell. So I don't think you'd SEE anything wrong. IF you use a gravel vac, you can stir the gravel (or you could stir it with something else, obviously) and that aerates the gravel. I don't know if you have to take steps to remove the smell/bacteria first.

Hope that helps.
 
I use a sypon, and do a pretty good job stirring up the gravel in the process. One odd thing I noticed when I do my vaccuming tho since getting snails - there are always hundreds of little bubbles that seem to be trapped in the gravel. Ive had this gravel for about 5 months, and its only been in the last week since getting snails that this has happened. Thats why im confused.
 
I don't know how the snails would cause the bubbles throughout the gravel other than them traveling throughout it to aerate it. Something like worms do in the soil. The smell is most definitely an anaerobic source which could be deadly to your betta. Keep up with the water changes and eventualy, it will dissipate.

Do you have live plants in the tank?
 
So I have been looking up anaerobic respiration. I feel all sceintific. I love biology and remember a lot from HS and college...go me! Enough back-patting though. If this stuff interests you here's the link:

http://www.cat.cc.md.us/courses/bio141/lecguide/unit4/metabolism/cellresp/anaer.html

Anyway I was looking for what caused the bubbles, only I have a headache so I might not have gotten far enough with it but the bubbles might be nitrogen gas? Or I am completely wrong.

I don't know your bioload exactly, but maybe bottom feeders (small ones like little cories) would help stir things up.
 
How deep is the gravel in the tank, and do you vacuum or just stir?

There are significant differences in the level of anoxia in substrates at which the various anaerobic bacteria flourish. The denitrification bacteria are comfortable at higher ORP (ORP = oxidation/reduction potential, a measure of how much or how little oxygen is available) than are the sulfur-reducing bacteria (which are responsible for the rotten egg smell, hydrogen sulfide, H2S) and methane-producing bacteria.

Bubbles in the substrate are generally from one bacterial type or the other. The denitrification bacteria are harmless and in fact may be considered helpful, as they do reduce nitrate to atmospheric nitrogen gas. The sulfur reducers are potentially quite dangerous to the tank. Excessive mulm including a high organic load in the absence of oxygen can poison a tank. It is not common, but it does happen.
 
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