Snails: Good or bad?
- Thread starter Hellbore
- Start date
When I first planted and cycled my tank, I had a few of these guys at first, hitchhiking on my plants. I was cycling with fish food as an ammonia source, so very quickly, there were snail eggs all over, and what looked like the beginnings of a HUGE overpopulation problem. So I was a little worried that I may have to do some population control ...
But, thankfully, once my tank was cycled and I stopped adding excess fish food to the tank, their population VERY quickly (like within a week or 2) seemed to decline/stop growing. Now (a month on), I have probably 5 or so noticeable large-ish ones ( a little larger than the one you have there), and a few smaller ones ... so it doesn't really seem to cause a problem.
But, thankfully, once my tank was cycled and I stopped adding excess fish food to the tank, their population VERY quickly (like within a week or 2) seemed to decline/stop growing. Now (a month on), I have probably 5 or so noticeable large-ish ones ( a little larger than the one you have there), and a few smaller ones ... so it doesn't really seem to cause a problem.
Nerites are fabulous tank cleaners. My tank gets unavoidable sunlight, meaning unavoidable algae. The nerites keep it sparkling, including the hard crusty green algae that was stuck to the glass. I have a small pond snail population, I let a few around, but crush any extra. At first I felt guilty, but I've managed to numb that part of my soul.
GuppyGirl1230
Snails, Guppies and Corys, OH MY!!!
LOL H2Ogal, yes she was!!!She was offering to adopt my pond snails lol, I am going to get a loach to add to my 125 and feed the nuisance pond snails to that as opposed to crushing them, my fish didn't go for the one I crushed.:huh:
Maribeth
Some snails would be great if they leave my live plants alone and just eat dead stuff.
What snails would you recommend for a small tank (10 gallon)? I heard Nerites... any other suggestions?
I actually would like some kind of scavengers, whether snails or shrimp or both... but with a small tank I'm sure my options are limited.
What snails would you recommend for a small tank (10 gallon)? I heard Nerites... any other suggestions?
I actually would like some kind of scavengers, whether snails or shrimp or both... but with a small tank I'm sure my options are limited.
Most loaches like to be in schools, so get several. Botias are, I think, the best snail hunters. The clowns get huge of course, but there are lots of other species to choose from. Plenty of info at www.loaches.com — but I bet you already knew that.
Some people love nerites but others dislike the hard little (non-hatching) eggs that they leave everywhere. Briggs snails are large and colorful, and won't reproduce if you just get males. Dixienut breeds them and can advise you as to how many for a 10g. (She's been giving them away lately, too, which is super nice.) I adore ramshorns, myself. Depending on what else you have in your tank, shrimp could make a great addition!
GuppyGirl1230
Snails, Guppies and Corys, OH MY!!!
I love briggs- they are fantastic! So are rams horns and Malaysian Trumpets. I have all three plus some pond snails and the Briggs give the the best coloration and the best "scavenging" skills. They cleaned my diatoms up, and I have none now. I know that diatoms go away on their own, but the snails did a great job. If you can find it, dixienut is giving 10 briggs free, her choice if you pay shipping. I know this is a plug, but she is the one I got most of my snails from (not the pond snails lol), and the briggs and MTS I got from her are great. I have no dead loss and they are getting bigger and bigger. Good Luck and I hope you find some snails you like!!
Maribeth
P.S. Check out my 55 gallon community tank pictures and you will see the snails I got from her!!
Maribeth
P.S. Check out my 55 gallon community tank pictures and you will see the snails I got from her!!
Those Briggs snails look fantastic. I just wonder if they are too big for my tank though. Are there any smaller varieties that are similar?
By the way Guppygirl do you like guppies? That's what lives in my aquarium, right now. Just guppies... and one odd black Molly!
I wonder if the poor Molly feels alone, being the only Molly among guppies :huh:
The dirty little secret was originally there were 6 mollies but... you can guess what happened... Aquarium noob, uncycled tank, following the directions that came with the aquarium... :uhoh: This is how I know this particular Molly is a tough survivor hehe...
By the way Guppygirl do you like guppies? That's what lives in my aquarium, right now. Just guppies... and one odd black Molly!
I wonder if the poor Molly feels alone, being the only Molly among guppies :huh:
The dirty little secret was originally there were 6 mollies but... you can guess what happened... Aquarium noob, uncycled tank, following the directions that came with the aquarium... :uhoh: This is how I know this particular Molly is a tough survivor hehe...
