Snails outcompeting snails

[jflng]

Months ago I tossed a dozen or so ramshorns in my tank. Their population grew very large in a very short time.

I then added a dozen or so MTS. The MTS population took off and the ramshorns started to vanish.

Today I have a gagillian MTS and only a few remaining ramshorns.

I have noticed no change in the pond snail population since their introduction.

Did the MTS in some way wipe out my ramshorns? Are they known to be more prolific than ramshorns? Are they a more hardy variety? Maybe they're eating the ramshorn eggs before they hatch.

My tank specs are fine. All other inhabitants are doing well. The only change I've noticed coinciding the great ramshorn die-off, is the population explosion of the MTS.

Any ideas or explanations?

 

[msjinkzd]

I have noticed a different scenario in my tank, when i introduce ramshorns, the pond snails die off. I don't have mts though. I think that the ramshorns are more efficient at reproducing/scavenging than the ponds.

 

[jflng]

Hmm, so given our two observations, I guess we can assume the snail pecking order is MTS > Ramshorn > Pond Snail.
I'm not quite ready to conclude that just yet though.
Anyone else notice any population shifts when mixing snail species?

 

[soobie]

I also observed that trumpet snails outcompete pond snails.

 

[thebullit]

trumpets do outcompeat all other pond snails.

 

[jflng]

So it's best to keep a single species snail farm?
That sucks.

 

[mellowvision]

trumpets outcompete everything

 

[Lupin]

Funny how I noticed in my own situation the pond snails disappeared when ramshorns took over and then the MTS.erv:

 

[jflng]

Wow, so it's not just me.

I really wanted a multi-species snail farm, but I guess that won't work.

I'm going to save my few remaining ramshorns before they all disappear. Unfortunately, all my aquariums have trumpets. I didn't want to set up a new tank for my ramshorns.

Is it possible to remove only the MTS without disturbing other snails, or tearing down the tank?

 

[Zydrunas]

YMMV, but I currently have a tank with Spixis and MTS coexisting great. I've even seen baby MTS and baby Spixis at the same time. They *did* pretty much eradicate my ramshorns that were in there, but there were only a few to start with.