Survival of the fittest... Snails?

[Wycco]

So, I'm in the process of cycling a tank... and to fill the long void waiting- I'm doing some research.

Topic Du Jour- Snails.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is competition for food between different snails. I have sand as my substrate- so I understand Malaysian Trumpet Snails are a must- but apologies to Malaysian Lovers- they're quite boring and if they're always hidden during the day not much of an addition for viewing.

I see the Nerites and Mystery snails are very popular as well as Ramshorns but if I keep multiple snail types- will they out compete each other for food.

I've read about MTS population booms- and controlling the population is as simple as feeding the tank less. (obviously the idea is not to overfeed and get too many in the first place).

Now, if I have Nerites or Mystery Snails in the same tank as MTS- are the MTS going to outcompete my more ornamental snails for food and result in them dying off? Or will my Nerites/Mystery Snails get the food they need first and limit the MTS population.




If Kuhlis are added to the equation- will they stop the MTS from getting out of hand by eating the smaller ones of them and leaving the larger snails in the tank?

 

[bazil323]

I have no experience with Kuhlis, but I do have tanks with MTS, ramshorns, pond snails, and now nerites.

I find that the MTS do tend to stay in the substrate, but they will come up if there is not enough to eat or if I forget to turn the heater back on. I try to drop any algae wafers on top of a plant or other decor for the other snails, but most of the time, it ends up on the substrate anyway. I see no problems with one outcompeting the others for food, but I have only had the nerites since Friday. I have heard that nerites are sometimes hard to supplement as they don't take prepared foods like algae wafers or snail jello, and they prefer actual algae growing in the tank. But, since I've not had them long, I cannot comment on it personally.

I would not see a problem with combining MTS with other snails like you have mentioned since MTS will pretty much stay in the substrate while the other snails have the benefit of scouring the whole tank for food.

 

[vampie]

I've found that MTS will pretty much come right out of the substrate when you add food, even flake food floating at the surface. You could try dropping the food in front of your ornamentals so they could get to it first.

 

[Sounguru]

Speaking as an experienced snail keeper having all varities you are looking at plus some here is my experience.

MTS: Will come out and can be seen even during the day. The larger the population the more you will see them. They will help keep the substrate clean and are good at stirring it up. Livebears so no eggs to remove

Ramshorns: Are mid water snails and will help keep stuff off of plants but breed fast and can become a pest. if you keep the food low they will probably become the dominate the tank over time over the other snails. Takes 2 to breed egg layer on plants and deco.

Mystery Snails: Get larger and will have a hard time getting on to finer leafed plants to keep them clean. It takes a male and a female to breed eggs laid above the water line.

Now all 3 of these will readily take jello and other foods with no problem so feeding them is a snap.

Nerites: Awsome alage eater can not breed in Fw so no worry about over population. I have been able to get mine to eat zucs and green beans when alage is low.

I have all 4 in the same tank with no problems of them getting enough food since they all spend parts of their times in areas the others can't get to. But when I throw a chunk of jello or calcium puck in the tank it is a multi species snail pile...:evil_lol:

 

[Wycco]

Thank you everyone!

So basically- no problem short term or long term mixing snails... and not only that, it's probably a good idea to get a variety of different types?

 

[Sounguru]

I have a mixture in all my tanks with no problems.... My Assasins find the variation in their dinner choices a positive thing...

 

[Wycco]

Yes, I won't be getting assassins- if I get ornamentals too!

Read something interesting 30 minutes ago- looking up Ramshorns and saw comments alluding to apple snails eating Ramshorns.

Is this any apple snail- or only certain ones? I'm assuming not the Mystery Snail- must be another type of apple snail... couldn't really find more info on this.

 

[deeleywoman]

also, it's my understanding that kuhlis have little to no interest in snails due to their little mouths.

 

[Wycco]

also, it's my understanding that kuhlis have little to no interest in snails due to their little mouths.

I've been researching them the last several days.

I've read some people say they'll eat small snails but not big snails- and I've seen others say they've had Kuhlis with snails and the Kuhlis never touched a single one... I suppose it might vary on the individual fish.

Never had the experience of owning Kuhlis- this will be a first for me. I'm also not sure when people say they eat "small snails" if that means newly hatched snails- or just any smaller than their mouth.

Either way- not too concerned- the MTS, were I to get them, would be in the tank and breeding before the Kuhlis and I doubt they'd find them all. Any ornamentals would be too big for them (I suspect).

There about 3 species ahead of the Kuhlis on my checklist that I'm going to add before the Kuhlis... Snails would have AT LEAST a month head start to become baby machines.

 

[Lupin]

Yes, I won't be getting assassins- if I get ornamentals too!

Read something interesting 30 minutes ago- looking up Ramshorns and saw comments alluding to apple snails eating Ramshorns.

Is this any apple snail- or only certain ones? I'm assuming not the Mystery Snail- must be another type of apple snail... couldn't really find more info on this.

Mystery snails don't really eat ramshorns and any other snails but they will if beyond starvation and struggling to survive. I have ramshorns with my own brigs and none are lost. A lot of petstores have been known to starve them due to the misconception that snails do not need supplemental feedings. It's usually the canaliculata complex including both the Pomacea canaliculata and P. insularum that are known for this behavior.