Cycling with snails

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Scottw68TN

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Sep 15, 2003
Messages
586
Location
Nashville
This will sound odd but does anyone think snails are affected by a tank thats cycling? I know these guys can live in some pretty bad water and go to the top for air but wasn't sure about them absorbing ammonia in deadly quantities.
 
From my experience it depends on the snail, I have cycled with ramshorn, malaysian trumpet, apple, and pond snails. I don't know what the scientific data is on each snail but I can tell ya that the pond snails seem to survive dang near anything, apple snails are almost as tough, but trumpet and ramshorn are a lot more sensitive.

I know this because I have cylcled tanks with snails and also have added ramshorn and malaysians during peak ammonia cycle periods. The rams and trumpets don't handle it very well. I think the pond snails could care less. Malaysians are sensitive to poor water, they like to burrow in the substrate and only come out at night unless the water quality goes down (usually starts in the substrate of course) then they start fleeing the substrate I am told, acting as sort of a mine-canary of sorts.

When I'm done, the clown loaches are added to eradicate the little snails if they get too numerous. I have a 10g I am using to breed pond snails for my 4 clown loaches right now, there's a betta and african frog in there as well (I think I need a few buddies for the frog...)

I am always amazed at how many snails that 4 clown loaches can eat in about 2 days. They seem to be able to clear a tank of (a lot of) snails in a couple of days.
 
I breed them for loaches too. just never cycled with them. I have a pond snail who laid its eggs after 3 hours of putting it in about 10 mts and a small apple snail. Hopefully the apple makes it. Ive got a few guppys to get the cycle chugging along. I'm pretty sure they will go belly up before a snail would. Thanks for the benefit of you experience. Anyone else lose a snail to the cycle?
 
And since I've started a snail thread....If an apple lays eggs below the water line will they survive or should I scoop em out.
 
Some kinds of apple snails lay them above and some kinds lay them below, safest is to leave the right where the snail stuck em.

Also check out this awesome site on apple snails

www.applesnail.net


:band:
 
Thats the site I refer to alot. Mine are supposed to lay above the water line.
I've got 2 at home that are always doing it but never lay eggs just scatter them sometimes. see my gallery for pictures of snail sex.
 
Sorry, :foot: my memory is short at best today.

Anyway,, the only major egg experience w/apple snails I have had was gobs of pink eggs all over the place but they were all above waterline, and some of them fell in the water, and didnt hatch.

I suggested to the snail that she use better adhesive but it went unheeded. :drain:

:snipersmile: :onfire:
 
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