Snails..?

[sambos_gurl]

Ok, I am having a few aquarium delimmas. Number one being my new snail I bought. It is a blue mystery snail which I have been feeding algae wafers. The only problem is the leftover wafer he does not eat is sitting in the bottom of my betta tank. I am afraid it is going to ruin the water quality. Should I break the wafers in half, or feed every other day?

(My other problem) In my 29 gallon tank I have:

4 black phantom tetras
1 yoyo loach
1 clown loach
3 danios

am I overcrowded?

 

[dkpate]

The clown loach will get huge, and they do better in groups.

I feed my mystery snail a half a wafer at night, and she is the size of a golfball. If there is ever any leftovers, remove them, they will foul the water.

 

[siva]

If you don't already have one, I would get a turkey baster just for your tank (never wash it with soap), and use that to suck out any uneaten bits so they don't foul the water. A small snail probably needs just a little peice of a wafer a day. Your 29 is not overstocked. The clown loach however will need a bigger home. The tetras and danios are schooling fish so I would add more so you have 7 of each.

 

[sambos_gurl]

Thanks for the help guys! I appreciate it. Also have either of you ever added calcium to the water for your snail?

As for the Clown Loach you think he will have to be moved to a bigger tank? I am a little worried about this. Right now he is still a baby, but I have seen how big they get. I might have to give him back to the pet store if things don't work out The yoyo loach and the clown seem to get along very well hate to seem be broken up.

 

[siva]

No..I have lots of snails but I've never added calcium. Yeah he for sure needs a 55+ on tank size The yo-yo's and clowns both like to be in groups so that's prob why they are teaming up. I'd take the clown back and get a couple more yo-yo's to be his buddies

 

[dkpate]

I add cuttle bone to all of my tanks, there is apparently not alot of minerals in the water here where we live now. Before we moved, my snails all had nice big shiny shells, we had hard water. I have had to start adding more cuttle.

 

[CoyoteWildfire]

I have three snails and have not needed to add calcium. The snails are excellent at cleaning your gravel for you too, so if there are particles on the bottom, they don't tend to stay there for long.

I have to agree with siva on the clown though... At the least, try to find a decent home for him, if the store won't take it back.