Why hate snails?

[Guest]

I can certainly understand not wanting a tank over-run with snails, and I remove some regularly. However, why do so many people hate having any snails at all?

With all my tanks I like it to look like a little slice of nature, and snails fit into that. I don't feel they detract from my fish or plants, and I find anything that lives peacefully in my tank is pretty much welcome. Besides, as I noted in another post, the are helpful in breaking down fish wastes into nutrients the plants use.

So honestly, I'm not trying to be a Mr. smarty-pants, I really want to know why a lot of people have this hatred of snails?

Please enlighten me folks, what are the reasons for wanting a snail-free tank?

 

[Bearfan]

I agree, a small number of snails is a good thing. I have a few large snails that help keep the tank clean.

 

[targaboy78]

I also agree, snails are beneficial.

If you are afraid of being "over-run" with snails, you can make sure that you get live bearers instead of egg layers.
Egg layers tend to leave a legacy of snails, 100's (maybe 1000's) of eggs that hatch and inevitably take over your tank.

http://www.intellweb.com/gcka/Malaysnails.html

Malaysian Trumpet Snails, however, tend to trigger controversy. They are fairly small creatures, reaching only about 3/4," and have shells that look like tiny cornucopias or ice-cream cones. They are primarily active at night, so you will seldom see them. Considered useful by many, they prefer to burrow in the sand or gravel substrate, stirring it up nicely. They are beloved by plant folk, since they are carnivorous, and leave valuable plants alone unless extremely hungry.

For those with breeding tanks, egg predation by these snails can be a severe problem.

 

[mitche8359]

Those that hate snails have probably been over-run by them in the past. I wouldn't say I hate snails, just that I would prefer not having them in my tank. I could easily pluck the one snail that I received as a bonus from the lfs out of the tank. However, it can stay as long as it remains one and not 100s.

 

[Bearfan]

I have found that if you examine the roots and leaves of the plants closely before you plant them you can typically get them all.

 

[jeffd902]

I slacked on checking my tank for snails for a few days, I went from none visable to a few larger and TONS of small snails. I am worried about being overrun.

 

[mitche8359]

I got some plants at the lfs yesterday at lunch. As I put them in the tank last night I saw a snail on one of the plants. He didn't make it into the tank, but I forgot what I did with it...

 

[Chrismac]

Cleaning the plants before adding them to the tank slows down over run of snails, I put one plant in without cleaning it so I could have some snails they are benifical but like anything too much of a good thing is a bad thing lol.
Chris.

 

[mitche8359]

Yeah, I have one snail that I know of. I'm hoping that snails can't live out of water.

Tom

 

[( 8 ) eiGhtBaLL]

Are they worth getting?

 

[Grant R]

I have quite a few snails within my set up, I've no idea where they go during the day, as they only ever appear after lights out (probably through fear of being munched).

The loaches are very amusing when they get hold of the snails - sometimes spend up to 20mins picking and poking, trying to remove the body from the shells !!
They even carry them, back outside to their little cave.

I think they are called 'BullHorn' snails, or something similar ... thry are small with a spirally type shell.

 

[hisc1ay]

I used to only have one snail. It got really big before I saw any others. Now there are a dozen or so. This breed is definitely not reproducing as fast as the last breed I got by accident. They're kinda cool to watch, but I don't want more than a handful. I think I'm going to let them continue to grow, though, and then place them in the other tanks I have with no snails, spread the wealth.

-j

 

[loganj]

I'm trying to raise them for puffer food. I threw a handful in the 55 hoping they would breed and keep the puffer well fed. I have never had an tank without a few snails in it.
Logan J