Help with Nerite Snail Feeding & Water Quality

[gallopingmouse]

Hello!

I'm having trouble with my 5g Betta tank. I added a Nerite Snail to help with algae control- which worked great, the little dude ate all of my algae within a few days. He's an efficient eater & my tank doesn't seem to grow enough naturally to support him. So I tossed in some algae wafers and apparently overdid it because I got a nitrite spike.

I've vacuumed, done a water change, & changed my filter cartridge- & I'll keep monitoring water quality. My question is: what are best practices for feeding the snail while keeping my water quality? Should I try veggies instead of wafers?

Any advice much appreciated, thanks!

 

[libertybelle]

Hi there!

Changing your filter cartridge may cause another mini cycle. When was the last time you tested and what were the numbers.

How many and how long did you leave the wafers in the tank?

You can leave your lights on longer to encourage a little extra growth for him. Do you have live or fake plants? Extra surface area, especially of live plants will give him extra places to munch on and live plants will give him the occasional decaying leaf to eat up.
Do you have any other tanks? If so you could even move him back and forth between tanks.

 

[gallopingmouse]

Thanks for the response!
I've been testing pretty consistently & I don't seem to have had any nitrite since I started the tank, so it worries me a bit. I'm still showing 0.25 this morning, so I'll do another partial water change.

Fake plants- it's a small tank & I want to keep the maintenance to a minimum. The algae cookies were only in there overnight, but created noticeable particulate. I guess the next step is to try some veg & hope my piggy beta doesn't eat it.

 

[libertybelle]

In a small space it’s probably best to clean up uneaten food within an hour or so. Veggies will also cloud the water if left in too long.

Honestly a single nerite in a 5 gallon I wouldn’t worry too much. I have like 4 in a 10 gallon and while I do put in food for the shrimp the snails ignore it and focus on the walls/ decor. I’d probably just leave lights on longer and only as a rare treat toss in a pellet near the snail. If there is not interest within a few minutes just take it out again.

There is a product called Bacter ae which helps stimulate biofilm growth for algae/biofilm eaters. You could dose that occasionally in small amounts and it shouldn’t foul the water so much.

 

[Autumnsky]

For Bacter AE, tiny amount periodically is a really good idea. Tiny amounts on a schedule like maybe every week to 10 days. I would recommend using a tooth pic, the kind with a flat end and never shake it over the tank, too much can fall in too easily, lol, like how do I know!???!!!

 

[gallopingmouse]

Okay, thanks! I'll take your suggestions & stop worrying so much about the snail.

 

[Tony30gal]

For Bacter AE, tiny amount periodically is a really good idea. Tiny amounts on a schedule like maybe every week to 10 days. I would recommend using a tooth pic, the kind with a flat end and never shake it over the tank, too much can fall in too easily, lol, like how do I know!???!!!

Totally agree with you!

 

[gallopingmouse]

So I ordered some of the Bacter AE. Hoping that'll help grow enough algae for the snail. The good thing is it's pretty easy to tell when he's eating by the many adorable little snail poops he leaves behind.