Flourish Excel vs Snails

[CatatonicBug]

I recently added several Mystery snails to all my tanks, just to add some diversity and a possible algae defense. I just started dosing Excel, and within 1 day of the first dose, the snails all stopped moving, and almost seemed like they were asleep. Sometimes they just float on the surface, and every once in a while, they actually grab on and walk short distances. Is there something about Excel that snails don't like??

[Purrbox]

A snail floating at the surface is definately an indication of water quality issues. It's their way of trying to excape to better water. Just hanging out in one spot for awhile in their shell on the other hand is an indication of a good meal being digested. Have you checked your other parameters (Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate)? I've dosed Flourish Excel with snails and never had any issues. Of course that was always with normal dosing or occationally 2-3 times normal. Are you dosing the recommended dose or higher?

[CatatonicBug]

The dose was just above a single dose volume. The have been in the tanks about a week, and were always super active and just zoomed around the tanks all day. I was just concerned that the only thing that changed was the addition of Excel, and the snails all seemed so unhappy.

[waterfaller1]

Back off on the amount a bit and see what happens.

[CatatonicBug]

I did that... I even skip several days between doses. The snails are still acting unhappy.

So, basically, it's supposed to be OK to use Excel with snails? If that's the case, I will just have to look into somthing else as the cause.

[waterfaller1]

Check your PH, NO2, NO3,& NH3. Are you feeding them a bit? They do appreciate a few pellets, or part of an algae wafer now and again. Maybe your tank doesn't have enough algae for them to eat? Mine appreciate the food I feed my shrimp..lots of variety. They will also need some Ca & MG for their shells.

[CatatonicBug]

At this point, there is PLENTY of algae for them to eat. It's all over everything. Hence the need to dose Excel. I figure that when the algae is no longer an issue I will begin supplementing their diet with other thing. I just increased my lighting, so I imagine that is the main cause for the increased algae. I am steadily adding more plants so there will be less nutrients for the algae to benefit from as well.

[theotheragentm]

My MTS don't come out unless it is dark or I have disrupted the substrate with a vacuuming, bringing up things for them to eat. If they don't come out after lights out, then you might worry.

[fish_4_all]

When I had my mystery snails I had a tank full of algae on all panes but the front. They did very little to actually "eliminate" it. They grazed here and there on it but never controlled it. I don't honestly think they are a good choice to remove algae. I also think that they need to have supplimental food to keep them happy and healthy.

As for Excel, I does Excel with Mystery snails for almost a year and never had a problem with them being unhappy or acting abnormally.

[CatatonicBug]

Originally Posted by fish_4_all

When I had my mystery snails I had a tank full of algae on all panes but the front. They did veruy little to actually "eliminate" it. They grazed here and there on it but never controlled it. I don't honestly think they are a good choice to remove algae. I also think that they need to have supplimental food to keep them happy and healthy.

As for Excel, I does Excel with Mystery snails for almost a year and never had aproble with them being unhappy or acting abnormally.

I agree about the fact that the snails are not a good choice to eliminate algae. Prior to dosing Excel, they did look really cool though, cruising around the tank at all hours of the day and night.
In my office tank, I have not used Excel, and the one snail I have in there is still super active, and has not exibited the same signs as the other two tanks. As long as the Excel is not supposed to harm the snails, I guess there must be something else going on.