Plants and snails

[jayellestevens]

Hi!

Just wondering if anyone has any advice on snails in a planted tank. I have a rather large mystery snail who is awesome, but he goes around chewing off stems of my plants and they break off. I've had to take out two plants already and I have a third one that's been chewed up too is the normal for a mystery snail?

 

[theycallmekhan]

Normally, they don't. Only the dead parts. Anymore details, such as plant types and the size of your snail.

 

[jayellestevens]

I've got a star rotala, spiralus, reinekii, money wort and hornwort. Snail is pretty big, I would say around 4 inches wide and his shell is 3 inches tall

Thanks!!

 

[theycallmekhan]

I think, you might have gotten ripped off by your pet store then, since pet stores often sell pond snails as other types of snails, and pond snails will eat live plants that aren't even rotting.

 

[Aces1980]

Very rare they eat live plants only time I've seen the them eat live plants if their not finding enough food. Me myself I actually breed them I have small one and large golf ball size in my heavily planted 110 they never messed with live plants they always eat left over flake and alage wafers and sinking pellets I put in


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[jayellestevens]

I see... Well I might have to try another species of snail then. I don't actually think he is eating them. He just chews through them and parts of the plant break off and float to the top. Thanks very much for both your replies.

 

[theycallmekhan]

Maybe you can separate the snail to it's own small little tank.

 

[candymancan]

hmm ive never seen my Mystery snails eat my plants before.. Although I don't like those snails much.. They tend to die if there is no algae in the tank.. They don't do very well in my smaller tanks I noticed like my 20-30g tanks.. They only seem to live in my bigger tank 55g.. more room and more food.


I preffer nerite snails. ive never had those die on me before and they clean algae better too

 

[jayellestevens]

Yes I think part of the problem was he was too big for my little tank, he found a new home with a friend of mines big tank!

I went out and bought 2 zebra nerite snails hopefully they don't invest my tank, I'll probably be kicking myself in the *** for it later but I think they are much more appropriate for my plants well being!

Thanks again for the reply. Very much appreciated

 

[tiger terror]

Yes I think part of the problem was he was too big for my little tank, he found a new home with a friend of mines big tank!

I went out and bought 2 zebra nerite snails hopefully they don't invest my tank, I'll probably be kicking myself in the *** for it later but I think they are much more appropriate for my plants well being!

Thanks again for the reply. Very much appreciated

Nerites need brackish water in order to breed successfully,no worries of an infestation..

Getcha feet wet fish tank people!

 

[evil Nick]

I think, you might have gotten ripped off by your pet store then, since pet stores often sell pond snails as other types of snails, and pond snails will eat live plants that aren't even rotting.

I dont think you can mistake a pond snail for a mystery snail, theres a size difference of about 100 times lol

 

[evil Nick]

Nerites need brackish water in order to breed successfully,no worries of an infestation..

Getcha feet wet fish tank people!

no babies but you will get little eggs everywhere. Mine deposited eggs on my driftwood, rock and even my poor mystery snails shell.

Something must have figured out they like them though because there are small holes in some of the eggs like something was eating them.
Will other snails eat the eggs for calcium?

 

[Fresh2o]

I think, you might have gotten ripped off by your pet store then, since pet stores often sell pond snails as other types of snails, and pond snails will eat live plants that aren't even rotting.

I have a few pond snails in my planted tank and I only see them grazing on algae at best. I see them on the plants and I frequently see egg clutches but the snails leave the plants alone.
The snails in the LFS are usually clearly marked. Not sure how common the practice off selling pond snails off as other types of snails is. Then again, as a consumer, one should know what they are looking for.


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