Apple Snail?

[Mr.Albiman]

I was wondering if an Apple Snail would fit into my 15 gallon planted community? I would get the pomocea diffusa if i did get one so it wouldn't eat my plants.
Current stock:
6 x Harlequin Rasboras
6 x Endler's Livebearers
1 x Red Honey Gourami
4 x Panda Cories
1 x Zebra Nerite Snail
1 x Amano Shrimp.

I love snails and my Nerite is my favourite thing in the tank! :3 could i get a pomocea diffusa and another Nerite? Thanks guys!

 

[Mr.Albiman]

Can anybody pitch in?

 

[NoMoreGoldFish]

Bear in mind that Apple snails need hard water with higher ph so their shells don't crack and some of your other occupants prefer softer, slightly acidic water. But it could work, you might have to try and find the right balance though.

 

[Mr.Albiman]

I don't know the hardness of my water but the Nerite's shell has been perfect so won't the Apple's?

 

[gabysapha]

They sure poop a lot. I'm not sure if it would overstock your tank or not. And make sure to give them calcium supplements, especially if your water is not hard! Mine definitely is, and my snails so quite well.

 

[NoMoreGoldFish]

If your nerite snail is thriving, then the apple snails should be alright.

 

[Mr.Albiman]

Righto thanks guys! I will definitely purchase an Apple Snail when i visit the LFS Do you think i could another Nerite as well?

 

[nedge85]

Apple snails are such low maintence, mine was tiny wen i got him on xmas eve (so small the lfs owner thought the shell was empty so gave me for free) and how he's huge ( shell is about inch and a half in diameter). Takes no extra care just put em in and watch grow. In terms of calcium place a piece of cuttlebone ubder your substrate and that will strengthen shell

 

[picture_117]

You could IMO add another nerite. A snail wouldn't be the breaking point. I don't think they have a large bio-load. Mine just eat diatoms and food on the bottom of the tank.

 

[maxwellag]

I think you would be fine if you added an apple snail. They don't have much bioload and are cool to watch when they're active. But just make sure that the parameters are right for it, like the people above mentioned. If you do have issues with the she;; cracking, you can try giving the snail calcium. There are many ways to do this, but when I do it I just put my snail in a bowl and drop a tums tablet in. After a while when the tablet is mostly dissolved, I take the snail out and put it back in the tank. This helps with the snail's shell. This is very similar to how humans use calcium-for example, if someone didn't get enough calcium, their fingernails or toenails might start to crack. Well it is similar with snails, especially apple/mystery snails.

 

[Mr.Albiman]

Thanks guys! An Apple and a Nerite it is. thanks for the calcium advice. The bowl method sounds the best!

 

[NoMoreGoldFish]

Finely crushed egg shells also work great as well if you don't have any calcium powder laying around, but I'll make sure the shells are clean. I have two hard boiled eggs every weekend (sterilized eggs shells, yay!), so it's perfect.