Newbie Needing Help!

[infinicca]

Hi there, glad to be here - I've had freshwater tanks in the past, but it's been years, so I'm calling myself a newbie for the sake of accuracy. I feel like one, lol.

So late last year (November) I decided to get a very small tank - 5 gal - for a betta. It's been great; I have the heat at a comfortable level for him, a few decorations, two moss balls, a gentle power filter and until recently an air stone. I replaced the air stone with an undergravel filter a couple of weeks ago - see below. I do about a 25% water change weekly, feed him a few betta pellets once a day.

About a month ago I started noticing heavier algae buildup, and then it became much worse despite the cleanings. Turned into "black algae" (diatoms?) and it's been spreading all over the gravel and onto the décor.

I did what I thought was some good research and started by adding an undergravel filter. The airflow is being managed by a valve, and the water is still calm enough to not bother the betta. After a couple of weeks, there was really no change in the algae, so I decided it might be okay to introduce a SMALL algae-eater, like a bristle pleco or cory cat (but then learned that corys like schools, and I can't do that in a 5 gallon). I went to our local shop and they didn't have bristles, but recommended nerite snails. I got two. Introduced them gently, and they seemed happy enough, and started eating a bit of the algae.

Fast forward 2 weeks and the original snails have died. Definitely dead - their being so small it was hard to notice for a day or two, but I found them starting to decompose. Well... okay. They didn't like the tank. I scooped them up and did the water change.

In the meantime, the algae/diatoms are still spreading. No amount of filtering will change that.

And today... I was scraping some of the green algae off the walls, and noticed that despite the original snails not living, they managed to lay eggs. Which have hatched. I now have teensy tiny baby nerites lol! The betta seems not to notice them or care, and he's happy as ever, but now I'm concerned that the tank is going to be overrun with snail offspring.

Umm. So. I had just ordered a gravel vacuum/siphon, which I still intend to use, but I have a bunch of questions.

1. What can I do about this algae/diatom problem?
2. Should I think about live plants; would that help?
3. Any reason why the original snails might have died so fast?
4. Why, if they disliked the tank, would eggs have hatched? (Related question: I thought the eggs needed brackish water, and this is fresh. Is that untrue?)
5. Following up on #1 but taking a step sideways: Since I haven't really got a definitive answer from our pet store, are there any plecos or other algae-eaters which would live comfortably in a tank like this?
6. Will the gravel vacuum still be usable given I have tiny snail hatchlings?

I very much appreciate any advice. Thank you so much.

 

[Toad]

1. Find out for sure exactly what kind of algae it is, differents kinds have different cures.

2. It might, but I'd worry it coukd spread to the plants themselves and be more of a pain.

3. Depends on a few factors, did you keep the power filter going too? If not redoing filters without keeping the media can crash a tank. I'd recommend getting a test kit and seeing what your levels are really at.

4. Never had nerites but I've never heard of them hatching in fresh. I'd do a google search and make sure they actually gave you nerites and not mystery snails or something.

5. Not really, five gallons is pretting tiny tbh.

6. Yes, but if you plan on keeoing them, use a patch of panty hose or put a fish net over the then so you don't suck them out.

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[jarrod0987]

(Deleted) Sent a PM.

 

[infinicca]

Hi! Thank you. I'm iffy about the algae, though I think it's diatoms. Here's a pic. Sorry a bit blurred.

Algae(?) in Substrate

I did keep the power filter going while installing the undergravel, and they're both still running. I will definitely get a test kit!

As for the type of snail: the people at the shop weren't exactly aquarists. They had a couple of types for sale, and the girl who helped me thought the ones I got were nerites. Thought. Here's what the offspring look like. You can zoom in if needed!

Nerite or...?

Yeah, 5 gallons was what I thought I needed for a betta. Sigh.

Thanks again.

1. Find out for sure exactly what kind of algae it is, differents kinds have different cures.

2. It might, but I'd worry it coukd spread to the plants themselves and be more of a pain.

3. Depends on a few factors, did you keep the power filter going too? If not redoing filters without keeping the media can crash a tank. I'd recommend getting a test kit and seeing what your levels are really at.

4. Never had nerites but I've never heard of them hatching in fresh. I'd do a google search and make sure they actually gave you nerites and not mystery snails or something.

5. Not really, five gallons is pretting tiny tbh.

6. Yes, but if you plan on keeoing them, use a patch of panty hose or put a fish net over the then so you don't suck them out.

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[Autumnsky]

Nerites baby snails need brackish water so they never reproduce in FW, though may leave little white dots which look like white to cream colored sesame seeds stuck on things.

It is a pond snail 99%, since from the small size it in the pick and for me it is hard to see it well, but just search pond snail. Some are more brown more blackish or could have spots. They may well reproduce a lot, especially if you might be over feeding.

Depending on how you feel about it you can remove them to a plant vase, squish and let the fish eat them, or leave them and see how it goes. They are fine and help clean the tank, very good cleaners.

Ramshorn are the other type of snail often will surprise you and appear.

 

[flchamp89]

Good news is ponds are great diatom scavengers if it is diatoms

 

[infinicca]

Thank you, you're right. These definitely look like pond snails. They are also multiplying really quickly, and I've already counted 9 this morning, probably more under the substrate... plus they got up into the air tubes/bubblers for the ug filter. lol

I do need to control this population quickly.. I wouldn't mind one or two, but I can't sustain this rate of replication. I read elsewhere that I could use a piece of fresh lettuce or cucumber to "lure" them overnight and trap them for removal. I also read that a kuhli loach would eat them, but I don't know if the loach would live comfortably in the tank or would threaten the betta.

So the next question is... can I get a single kuhli loach for this setup or would it be potentially disastrous?

Nerites baby snails need brackish water so they never reproduce in FW, though may leave little white dots which look like white to cream colored sesame seeds stuck on things.

It is a pond snail 99%, since from the small size it in the pick and for me it is hard to see it well, but just search pond snail. Some are more brown more blackish or could have spots. They may well reproduce a lot, especially if you might be over feeding.

Depending on how you feel about it you can remove them to a plant vase, squish and let the fish eat them, or leave them and see how it goes. They are fine and help clean the tank, very good cleaners.

Ramshorn are the other type of snail often will surprise you and appear.

 

[Toad]

I wouldn't get a kuhli loach, but you could get a single assassin snail, that would take care of the problem

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[Autumnsky]

I wouldn't get a kuhli loach, but you could get a single assassin snail, that would take care of the problem

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In just one little gel cluster of snail eggs, there can be MANY (I don't know an actual number) but 20 or more babies, so you may be seeing the babies getting larger from one egg deposit, but likely more than just one.

It means you are likely feeding too much food too when so many survive. True on the Assassin snail. After they eat all the snails just drop a small amount of omnivore sinking wafer like a size of a pencil lead every 3 days for him.

There are also Crab Cuisine and shrimp foods (food made for dwarf shrimp to eat not just made out of shrimp) which have additional things for inverts like calcium for building strong shells.

Kuhli are group fish and would at least like a couple buddies.

Easy enough to just remove manually for a little bit and reduce feeding by up to half and see what happens if they stop over populating or if not, Assassin snail.