Snails per gallon.

[Lokkzer]

I wanted to get several nerite snails as clean up for my glass. How many would keep it pretty well cleaned in a 37 gallon?

 

[adadkins1]

I would say somewhere around 12 would be a good number. They can be helpful little critters, though they poop A LOT.

 

[Lokkzer]

Hmm. Is there an algae eater or pleco small enough to have clean my tank that wouldn't have as much waste?

 

[adadkins1]

Not really. There are Otto cats, who also produce waste constatnly and should be kept in groups. Then there are smaller plecos like the Bristlenose; plecos are also known for being big waste producers. So, in short, the answer is not really. Unless you get something like a shrimp, but they will not clean up as fast IMO. What seems to be dirtying your glass?

 

[rich311k]

Any fish or critter that eats large quantities of plant matter produces large amounts of waste, it takes a lot of greens to keep a body working and growing.

 

[AquaOne]

Snails or BN pleco ? I might be a bit 'anti-snail' but hold on... don't snails breed like 'out-of-control' and end up being the problem ?? At least with a BN pleco you have an awesome fish which has a character all of it's own !!

 

[Luanne]

I agree with AquaOne.....snails are good for keeping glass clean but having experienced an infestation, I'd recommend you be on top of their own breeding.....it can get nasty! Luanne

 

[adadkins1]

Yes, some snails breed out of control, nerites not being a species that does. However, I agree that a bristlenose pleco would be the best bet as long as your tank is stable and can handle the added bio-load. Wish I had room for one...

 

[Lokkzer]

Ok. I'll get some bn plecos. Maybe 2.

And nothing is dirtying up my glass...yet. Ha. I just like to be ahead of things and I like to plan.

 

[siva]

Nerites do not breed in freshwater and come in many different interesting colors and patters, and their bio-load is nothing compared to something like a mystery snail. Nerites do a great job on fine detailing on decor and plants as well. One per 5 gallons is perfect.

Some plecos eat algae more than others, so make sure to pick one known for effecient algae eating and a species that doesn't grow to over 5". My fav pick is the clown pleco.

Oto cats or hillstream loaches or also great choices for a tank that size, just make sure it's a well established tank that's been running for atleast 6 months and that you keep them in groups

 

[Rokuzachi]

If you don't overfeed and don't have dead plants lying around, Mystery snails shouldn't get out of control either. I've got five in my main tank and they've never produced any offspring.

Like Siva said, Nerites don't breed in freshwater and are pro at keeping stuff clean - my two Zebra ones are always picking over my larger leafed Anubias' when algae starts to grow on them, and they never let it get out of control.

 

[siva]

Yeah the mystery snails actually lay their eggs in clutches above the water line, so you can prevent reproduction all together with those by removing the eggs. Or they are easily sexed, if you keep all of one sex you also will not get offspring..unlike pond snails and ramshorns where you only need one to get a bunch of babies apple snails aka mystery snails have a gender. They will only usually hatch successfully if they are in a super moist spot anyway. But they aren't big algae eaters so prob not what you're looking for

 

[AquaOne]

Aren't snails hermaphrodite ? I don't speak from experience but my daughter keeps African Land snails and they are both male & female in one shell !
aquatic snails could be different I suppose, and how to figure their gender, well... what would one be looking for ??

 

[Homer8]

Aren't snails hermaphrodite ? I don't speak from experience but my daughter keeps African Land snails and they are both male & female in one shell !
aquatic snails could be different I suppose, and how to figure their gender, well... what would one be looking for ??

Some species are and some species arent. Some snails you need a male and a female and some you need just 2 snails(hermaphroditic) and some reproduce without a mate(asexual)

 

[siva]

Aren't snails hermaphrodite ? I don't speak from experience but my daughter keeps African Land snails and they are both male & female in one shell !
aquatic snails could be different I suppose, and how to figure their gender, well... what would one be looking for ??

Yeah the hitchhikers that come in on your plants like pond snails and ramshorns are hermaphrodites, but the more sought after snails that you actually pay for like apple snails and nerites are not.