What are your thoughts on SNAILS?

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amyb_70

amyb_70

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Jul 14, 2014
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Location
upstate, ny
Hi, I'm curious what you all think of snails. I've heard pros and cons, I decided not to buy snails as I figured at some point Id end up with 1 from a plant purchase. So I have found 2 small snails in 1 tank and 1 snail in the other. I'm ok with what I have but certainly don't want more. It's my understanding they are great cleaners and clean everything. Is there a way to keep this under control? I've heard horror stories about people's aquariums getting overloaded. For now I'm ok with the 2 because they are only about 3 mm big. Please share your experiences and how to keep it under control. Note when I bought the plants I asked them to shake them good to remove any baby snails, I thought we were safe.


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These people are correct but those snails breed like no body's business. If you have 2 today, there will be a hundred in 48 hours haha (over exaggerated). However, I wouldn't be worried about them too much especially if you are not seeing them much during the day.

If your snails begin to get out of control, just get one assassin Snail from your local fish store, and that snail will keep the population under control. I have a 60 gal, and I didn't want the snails at all so I got 4 and they wiped it clean in 3-4 days.

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i have no idea what kind of snails it is that i have. as i stated they are ones that came attached to plants that i purchased. i have a very small black one and and another that is like a cream to clear in color (this one just appeared in my aquarium yesterday). how can i tell what kind of snails they are..
 
Nerite snails done reproduce in fresh water. But the MTS ones do!

Also, I have a bazillions baby ones on my glass. I rarely see the adult sized ones, only if I turn the lights on a little early.


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MTS are harder for loaches than pond snails or your other thinner shelled varieties. My poor loaches have a heck of a time with MTS snacks until they figured out they can suck them up like escargot. It's fun watching my school of clowns with a handfull of MTS.

But as for snails in general, I love nerites. Both the beauty of their shells and their awesomeness for algae control.

I keep MTS on hand for my loaches and because I have sand bottom tanks.
 
I have a black mystery snail. As cool as it is, I think I found the one snail that has no interest in cleaning/eating algae on the glass!
 
MTS are brilliant little creatures and do a fab job of cleaning and turning over the substrate but they really do breed well. They also don't damage live plants which can't be said for the common pond snail which are round shelled and often brought in with plants as eggs, which are hard to spot as they look like jelly. Unfortunately I do have some pond snails and I pick them out as soon as I see them. Realistically, I don't think I will ever clear the tank of them, but I will persevere.



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I like Ramshorns. They don't hurt plants, they stay mostly above the substrate so you know how many you have. The eggs are laid where you can see them, and more importantly other things can eat them. Some egg eaters (I use ghost shrimp and angelfish) will go a long way to keeping them under control.

I actually had to set up a separate tank and let some Ramshorn eggs hatch to have some to start the second tank. I'm amazed how aggressive the ghost shrimp have been eating eggs.

I also have Nerites, but they lay these ugly white eggs everywhere that are like super-glued sesame seeds; they do not degrade and look awful. But... I'm told they stop after a while, and mine seem to be slowing down so maybe. If not, soon am getting rid of the 4 I have. They are great cleaners however.

I want MTS but am afraid. I've just heard so many horror stories about thousands and thousands living in the substrate and surviving nuclear warfare aimed at ridding your tank of them. But the idea of stirring the substrate is attractive. I may yet take the dive with them.

I'm told pond snails eat plants; I do not know. I've avoided them.
 
I guess it's a matter of preference the eggs don't bother me at all especially compared to how they don't reproduce in fresh water.


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I happened to have a camera handy, just to give those who don't have them a feel for nerite eggs...

On Anubis:

i-vVPRXXD-L.jpg


On driftwood:

i-WsVkqjC-L.jpg


And perhaps most insulting of all, on my Ramshorns:

i-85CNKWV-L.jpg


I think they are slowing down, though I think that one on the snail is new at least.
 
Yeah, you're right they probably wouldn't survive the shipment it's 115 in Southern California today.

I'm sorry you're not happy with them though. What happens in an aquarium club?


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emilygupps said:
I'm sorry you're not happy with them though. What happens in an aquarium club?
Click to expand...

Well, they are good cleaners, except for that. And rather attractive (these are zebra).

I was surprised such a thing (club) existed, but there are a lot down here. The one I went to (free) has a speaker, and an auction each week. About 50 people showed up, they had 160+ items for auction, about half live (plants, fish, shrimp, etc.). Speaker was a tropical fish farmer (bioAquatiX).

Actually quite interesting. Check around, you probably have one there. I started going just for the auction, things are VERY cheap compared to stores or online, and often hobbyists have healthier live stock, I think.
 
Fishobsessed7 said:
Can we see a pic


Fishobsessed7
Click to expand...
hi there. they are hard to find and when i can see them there is no possible way i would be able to get a decent picture to show you. At this time the snails are maybe 3 mm big and all i have is a cell phone for taking photos
 
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