bioload/snails/shrimp

[onah]

so i know shrimp do not add to the bioload, but what about snails? and should i count them as a fish in the tank, or will adding a couple to help clean not stress the fish?

 

[kostasonia]

I think they do not really add bioload. At least the shrimps. 10 of them could count as an 1 inch fish...

 

[SCFatz]

I don't count either towards bioload.In your case I would add em and enjoy.

 

[onah]

cool

thanx i had some in the tank before, but i bought them mainly for food for the goby, he ate a couple then let one live a while, and the others got him, he got a bit bigger before they got him 2, but i was told that they count as another fish in the tank so it might stress out everyone. but bad ass i will go get some today...

 

[Gena575]

If you are meaning common ponds, ramshorns and MTS, they really add hardly anything to the bioload. If you are talking about mysteries or apples, then yes you should count them towards your "fish count." Mysteries need about 2.5 gallons per adult snail. Apples need about 5 gallons each. They are much like plecos in diet and poo production.

 

[Tostada]

You really can't say that anything is totally free. As much as people say otherwise, simple logic dictates that shrimp and snails are adding some bioload.

If you're talking strictly about load on the nitrogen cycle, your shrimp are good at eating stuff that's just sitting on the bottom which would otherwise turn to ammonia, so you can sort of say they're not adding any load, but you're probably feeding a little more than you would without the shrimp. My shrimp actually swim to the top when I'm feeding, and grab huge flakes, entire peas, and even entire sinking wafers, and they can actually eat quite a bit (with ghost shrimp it's easy to see how much they just ate). Strictly speaking about the actual bioload, though, you have to be grossly overstocked before that's going to be a problem. You can add a lot of shrimp and the bacteria in the tank will catch up pretty fast.

The important thing with shrimp and snails are that it's difficult to overstock your tank with them because they don't really get in the way of your fish. You could say the same thing about ottos because they're small and spend most of the time on the glass like a snail. Balancing the space in your aquarium is important. You could have 25 inches of fish in a 29 gallon tank and be overstocked (maybe 25 tetras, or 16 corys), or you could have 35 inches of fish in a 29 gallon tank and actually be able to fit more (maybe 12 tetras, 8 corys, 6 ottos and a betta). It all depends.

 

[onah]

cool

well i have 10 fish in a 20g (roughly about 19-21 inces of fish), it was acctually tostadas pic of his apple that got me, and i want to add some mystreies(i think i spelled that right). can still what do u guys think? i found some one that ships pretty good, and he recommended a lot of 5, feedback please?

 

[Gena575]

_________________
20g tank/Aqua-Tech 20-40 Powerfilter/2(blue) & 2 (paradise)Gouramis/1 pelco/1 angel/1 dragon fish(violet goby)/1 loach dojo/2 black skirt tetras

Mystery snails would be a very expensive snack in your tank I believe. I'm not familiar with gobies (though I thought they were brackish fish??), but loaches are often snail eaters. The gouramis and the tetras would likely nip off the snails feelers if the loach didn't get to them first. I'm not trying to be a spoil sport, but I wouldn't add shrimp either, unless you want to provide snacks for your fish as well. You've got some bigger fish in there and shrimp will seem quite the tastey snack to them.

 

[Guest]

your right about the shrimp. i put 4 in my tank and they didnt last 5 minutes. the tetra's were happy tho.

 

[onah]

man that sux, i was really looking forward to the snails, i think i might try 1 or 2, and yeah the shrimp are more for snacks, but they do help clean a bit before they get eaten, i tried a ramshorn but it was tiny lasted the night, and disappeared, i was wondering which one of them did it, cool then so then there isnt any type that i can put in wth him? oh and the angel is gone, i am giving my tank a chance to settle a bit before i try again. i researched a bit and found that the goby can do well in both, and i bought him in a fresh water setting, so far i have not had any probs accept him jummping out of the tank last wk, i woke up to find him on the floor like 5ft from the tank.i got all pissed seeing how i kinda bought the bigger tank so i could get him, when i went to pick him up he started to freak out, so i quickly grab netted and put him back i didnt know what to do. i asked around here and some friends and got hima stress coat but hes trucking fine now, he loves the new plants(fake, went outta town and bought a whole bunch).

 

[hc8719]

If you are meaning common ponds, ramshorns and MTS, they really add hardly anything to the bioload. If you are talking about mysteries or apples, then yes you should count them towards your "fish count." Mysteries need about 2.5 gallons per adult snail. Apples need about 5 gallons each. They are much like plecos in diet and poo production.

umm apples and mysteries are the same snail

 

[Gena575]

umm apples and mysteries are the same snail

Sorry, I should have been more clear. By apples I mean canas, the softball sized plant eaters. By mysteries I mean brigs, the golfball sized plant safe snails. For the most part, in my area, they are sold with those terms to differentiate them.

 

[onah]

well screw it ordered 5, 10$ not bad at all, none of them are smaller then most of the fish, all of them are atleast "1/2", so we will see i guess, wish me luck.

 

[plecoperson]

The dojo loaches aren't usually the snail-eating kind. I think your worry would be A) The gouramis, angel and tetras nipping off the antennae B) Perhaps the violet goby (I don't know nothin' about them neither). If they are bridgesii snails, they get to be about 2.5 inches in diameter, and they do add to the bioload.

 

[Tostada]

I've had snails that stayed with gouramis and tetras without any problems, but I've had problems with swords nipping at my snail. I guess it all depends on the personality of your fish.