Which snail is best at eating algae?

[lmw80]

I would like to put one or two snails that will grow to a decent size in my 2 gallon betta aquarium. I get a lot of green/brown diatom algae on the sides of the tank (ottos didn't make it in the tank with my betta).

thanks!

 

[mr86mister]

the only thing though with snails is they reproduce so easily and you can go from one to 25 in about 2 weeks

i dont know of any particular because i have a big problem with pond snails and i am trying to get rid of them and i dont want another snail ever...lol

 

[tkos]

Snails will breed to the level of food you give them. So if they explode really fast it is generally do to over feeding of the fish.

That being said snails don't make great algae eaters. They do eat algae all day long but IME they tend to leave a lot of algae behind. I have a snail only tank and it gets more algae covering it than all of my other fish tanks.

Frequent water changes and less feedings will keep alage at bay best. An algae scrub pad will take care of the rest.

Of course I keep some snaisl in my betta tank anyways, just for the extra entertainment.

 

[Devilishturtles]

I've seen mystery snails devour a whole leaf in under a minute. They can really eat some algae! That being said...you may have the overpopulation problem as well. Bettas do munch on snails though...babies and the eggs, so maybe that will keep them in check?

 

[aqh88]

Mystery/applesnails will eat vegetables such as lettuce or kale leaves but really do not like algae. Many will starve on algae alone especially the ones that fit in a betta tank. The small applesnails are actually more carnivorous than vegetarian. Applesnails will not overpopulate a tank because they lay their eggs above water(exception being the ramshorn and some rarer species). They also do not digest their food well and will tend to leave more nutrients behind for increased algae growth than the amount they eat.
Malaysian trumpet snails will eat more algae than applesnails with less mess but are livebearing snails and could potentially overpopulate a tank. However, they do not seem to reproduce as fast as the football shaped pest/pond snails which are egg layers and MTS are actually quite desired in some tanks. Snail population can be kept in check by the amount of food you feed and removing the occasional snail or few from the aquarium.
Shrimp actually make far better algae eaters than snails but many bettas view them as snacks so don't get too attached to your shrimp if you try it.

 

[lmw80]

thanks for all the responses!

I feed my betta once a day and only a few pellets. He is on my desk at work, and so he doesn't get fed over the weekends. I have MTS's in my 20 gallon, but I am afraid they will take over the 2 gallon. Ok, so at this point, it's looking like an acrylic scrubber is my best bet. sigh...maybe a snail for fun though!

thanks all!

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I put some apple snails in my 5 gal tank because the lfs said it would help the algae. It didn't even make a dent in it. They just cruised right over top of it. They were cute and never reproduced (I wish they would have). At one time I had 11 Apple snails in a 10 gal tank and they never even laid an egg. So IMO, they are not quick in reproducing.

I'd stick with the algae scraper. Also, I don't know if this is in your area, but I found an algae scraper that has a sponge on the end instead of the scrape pad. It took the algae easily off of my 5 gal acrylic tank And it didn't leave a scratch behind. There is also a head for a corner sponge. The heads are replaceable. I have 4 of them (1 Scraper, 1 corner scraper, 1 sponge, 1 corner sponge) and they work great. It even has an extendable handle so you don't have to stick your arms or hands in the water.

 

[aqh88]

Applesnails need 4 conditions satisfied to multiply. Meet these conditions and you can easily have 100s or thousands within a few weeks to a month. With 6 applesnails in a 10g I was getting an egg clutch every other day for 2 weeks with ~200 babies from each clutch. I think they multiply extremely quickly.
Most important is at least 1 male and 1 female snail
2nd space to lay eggs safely away from the waterline. Snails may use a centerbrace or hood if other conditions are well met but lacking a centerbrace and with a glass canopy too close to the water you will need to lower the water or you will get no eggs. At minimum 2" but preferably at least 4". Chances are if you find a snail out of the tank and your water tests fine it's a female looking for a place to lay.
3rd a surplus of food and some variety in the food
4th high ph, high calcium water to produce a healthy shell and eggs. Applesnails may reproduce in softer water but do much better with a ph over 7 and plenty of calcium.

 

[czcz]

Nerite snails are my best algae eater, but lots of people don't like that they leave eggs everywhere. I've only read of TankGirl's nerites reproducing in freshwater. They seem to eat all types of algae. My biggest's "foot" is a little under an inch in diameter. Some live with a female betta; she's eaten shrimp, but leaves the snails alone. Sweet-looking tiger and virgin nerites are on Aquabid sometimes. I have marble nerites, which are much cheaper and still look cool.

(ottos didn't make it in the tank with my betta).

Because of the betta? Just curious.