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FAQs on Freshwater Aquarium Snail Selection
Related Articles: Snails and
Freshwater Aquariums, Invertebrates
for Freshwater Aquariums by Neale Monks,
Related FAQs: Freshwater
Snails 1, Freshwater Snails 2,
Freshwater Snail Identification,
Freshwater Snail Behavior,
Freshwater Snail Compatibility,
Freshwater Snail Systems,
Freshwater Snail Feeding,
Freshwater Snail Disease,
Freshwater Snail Reproduction, Snails
by Species: Mystery Snails,
Apple/Baseball Snails,
Malaysian/Trumpet Snails,
Ramshorn Snails,
A hermaphroditic species, the Ramshorn, loved/hated by
aquarists worldwide.
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Re: Cleaning used equipment - follow up question re: snails
9/2/09
Greetings - thanks for the advise below.
<My pleasure.>
I successfully cleaned all the components of the 55 gallon aquarium with
vinegar and it worked quite well. I hope to start the tank this weekend
and move the fish in 6 weeks.
<Very good.>
My follow-up question has to do with snails in the aquarium. At the
beginning of the pond season I purchased 10 Japanese trap door snails. I
think they have done very well and are about 1 1/2' in size.
<Sounds like you've done well with them. Viviparus malleatus gets to
about twice that size in shell length.>
My question:
How many of these snails should be brought in to place in the 55 gallon
aquarium with the 3 fish.
<Difficult to say... ten specimens should be fine though.>
If none of the snails should go in can I keep them in a separate
aquarium so they can go back in the pond next Spring?
<Yes, it's a very good idea to keep snails in their own aquarium over
the cold months. While Viviparus malleatus is tolerant of cold water,
you may want to remove a few of them late in autumn so you have a
starter population that could be pressed into service next spring should
the winter be so cold the snails outdoors don't survive. A 10-20 gallon
tank with a simple box filter should be ample. Don't overfeed during the
cold months when these snails tend to be fairly inactive.>
Thanks so much
<Cheers, Neale.>
Can and/or do Oto Catfish
tolerate slightly brackish water? 5/17/09
<No.>
I put about a tablespoon of aquarium salt per 5 gallons.
<Why? Adding salt at this concentration does precisely nothing to make
your fish healthier or happier. Utter waste of money, and potentially
harmful to freshwater fish in the long term.>
If not, what small algae eating fish does well in brackish conditions?
<Best bets are Mollies and other Poeciliidae; algae-eating snails such
as Nerites; and salt-tolerant algae-eating shrimps such as Amano
shrimps. Most of the large herbivores like Scats will also eat
substantial amounts of
algae, though they're not normally used for algae control. As ever, if
you have an algae problem, the solution isn't fish but making sure the
tank is "balanced", in particular, that there are enough fast-growing
plants under strong light. Most algae problems occur in unbalanced
aquaria.>
Thanks
Hannah
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Oto Catfish and
brackish
water? 5/17/09
Hmm that's weird because I thought that Mollies do best with a little
bit of salt...
<They do. One tablespoon per 5 gallons doesn't make brackish water, and
neither does it do anything useful for freshwater fish. Adding such a
trivially small amount of salt is pointless. Mollies do well upwards of
6 grammes per litre, which is about one level teaspoon per litre, and
one litre is 3.75 US gallons, so that's about 3.75 teaspoons per US
gallon. Since one tablespoon is three teaspoons, that's a bit over a
tablespoon per gallon. You're adding less than a fifth the amount needed
to optimize Molly health. In other words, you're not doing much of
anything. Plain vanilla sodium chloride ("tonic salt" or "aquarium
salt") as opposed to marine salt mix (what you use in a brackish water
tank) only raises salinity, which has some therapeutic value in terms of
nitrate toxicity. Marine salt mix contains carbonate salts that buffers
the pH and raises the carbonate hardness, improving the stability of
conditions in the tank, and this also helps Mollies dramatically. Bottom
line, you cannot safely keep Otocinclus with Mollies: to create
conditions that Mollies need for maximum health and longevity, you need
to add more salt than you're doing now, and that would be harmful to
most freshwater fish, including Otocinclus. Trust me on this: I
literally wrote the book about brackish water fish! Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Oto Catfish and brackish
water? 05/18/09
Thank you much! I'm going to put some more salt in and look into the
Nerite snails... Thanks again
Hannah
<Good-oh. Nerites work well in brackish water, especially Clithon
species; these eat a lot of algae! Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Oto Catfish and brackish
water? 05/23/09
I went to my LFS and they didn't have any of the Nerite snails... They
just had "mystery snails."
<Not Nerite snails... Apple snails (Pomacea spp.)...>
I was told that they ate algae, but they were just sitting on the
bottom.
<Eat some algae, but hopeless algae-eaters in most aquaria, being
happier eating plants or fish food... also very difficult to maintain in
the long term. Most specimens die within a year; need a resting phase in
cooler conditions for 2-3 months per year. Generally fiddly; leave in
the shop, or at least read up on Apple Snails first, e.g.:
http://www.applesnail.net/ >
I was able to test how salty my tank was and it was > 1.000 I'm not sure
what that means...
<Nor am I; "> 1.000" simply means more saline than pure water... but
that includes the sea! Apple Snails not tolerant of brackish water, so
not an option for the Molly aquarium. You're after a specific gravity
("SG") of 1.002-1.003 for Mollies; see WWM re: Brackish water
fishkeeping:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/bracsystems.htm >
I could add more salt and keep looking for those snails.
<Don't buy the Apple snails for this system.>
Just wondering: do Oto cats tolerate that?
<No.>
I know they can be very picky when it comes to water parameters... What
do you think is best?
<For Otocinclus, you want low to middling temperature, around 23-26 C;
you want soft to moderately hard water, so 5-10 degrees dH is about
right; and pH 6.5-7.5 is fine. Water turnover should be medium-high to
high, so say 6-10 times the volume of the tank in turnover per hour.
Water should be clean, and the tank well established. Green algae MUST
be present in the tank, or else provided via substitutes such as algae
wafers; Otocinclus DO NOT eat diatoms (the golden brown algae on the
glass); hair algae; brush algae; thread algae; or blue-green algae. They
are not compatible with Mollies or other fish that want hard water, let
alone brackish water. The majority of Otocinclus sold die a few weeks
after purchase simply because their needs aren't met. If you don't have
the right tank for them, don't waste your money!>
Also, I was told that the Nerites were hard to find ??? Is that true?
<Not even remotely true in the UK; most good fish shops have them, for
around £1-2 a throw. In your own country may be different; consult
fishkeepers in your area. By far the best algae eating snails.>
Sorry for throwing all these questions at you.
Thank you so much
Hannah
<Cheers, Neale.>
Snail Questions, Mystery, sys., sel.
04/21/09
Hello:
Great site! Now I just have to find the time to ready through it
all. So far I think it's the best one out there.
<Thank you.>
Background:
I am setting up a 10 gallon tank for the first time. I have a
Mystery Snail that I rescued from a Betta Bowl where he was being
harassed. So the snail will be part of my 10 gallon community. A
friend gave me an old
10 gallon tank, but nothing else. Researching what I need I thought
the "Eclipse 1" would be good, however I'm concerned about how it
works.
Tank Question:
I have not seen the eclipse 1 yet, but if the filters work from the
top, doesn't the water have to be topped off for it to work?
<Don't know this filter myself, but you should see a "minimum"
waterline somewhere on the filter. Usually, the water is about
keeping the motor from overheating more than anything else. Anyway,
if the water is below this line, it's unsafe.>
Don't snail need at least 1" of air space for their respiration?
<Yes.>
Reference From: www.peteducation.com
Respiration: Snails of the Ampullariidae family have both gills and
a lung.
They use a siphon, much like a snorkel, which the snail can extend
out to the water surface allowing the snail to breathe while
submerged. Therefore, in an aquarium setting, there should be two to
four inches of open air space above the waterline to provide the
snail with open air to breathe.
The siphon of the Pomacea genus is typically longer than the length
of the snail's body.
<Contrary to what people imagine, Apple Snails actually aren't good
additions to fish tanks. There are multiple reasons, two of which
are the need for air and the tendency many fish have of nipping at
the Apple
Snails. But Apple Snails are also seasonal creatures that spend part
of the year in "hibernation", usually during summer when the water
level is low.
Without a resting phase, they simply burn out, which is why so few
Apple Snails ever get as big in captivity as they do in the wild.>
Snail Health Questions:
The snail has not been looking good since he was being harassed. Now
he has a lot of white cloudy stuff all over his shell and a lot of
gooey stuff coming out of him all the time. He also is very
inactive. Is he dying?
<Quite possibly. Once damaged, Apple Snails are prone to dying,
which is why I recommend people keep them in their own quarters,
away from fish.
That way, you can control all the variables. Prevention is
definitely better than cure.>
Will it be safe to add him to the tank or is he too sick?
<I wouldn't; a lump of rotting snail meat wouldn't help water
quality one bit. Much better to leave it in a reasonably large
bucket (say, 3-5 gallons) with an airstone, and see what happens.
Assuming it's not too cold where you live, you might not even need a
heater.>
Any idea what is wrong with him and how I can help him recovery.
<Snail medicine is very much in its infancy! So far as we can tell,
Apple Snails are either in rude health or dying; there isn't much in
between.>
I've tried searching for the answers, but wasn't having any luck and
I want to get the tank setup this week if possible.
Thank you for your time & knowledge,
Phyllis
<Hope this helps, Neale.>
Re: Snail Questions
Hi Neale,
Your answers were very helpful - thank you for your time.
Phyllis
<My pleasure. Good luck! Neale.>
Question about miniature freshwater aquarium snails
01/09/09
I was wondering where miniature freshwater aquarium
snails come from.
<Depends. Usually attached to aquarium plants (sometimes as
eggs) or less often as stowaways in bags of new fish. Some folks, like me,
actively go out and collect or buy snails to add to their tanks; snails do
little harm and much good.>
One day, I happened to notice a miniature, dark
brown snail, about a centimeter long in my turtle's freshwater aquarium.
<Do
look at Physa and Physella spp, as these are the most common small brown snails
in freshwater tanks. Malayan livebearing snails (Melanoides spp.) are typically
green with very pretty red-purple markings.>
Could they grow by themselves?
<Not from nothing, no.>
Could they somehow develop from the goldfish I
bought?
<Not as such, no. But they could come in the bags your goldfish
travelled home in.>
I have no idea where they came from, either someone put
them there without me knowing, or they grew from bacteria if that's possible...
<It took snails about 3 billion years to evolved from bacteria, so unless you've
had your tank set up a fair while, this particular pathway isn't likely!>
What do you think?
<I'm a snail fan. Enjoy them. They're fun and do some
useful work scavenging and aerating the substrate. They only multiply to plague
proportions in dirty tanks where there's stuff for them to eat. Remove any
excess snails you don't want, but otherwise keep the tank clean and your snails
won't do any harm.>
Thank you for your help-
Sincerely,
Corinne
<Cheers, Neale.>
Malaysian trumpet snails... comp., sel. 12/18/08
Good afternoon,
I don't have a question but I wanted to share a problem I had
with Malaysian Trumpet snails. I used to have a 30 gal hexagon freshwater tank
with some tetras and snails.
At a LFS, I saw in a tank a tiny Malaysian
Trumpet Snail and asked if I could take him home. After a couple of months, they
had taken over the tank.
Some times I would pick them out and be able to fill
up a shot glass with them, and the next day it was like nothing happened.
Finally, I emptied the tank, and switched it to a fish only salt water tank.
I had I guess left a little water in the bottom along with the gravel. I then
filled it up with fresh water and added salt. A week later, I noticed one
trumpet had survived and was climbing the glass. It had acclimated to the
salinity of 1.023. I then completely drained, rinsed, and started over again to
never have the problem again. Once you get them, unless you have a puffer, they
are impossible to kill, even with salt. Beware. Just wanted to give someone a
heads up if they were interested in them.
<Hello Bobby. Melanoides snails are misunderstood. They are neither bad nor
dangerous. In fact they do much good. Let's start with the basics:
reproduction. Yes, they're livebearers. Although individually not especially
long lived (likely less than a year) they are livebearers that can produce a lot
of offspring across their lives. Males are rare, and females can apparently
reproduce by cloning themselves without the need for males, producing offspring
parthenogenetically (like aphids). However, like any animal, they can only breed
when conditions are right, specifically, if they have enough to eat. In clean
tanks they breed slowly. The dirtier the tank, the faster they breed. Note that
a "dirty" tank isn't necessarily a bad thing, and I'm not talking about water
quality here. Rather, anything edible, including uneaten fish food, dead fish,
decaying plant leaves, algae, and fish faeces. Remove these from your tank
aggressively, and Melanoides snails will breed slowly. When it comes to
controlling their numbers then, the best thing is to simply limit the amount of
food available to them. Then their populations settle down to an acceptable
level, with births doing little more than countering deaths. There are predators
that will eat these snails happily. Pufferfish may be examples, but also loaches
and various catfish (if hungry) including Synodontis and the various species we
call "talking catfish" such as Platydoras costatus.
But the best predator is
Clea helena (sometimes called Anentome helena), a predatory freshwater whelk
that is increasingly widely sold in the UK at least. It greedily hunts down
these snails, and while it does breed under aquarium conditions, as a predator
it can only maintain much smaller populations than herbivore/scavengers like
Melanoides tuberculata. It's also rather pretty and brightly coloured, and you
can easily remove surplus snails and share them with other aquarists. Why bother
with Melanoides at all? The answer is that it is an astonishingly good
scavenger. If you have a tank with a sand or gravel substrate, this is the
PERFECT animal to circulate through that substrate, removing organic wastes, and
thereby preventing unwanted decay. By cleaning up the substrate it reduces the
chances of pathogenic bacteria collecting in the substrate of the type that
irritate catfish and other bottom-dwelling fish, and it also keeps the substrate
loose enough that plants can dig in easily. I'm very much with the authors of
Baensch's Aquarium Atlas in viewing these snails as a blessing, not a curse.
Wild populations can consist of thousands per square meter, but even in large
numbers in aquaria, they don't actually do any harm. Unlike the majority of
snails they do not seem fussed about copper-based medications, so there's little
risk of a mass die-off next time you're treating for Whitespot or Finrot. As a
"clean-up crew" for planted tanks they're second to none. They're even safe with
fish fry, though mixing them with fish eggs is probably unwise. You are indeed
correct in noting the high salt tolerance of these snails; while freshwater
snails, they are known to inhabit brackish water at over 50% seawater salinity,
and likely will tolerate higher salinities for extended periods, though likely
not indefinitely. In other words, don't be too hard on these snails! All they do
is highlight problems *we* have keeping our tanks as clean as we should, by
converting waste organic matter into baby snails. In a clean tank, they do
little harm and much good. Cheers, Neale.>
Malaysian Trumpet Snails 11-13-08
Hello All,
Hope you are
having a great day!
<Hello! Yea, wouldn't be so bad except for that exam
tomorrow.>
Recently I read an article on your site about Malaysian trumpet
snails and I had made up my mind to use some in my aquarium after setup since it
will have a sand bottom. However; I have read in other places that the snails
will multiply to the point of almost taking over the tank, and even though they
do keep the sand stirred up, they do not eat the fish poop, causing it to fall
farther into the sand when stirred up. Please give me your feedback on this.
Also, I have planned on getting at least 6 or 7 of the same species Cory. Would
they do just as well keeping the sand stirred up, and do they eat fish poo?
thank you for all your help. You have been a lifesaver so far in helping me get
this tank set up. I had a tank a few years ago, and it seems everything I knew
(or thought I knew) I have forgotten. As I am getting older I think senility is
setting in.
<Well, I personally have had problems with snail populations in
my tanks. But, never with Malaysian trumpet snails, only with Ramshorn snails.
You would have to be careful about introducing them in you tank considering
populations will get out of control. They do keep the sand stirred up and I know
the snails are scavengers but I am not sure about the fish waste consumption.
The Corys are strict scavengers and will not eat the fish waste, so your best
bet is to try a few Malaysian trumpet snails. If they get out of control give
some to friends or sale them.>
Have a great day!!
James
<You are
welcome! Merritt A.>
Malaysian Trumpet Snails Part II 11-13-08
Thank you. Do you
feel that if I do not go with the snails and have about 7 or 8 cories in a 75
gallon tank that they will keep the sand from compacting? And lastly, I am only
going to have artificial plants so I was thinking of starting at the back with
no more than 1 inch of sand and sloping it gradually to the front. Does this
amount of sand seem adequate?
Thank you again. James
<Hello again! That
many Corys should be just fine for the sand. Also, with my 75 gallon sand bottom
tank, when I do a water changes I just run my fingers slightly through the sand
to help my group of Corys out and it helps with the compacting. You might want
to have a little more sand in your tank. I would go with at least a 1.5 inches
in the back and .5 inch or more in the front. You don't want to have to worry
about adding more because it can get messy. You are welcome again! Merritt A.>
Malaysian Trumpet Snails Part III 11-14-08
Thank you Merritt, and just curious (not disagreeing, just learning) why do feel
I need at least 11/2 inch of sand in the back?
<Not a problem. You can have less, I think in my 75 only has 1 inch in the back
to be honest. It is just when designing a tank the back should be higher than
the front to give an illusion of more space. You can easily
put just an inch. You are welcome again! :-) Merritt A.>
Malaysian Trumpet Snails and Male to Female fish ratio 11/04/2008
Hello all, Hope things are going well for you today. Kind of gloomy and rainy
here. I am considering adding some Malaysian trumpet snails to a 75 gallon fw
aquarium. I have read of all of the benefits they can provide, but do I have to
worry about them not getting enough detritus for their food source and dying?
<No risk at all. In fact overfeeding is why people end up with crazy numbers of
these snails. In a clean tank you basically get a healthy constant number
limited by food availability.>
Also, I have read that if this type of snail dies there is no requirement to
remove it as it will not foul the tank. Is that correct?
<Pretty much.>
My other concern is with male to female ratio of certain fish. I am planning on
stocking my tank with gouramis for a slow moving fish to occupy the top as well
as banded rainbowfish for the middle. Please tell me how many males to females
of each of these I need please.
<Rainbowfish are best kept in equal numbers of males and females. The ratio of
Gouramis depends on the species. Colisa spp. are often kept in pairs without
problems, and the same can be said for Trichogaster leeri and Trichogaster
microlepis. Trichogaster trichopterus is a bit more tricky; males are quite
short tempered. They're best kept one to a tank, with as many females as you
want. In a big tank you could keep multiple males, but make sure there are at
least twice as many females.>
Thank you so much for all you do to make aquarium life better for people like
me.
James
<Happy to help, Neale.>
Magic Snails, FW, sel., ID
10/5/08
Hi WWM,
<Hello,>
I've looked over all the FAQ pages, and I haven't quite found what I'm looking
for, so I resort to asking you. I have a 75g reef tank as well as a 30g
freshwater tank. I've noticed over the past few weeks that I have dozens of what
appear to be Cerith snails in my freshwater tank.
<In the freshwater tank at least, these are likely Melanoides spp. (such as
Melanoides tuberculata). They're useful, predominantly nocturnal snails that
burrow through the sediment feeding on organic matter. They are livebearers, and
can become very numerous if they find enough to eat -- a comment on the
cleanliness of the tank more than anything else! They don't do any harm, and
numbers can be controlled by physical removal, trapping, cleaning the tank, or
installation of a suitable predator such as the whelk Clea helena.>
The tank has been established for several years, with nothing being added in the
past 2 years but fish. I've let all of the ornamental fish complete their
lifecycles, and I only have one Pleco and a few feeder fish for my fuzzy lion
(I'm weaning him off successfully, but he's taking his time). I've had a ton of
Cerith eggs in my reef tank, is it possible that they hitchhiked on the net
while in the plankton stage, and developed in my fw tank?
<It's certainly possible for certain intertidal or estuarine marine snails to
survive in freshwater conditions, for example Puperita pupa and Neritina
virginea. These are sometimes sold as freshwater snails despite doing better in
brackish/marine conditions. They don't tend to breed in freshwater tanks though,
because their larvae need saltwater conditions to develop. This said, most
snails sold for reef tanks will be stenohaline rather euryhaline species.>
I can't think of any other place they could come from.
<Plants.>
If this is the case, is there any way of re-acclimating them to saltwater?
Thanks for your
help.
Ryan
<Cheers, Neale.>
Nerites Snails in Canada? 11/13/07
Hi guys and girls, as always I really appreciate your work and help!
<Good>
Wondering if you know where I can find Nerites Snails (Freshwater or Saltwater)
in Canada? I have tried to get some shipped from the United
States, but they will not ship them up here anymore. My LFS have never even
heard of them.
I once got a shipment from Arizona Gardens, and they cleaned the algae on my
glass like nothing else.
Thanks so much for your help.
Deryck
<I saw them at the Big Al's locations in Toronto last year... Are there any
locations near you: http://bigalscanada.com/storelocations/storemap.htm
Bob Fenner>Re: Nerites
Snails in Canada? Converting FW to BR... not all 11/14/07
Thanks, they had closed down a while ago, but looks like they are
reopening!
I will give them a shot when they are open for business.
<Okay>
I still have a few freshwaters Nerites, I have researched and heard they
may breed in brackish water. Think I can give it a shot to acclimate them to
brackish?
<Not if they're totally freshwater species. Please read here:
http://www.google.com/search?q=freshwaters+Nerites&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7PCTA
The first couple citations>
Thanks again for your help.
Deryck
<Welcome. BobF> |
Ramshorn
Snails. Sel... 10/21/07
Hello,
I came across your site today and found it very useful. But after
reading up on the snails, I was left with questions. Recently (maybe
about 2-3 weeks ago) we got a 10 gal. fish tank and put in 2 live
plants, 2 male guppies, 2 balloon belly mollies, and 4 neon tetras.
<Hmm... be careful with this selection of fish. Mollies often (if not
always) get Finrot and fungus when kept in freshwater aquaria. But while
adding marine salt mix makes them much much hardier, Neon tetras don't
like salt at all.>
Within a week I found this big snail (he's big for popping out of no
where, he's probably like 1/4 of an inch). He must have been an egg on
the plants, because I inspected them very well and they didn't have a
live snail on them. We Googled and found out it was a Ramshorn snail.
<Can't confirm that from your photo. Could be Planorbis sp. certainly,
but Physa sp. "tadpole snail" is possible too.>
Suddenly I have counted up to 6 snails, and today I found a baby fish (I
think its a tetra- but it is tiny, black with orange on it's head).
<Many snails will breed freely in aquaria. Controlling snail numbers can
be tricky if you let things get out of hand. They primarily turn uneaten
food and decaying organic material into snails: control the food and
remove algae/organic wastes, and the snail population stabilises. The
baby fish could be either a Molly or Guppy. Guppy babies are smaller.>
My question is where in the world are all these new creatures coming
from?
<From their parents.>
I look at that tank everyday and have yet to see any eggs in there, but
I keep getting new little snails.
<Snail eggs aren't always obvious, and some are viviparous anyway, i.e.,
they produce baby snails, not eggs.>
Where could the eggs be hiding?
<Usually on the glass, but can be elsewhere, even inside pipes and
filters.>
I thought they liked to lay their eggs out of the waterline?
<No, that's Apple snails and their relatives.>
I attached a pic of the first one on the glass with some tetras in the
background.:D
Thanks for your help!
Ashley
<Do take care to control snail numbers before you have problems. Snails
are a fun addition to any aquarium, but in large numbers they can be
unsightly. Some species eat plants as well. None are a threat to your
fish. Cheers, Neale> |
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Snails, FW, sel., contr. –
09/08/07
Hi crew,
The other day, Neale gave me some advice on keeping my sand 'safe' for my
freshwater tank. It was suggested that Malayan livebearing snails would be good
to keep the sand aerated and to eat debris, etc. It's just a small 6gal., and so
far just two fish. So I've done some reading, but here's my questions.
If I get the Malayan snails, seems they'll reproduce prolifically; will they eat
up all the algae? I'm worried that my Otocinclus won't have enough to eat if
this happened. Also, being that they would reproduce so much, do they contribute
to the bio or waste load much; or is it negligible? Thought I'd ask since my
tank's so small. Lastly, would the water condition needs differ much from the
Oto?
Thanks so much!
Vanessa
<Hello Vanessa, Malayan livebearing snails (Melanoides spp.) do have a bad
reputation among some aquarists, while others consider them a blessing. I fall
into the latter camp. Here's why. Melanoides turn organic material into snails.
They don't eat gravel, they don't eat sand, and they don't eat live plants or
fish, EVER. So if the Melanoides are multiplying, they only do so because
there's "stuff" in the tank for them to eat. That might be uneaten food, it
might be decaying plant leaves, it might be a dead fish, or it might be algae.
Provided you keep the tank free of those things, the snails won't multiply very
much because they can't. In a clean tank where all they have to eat is algae and
tiny amounts of organic detritus, they just don't become a problem. They may be
breeding, yes, but they're dying too, so you end up with a more or less steady
population. It's in messy tanks where people have inadequate filtration and
overfeed their fish and don't remove dead plant leaves that the snails become
problematic. Even in large numbers though, they don't do any harm, and removing
them isn't especially difficult. You can buy little snail traps for about $5-10
(it's called the JBL "Limcollect") and you could use one of these every six
months or so if you thought things were getting out of hand. Some folks make
their own lobster pot-type traps from small plastic cartons and the like. Since
the snails crawl onto the glass at night, it isn't difficult just to turn the
lights off early one night, and then wait for the snails to emerge, and then
scrape them off with a net or suck them up with your siphon. It's no big deal.
But really, I leave them to their own devices. No, they won't out-compete you
algae-eating catfish, and no, they don't add much to bioload on the filter. On
the plus side, they ensure there's no anaerobic decay in the tank and they help
aerate (if that's the word) the substrate encouraging good plant growth in the
same way earthworms do on land. They are also very good "early warning"
monitors: if you see them on the glass in the daytime making a bee-line for the
surface of the tank, it means you have a problem. As far as water chemistry
goes, they're not fussy. In soft/acid water they tend to reproduce very slowly,
which may or may not be a good thing depending on your needs. I'll also add that
they are extremely pretty little animals. Take a look at one close-up: they have
beautifully sculpted shells with red and purple markings. If they were rare and
difficult to keep, aquarists would covet them... but because they're so easy to
keep, we scorn them. Strange. I hope this helps, Neale.>
Goldfish and Suckerfish 8/7/06
Hi!
<<Hey, there. Tom this afternoon.>>
I currently have 3 small goldfish, and lately there has been some algae growth.
Is this due to the cycle of the tank, because it has recently matured?
<<One of the signs of a cycled tank is algae growth so I would say this is more
than likely the case.>>
I was wondering if there was any types of algae-cleaners that I could buy to put
in my tank. I have read that the common Pleco will suck on the goldfish. Are
there any other types of suckerfish that would get along with goldfish?
<<Your information on the Common Plecostomus is correct. Unfortunately, there
aren't any of the so-called Algae Eaters that will do well in a Goldfish tank.
Very few fish will, which is why it's recommended that Goldfish stay segregated
with their own kind. What you might look into, provided it's aesthetically
pleasing to you, is the Olive Nerite snail (Neritina reclivata). I'm not a
"snail guy" myself but these critters are used by many aquarists to control
algae (something they do very, very well by all accounts).>>
Thanks!
<<You're welcome. Tom>> <http://yatfs.com/new_page_11.htm>
Snails, Wherefore art thou? 7/30/06
Hi there.
<<Hi, Norma. Tom>>
Just a quick question. I have just cleaned the fish tank out and I found two
small snails in the ornamental castle. I have discarded them. Have I done right
and, where on earth have they come from?
<<Chances are that the snails you "inherited" wouldn't be overly helpful, or
harmful, to your tank, so it's a matter of personal choice as to keeping them
around. These, nearly always, "hitchhike" on live plants. A "bath" in a weak
solution of potassium permanganate for 15-20 minutes prior to introducing plants
into the aquarium will take care of the eggs/snails that have come along
uninvited.>>
Thanks
Norma
<<You're welcome. Tom>>
Baby Snails - 04/27/06
I have an 80 gallon tank that contains three Plecostomus, one rainbow shark
and two Oscars. I have not introduced any new fish in over 6 months. The
only thing I feed the fish is frozen brine shrimp gumdrops. Recently I
noticed what appear to be tiny baby snails. They stay on the bottom of the
tank or on the glass. They have suction cups and small cone shaped shells,
in dark brown. Where did they come from? Occasionally we fill the tank
with a garden hose passed through the window. Could this be where they came
from? <they could have came from anywhere, they are nothing to be worried
about!, IanB> <... Ian? Likely were introduced with some of the shipping
water when you placed the new fishes. RMF>
Thanks for your help.
Sally Rosenfeld
Snails in Livebearer Tank - 2/4/2006
Hi Bob,
<<Lisa writing tonight.>>
I always wanted a healthy planted, livebearer, tank.
<Sounds great.>>
This is 15g tank with mollies, platies, swordtails.
It was cycled by "fishless cycling" , and I have not lost a single fish
since last six months when this tank was set up.
<<Good stuff!>>
Well the problem is that the living conditions in this tank are so good that
it is now having lots of unwanted guests "Snails".
I do not want to use chemicals.
<<I wouldn't either.>>
I read that loaches eat snails, but right now, they are not available at
LFS.
Do bettas eat snails, <<Not usually.>> can they be put in this tank? Any
other method? Picking them manually is very tedious and stresses the fish,
which I want to avoid.
<<Search on WWM for tricks to catch them. Know that where there are snails,
there is snail food.>>
Thank you
Sandeep Raghuvanshi
India
<<You're welcome. Lisa. Canada.>>
Snails Lots of snails 9/28/05
Hello! Your site has been helping me the site has been helping me a lot with
my current aquarium "experiment". Thanks for the time and effort spent doing
this.
<It is for you...>
To explain a little bit about my experiment: I have kept several community
tanks during my life and even a 20 gal reef tank at the age of 12 through 15
that died abruptly when my little sis' decided that pennies would be a good
decoration.
<Yikes... not good luck>
Recently I have taken a fancy to the idea of a more beautiful looking tank. To
achieve this I wanted to go small and heavily planted 5 gal.
20+ plants. I am using a pH monitored CO2 system and a 4x overdriven 8 watt T5
5500K light. (by the way it needs to be trimmed at the very least once a week.)
<I see>
I have:
2x Otocinclus mariae
3x Aphyosemion australe 1m 2f
10x Caridina serrata (cherry red shrimp)
<Very nice>
I also have (uninvited): at last count, 450 baby Ramshorns and pond snails. I
skipped the dip thinking that nothing bad could happen.
<Uhhh>
So I have built a snail trap with a 35mm film canister I bait it with blanched
zucchini and pull out around 35 - 40 snails over the course of a day. The holes
to the trap are too small for the Otos and they sit staring at the canister all
day like the cat stares at the tank.
<Heeeee!>
Now for the real questions:
My snail removal plan is to remove any and all adult snails. I thank that part
is done now. And then to keep trapping for the babies until
they are gone. I would like to know at what size these snails reach maturity
and start reproducing, so that I can remove those (mature
ones) by hand as soon as I see them.
<Am guessing, but likely about the size of your fingernails...>
Also: After I get this mess cleared up I am interested in introducing Melanoides
tuberculata, (Malaysian Trumpet snail) as a soil maintainer.
<A wonderful animal... but... just as improbable to remove...>
I am worried about their prolifictivity.
<Neat word!>
I was planning on baiting for the young of these once a week once they are
established. Would that be too often or am I risking another population
explosion?
<As burrowing animals... Might I suggest a change in your experimental stocking?
To Mystery Snails... easier to control population-wise... Bob Fenner>
Thank you much for any help.
Healthy Snail Search - 08/12/2005
Hi Robert,
<Actually, Sabrina here, in his stead>
I enjoyed your snail articles, and noticed you've mentioned farms in FL that
supply parasite free snails. Do you have any company names? I'm having a heck
of a time finding any on the net... I'm looking for snails that reproduce and
grow quickly, about the size of a dime. Any recommendations?
<Try here: http://www.applesnail.net
- in addition to more snaily information than I've ever seen anywhere, they also
have a discussion forum, where you could perhaps meet others who have what
you're looking for.>
Thank you, Karen Sprague, Baltimore, MD
<Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
Garden Snails Aquatic? 7/22/05
Hi there, I love your site! I visit often and would like to thank you for
all your very useful advice. I have a question for you. Today a friend of mine
at the local grocery store found a snail cruising around the back room, produce
department and offered it to me for my fish tank.
<Be on the lookout when you buy your tomatoes next time...>
My problem is.. I don't know what kind of snail this is, and I have a tank in
which I just added some aquarium salt to yesterday. ( which my guppies are very
happy
about) So I'm worried the salt will harm it.
<Aquatic snails have no problem dealing with salt. However, it does not seem as
if this one was aquatic. If it was found on dry land, leave it on dry land,
don't stick it in water.>
I looked online and think it may be a garden snail, if it is, can it survive in
an aquarium?
<Doubtful.>
Right now its in a fish bowl with some cabbage and a tiny bit of water, until I
find out what to do with it. I'd like to keep it, the kids adore it. So any
advice on what kind of snail this is and how to care for it would be very much
appreciated! Thanks in advance. (Picture is attached.)
<I'm sorry, I didn't receive any photo, so I really cannot help you there.
However, Google is magic: do an image search on Garden snails, see if it matches
your snail. If so, switch to a web search and start reading! Mike G>
-Gina
Snails for Bug Tank
Hi, I just started a 10 gallon tank for predacious water bugs. Right now I
only have ferocious water bugs (Abedus herberti) in there but I would like to
add some other non-fish animals/bugs to my collection. I want to add a snail to
the mix, but I am afraid that 1, snails will take over the tank, and 2,
parasites from the snails will hurt the water bugs. The ferocious water bug
supposedly will eat snails, which has led to another problem; I can only get a
large snail for the tank. I live in southern New York and know of a pond where
there are these really big snails (about 2 inches). I would love to put one of
these in the tank, because I know the bugs won't eat them and they look cool. I
was wondering what you thought about this. I've read that the parasites can be
harmful to fish, but are they to water bugs?
< Bugs in general have a pretty short life span and probably over winter as eggs
so I wouldn't worry about parasites on your bugs.>
And another question is: what kind of snails do you think they are. And
how do they reproduce?
< My guess is that are black mystery snails released from an aquarium. There are
males and females. They will mate and the female will lay a clutch of eggs
outside the water. Usually on the inside lid on the tank. They will stay there
for about a month. After that they will hatch and fall into the water where they
will become food for your bugs.>
They are large, usually black (that's all I've ever found), have a trap door,
and are more blunt, not conical. Thank you so much for the help. Jeff Osborne
< You could always buy some snails at a local fish store. This way you will know
exactly what you have.-Chuck> ABOUT SNAILS
Do you think it's ok to put a snail that we find outside in our
freshwater tank with our fish and if so, what should we feed it?
<tough to say from your general question. If the snail that you find is
terrestrial... then definitely no. If it is aquatic but you live in a
temperate climate, the answer is still no. The truth of the matter is
that it is generally a bad idea to capture wild animals indiscriminately
for captive care without correct identification of the species
needs/husbandry and quarantine. There is a very real risk of introducing
a fatal disease to your fishes by such random introductions. Kindly,
Anthony>
Where did they come from?
I HAVE HAD AN AQUARIUM FOR TWENTY YEARS NOW. ONE DAY I DISCOVERED A SNAIL IN
THERE. NEVER HAVE I NOTICED SNAILS BEFORE. WHERE DO THEY ORIGINATE FROM?
<If freshwater, from live plants mostly likely. If saltwater, from liverock.>
THE FISH FOOD WAS MY FIRST THOUGHT. ALGAE WAS MY NEXT. WILL THEY HARM MY FISH?
<No>
HOW DO I TAKE CARE OF THEM IF THEY ARE GOING TO BE IN THERE?
<They generally take care of themselves. -Steven Pro>
<P.S. Please do not write in all capitals.>
Re: SNAILS!!
HI Ronni, boy were you right...
<Drat, sometimes that’s not a good thing!>
This morning I woke up and there was a snail moving about on my driftwood- from
your website it looks like a Ramshorn. Now it’s small, but hey, don't want it
there.
<I don’t blame you!>
The driftwood did come with a note saying it was 'live driftwood'
<Oops, this may not be a good thing unless you want little crustaceans in your
tank.>
and I've seen little mollusk looking creatures on it from time to time, and I
think I actually caught another snail and pulled it out- it was black. However,
I guess since I didn't QT plants (the Bacopa and the Mondo grass)- even though I
washed it sooo well--I thought- there was a snail this morning I tried to 'get
him' but he was pretty quick
<My guess is that you probably got snails from both the plants and the
driftwood.>
and I didn't want to upset the Amano (who as you predicted are ok--up and out
munching on driftwood this morning)-
<Glad to hear this part anyway!>
So is it true that snails are like mice, you really never have just 1?
<Unfortunately yes. Freshwater snails multiply like crazy.>
If yes, how do I get rid of him? I looked at fish called Yo Yo loach, but they
say it gets up to 5 6 inches, too big for my tank. Is there another smaller
(like 2-3 max) fish to eat snails? Or should I let it go for now?
<There are several smaller fish that eat them but not really any that will work
in your system (Bettas, Puffers, etc). I would go get one Loach, either a Clown
or a Yo-Yo and let them do their job for a while. Fortunately, the Loaches do
seem to grow fairly slowly so if you keep one for a few months and then trade it
back in you should be fine.>
NEVER AGAIN no QT!!
<I’m glad to hear this but sorry that you had to learn it the hard way. But it’s
better that you found out from snails than from a disease like so many people
do.>
Also, my otos survived their first night-- they are small, smaller than the
Rasbora and white cloud and the fish were circling around them and freaking them
out, but everyone seems on today. I figure if otos make it through weekend, they
won't 'die'- read they do sometimes. If they are happy for about 2 weeks, then
can I add either rummy nose tetra (2) or the cherry barbs?
<If possible, it would be best to wait about 4 weeks.>
And if I get a fish that eats snails, I guess I'll get it and omit the rummies-
arghh.
<You’ll be able to add the Rummynose Tetras once your snail problem is taken
care of and you trade the Loach back in.>
Thanks for help, have a GREAT weekend, Best Rosa
<Hope you have a great one too! Ronni>
Can I Release Snails into a Local Pond?
To whom it may concern:
<Hello there>
I searched via Google, but I could not find an answer to my question. I
apologize if it has been asked and answered previously. I bought some plants
for my fish tank. Unbeknownst to me, some snails were attached to the plants.
About one month ago, my fish died. I am not going to buy another fish, so I
wondered if there was a safe way (safe place) to release the snails. Certainly,
I do not want to kill them, but I do not want to keep a tank filled with
snails. Can you help?
Thank you. Pete
<Can help. It may seem cruel, but please DO NOT release the snails (or anything
live for that matter) into any natural environment... Not only for the sake of
not causing competition with local species, but snails in particular are very
common vectors (carriers, hosts) for many, MANY parasitic diseases... of fishes,
invertebrates, even humans. Far better to place them in a plastic bag, put them
in the freezer (this is painless) and dispose of them in the trash later. Bob
Fenner>
Snail Stocking
Hello again,
Sorry to bother you with what's probably a simple question, but I can't seem to
find a set answer on it anywhere else. I was wondering, is there any set rule as
to stocking mystery snails in a tank? I know the '1" of fish per gallon' rule
(and the surface area rule, and...) but how should mystery snails of this
species be counted in regards to the tank's bio load/stocking levels?
<Well, honestly, I was not to sure either so I checked with Bob for both of our
benefits. "I think about one per five gallons of any of the common species is
"about right"." You could also try starting with 1 per 5 gal, then slowly
adding more and testing your water quality.>
So far the only advice I've been able to find is one individual who doesn't
think they add much bio load since their nitrate levels haven't changed since
adding two to their 10g Betta tank, and another who has about 40 small ones in a
1 gallon container with a 60gph filter and air stone.
<I am willing to be 40 snails in a 1 gallon container will be hard to maintain
in the long run.>
I know the snails produce a lot of waste, but they (at least the ones I
currently have) also seem to do a good job of roaming the tank cleaning up
leftover food and dead leaves (and have left my various live plants completely
alone, other than occasionally using them as ladders) that might otherwise
pollute the water. Also given they get some of their oxygen from the surface.
(It's
weird watching one of them crawling up a wall, air siphon extended :) )
<CHARGE!!>
Thanks for your time and any advice you're able to offer, I'll likely pass it on
to the two forums I posted this question on (Aquamaniacs and Applesnail.net) for
the folks there as well.
<Hope it helps, keep a record of your trials and tribs for others benefit as
well. Best Regards, Gage>
Snail Stocking Part Two
Hello again,
Thanks for the response, I've got two in the 10 gallon right now (I had a
regular brown one in there, what I've seen called the 'wild-type' shell pattern,
then saw a little blue one shoved into one of the 'Betta cups' at Wal-Mart the
other day and decided it needed a home). The only other one I'm possibly
planning to add in the future is maybe the one from my 6g African dwarf frog
tank
if any water problems develop there.
So far no problems with the 10g since adding the second mystery snail, other
than slightly elevated nitrates (25 rather than 20), but I think that's likely
due to overfeeding of the bottom feeders, or my trimming back a lot of the
anacharis that's in there. I'm going to try adding a little duckweed (I know, it
takes over tanks. I read somewhere about someone making a 'corral' with airline
and airline clips to keep it within an area of their tank. So I'll see if that
works.) to pick up the extra nitrates. Plus I heard there's a chance the mystery
snails might like to nibble on it.
<Duckweed is an excellent way to suck up excess nutrients.>
I'll let you know if there's any problems with either level of snails in the
future.
On a different topic, since WWM's amphibian area is a bit sparse right now, I
thought I'd offer the following feeding idea, if you'd like to post it: One of
the biggest problems I had with African dwarf frogs was trying to get them to
eat before their food (frozen bloodworms) fell between the gravel, resulting in
hungry frogs and food polluting the water. So as a solution, I got a plastic
water bowl from the reptile section of PetSmart and half buried it under the
gravel. The plastic's a single piece of unpainted molded plastic, so I figure it
should be safe to use. Now I just squirt the defrosted bloodworms (mixed with
water from the tank) into the bowl with a turkey baster. The frogs swim
right over and start feasting, they've also taken to trying to nip at the turkey
baster if it's in the tank since they've figured out that's where food comes
from. Posted this idea on a few forums and the regulars seemed to like it, so
figured I'd pass it on incase it's of use to any of WWM's regular readers.
<Great idea, I have heard of something similar for feeding Corydoras live worms
that dig into the substrate before the fish get a chance to eat them. Thanks
for the info, best of luck, Gage>
Thanks again,
-Chris
New Betta! 1/14/04
<Hi, Pufferpunk again>
Thank you so much for the advice!
<You're welcome, happy to help.>
Today I bought Tate, a blue and red Betta.
<My favorite colors for Bettas>
He seems happy and energetic in his new home, and he's eating 2 pellets of food
twice a day. In a few days I am going to look for a snail to live with Tate. (I
would have gotten one today, but none of them looked very healthy at that
particular store.)
<Yes, make sure you get a healthy one. Nothing fouls a tank worse than a dead
snail. Phew! If he doesn't move for a while, take it out & press lightly on
the "foot". If it has resistance, it's still alive. If the body caves in, or
it smells bad, it's not.>
Basically, I am wondering what I should feed the snail, and if I should move it
into the tank the same way I would a fish. I've never had an aquatic snail
before, so this should be quite an adventure.
<It wouldn't hurt to acclimate your snail. Whatever your Betta eats, the snail
will eat, just make sure he gets some.>
Thanks again! -Kathryn
<Enjoy your fish!--Pufferpunk>
Canister filter Qs + tank setups
Hey WWM Crew,
<Jamie>
A big ol' Thank You! to Gwen for answering my last email (the one below this
one). It helped me picture what's happening with the canister filter. I'm sure
it'll all be crystal clear once I bring one home, lol. I'm also hoping that the
plants won't become snail food, hehe. The snails are Pomacea bridgesii effusa
Apple snails, the ones that do not eat live plants and safe for the planted
tank. They haven't eaten any of mine for the year or so I've had 'em so I think
I'm in the clear, lol.
<We'll see>
Anyway, I have indeed pondered more and more about my setup with the 20Ls. Since
putting them together with one canister filter is not a good idea, I've been
thinking what would. Maybe two Whisper power filters, but I am afraid that the
water turbulence may be too much for both inhabitants and plants, and that they
wouldn't bring up much of the snail mess.
<These are actually a good choice... not too turbulent...>
Then I thought maybe sponge filters would work but wouldn't I be compromising
space for my plants and the snail mess might still pose a problem. Any
suggestions??? I'm open-minded and all ears :)
<I would go with hang-on, outside power filters>
Also, I've looked over more of the Eheim canister filters and found the Ecco
Comfort Plus Filter 2232 and 2234. Is this a good one or should I just stick
with the Filstar for either the 30 or 33L??
<I prefer the Ecco products over the Filstar>
Sorry for all the questions, figured that while you're all available I should
ask the pros everything I can ;) And, as always, thanks for help, it is greatly
appreciated :)
~ Jamie
<Bob Fenner>
Snails and Planted Tanks
Hi!
I would like to add a single already grown Pomacea bridgesi (mystery) and one
Melanoides (Malaysian trumpet snail) specimen to my heavily planted tank. I'm
afraid that they could already be fertilized when I bring them in the aquarium.
<Me too>
How much time can it take between fertilization and time to give birth/lay eggs?
In other words, how long should I quarantine them to be sure they wont lay eggs
or give birth in the display tank?
Thanks!
Dominique
<I would wait a good two months here. Bob Fenner>
Mollies and Snails
WWM Crew,
First, I must say your site has been very informative. I've learned so much! I
have read plenty about Mollies etc, but I have a couple concerns re: my mollies.
I currently have 3 of them. 1 silver molly (M), 1 silver lyretail (F), and black
molly (F). My concern is with the two silver mollies. I did read that it is not
uncommon for the male to chase around the female trying to breed. However my
male is NONSTOP harassing the other silver female (she's pregnant too), and
rarely messes with the black molly. Is there a special reasoning behind that?
<Mmm, no... or not really. Some males are just like this... having more females,
more "other" fishes, plants, other decor to break-up the physical environment...
helps>
I am worried that he will just wear her out, but I don't want to stock my tank
with more females as I am already taking care of 16 fry as it is. Any ideas on
the best way to handle this randy boy?? hahaha
<Isolate him... at least for a while... perhaps in a floating, plastic colander
if you don't have another tank>
Second question... When is it safe to put the fry back into the larger tank with
the adult mollies without the risk of them being eaten?
<When they're "big enough" to not be consumed>
I have 2 that are about a month old, but I don't want to take them out of the
net too prematurely. The others are only a day or two old. Do you judge based on
size? or age?
<Size>
And lastly (are you sick of me yet? haha), about a week and a half ago I noticed
a small snail in my tank. Have NO IDEA how it got there as I sure didn't buy one
from the store!! Then, when doing a water change the other, came across ANOTHER
one that was twice it's size. I'm assuming it was under gravel somewhere because
there's no way you could miss it otherwise! How do I know if it's ok to keep in
the tank and breeding of snails etc?? I do NOT want more snails!! I have looked
at the info on this site re: snails, and haven't come across one that looks like
mine. Is it better to wait till they're more grown to determine the type of
snail? And just out of curiosity... any ideas on how snails got in my tank?
<Come in... with fish purchases in the water, some live foods... can be
eliminated in a few ways, but not likely a problem... perhaps a help in keeping
your tank clean... Not harmful to your fishes>
Is it possible they hitched a ride on the fish as tiny lil thingies on them?
Sounds crazy but, I have no other clue as to their appearance!
Thank you so much in advance for any help you can give! I will continue to
research your site for more information. It's a great tool!!
Sarah
<Thank you for being part of it. Bob Fenner>
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