# snails



## Drunktank (Apr 6, 2006)

i set my planted tank up about 3 weeks ago. Got plants from a few friends. Today i noticed that there were a dozen of so snails in my tank that i never added, are they good or bad?


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Snails are neither good nor bad. They help keep the algae population under control. They add another set of moving creatures to enjoy, and MTS also stir up the substrate for you. But, they also can multiply rapidly, occasionally damage leaves, leave empty shells everywhere, deposit eggs everywhere, and bore you. So, it's up to you if they are good for you.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

If you want to keep your snail population in check, be sure to pick out some of those snails. Soon you'll have literally dozens of snails everywhere which can be an eye sore. In terns of snails eating plants, most likely they won't touch healthy portions, but they do feed on the dead decaying portions. 

-John N.


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

You have to be in a certain mood to use your finger and squish them (cracking the shell sometimes) if you want to get rid of them. I would not recommend using chemicals to get rid of them unless you know exactly what they will do to your tank. 

I currently am more in the mood to agree with Hoppycalif. I currently watch them and keep them in perspective with my entire aquarium. I have heard that some fish eat them. Loaches I believe. I bought one, he did not last very long. I spoil my Mollies too much for them to eat snails. 

What do the rest of you do?


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## nailalc (Mar 17, 2006)

In one tank, I've got MTS, the population size comes and goes, I do nothing about it. They only come out at night it seems and don't do much damage to the plants, maybe uprooting a few here and there.

In another tank, I had snails that I considered to be a problem. I bought two Queen Botias and although one died within two weeks, the other continues to be a snail machine. Eats what I'm assuming to be all the small ones, I only occasionly see a few large ones that must have gotten too big without him knowing about it.

Although cutting down on the amount of food the fish are feed will probably help control the snails, less extras for the snails.


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## Drunktank (Apr 6, 2006)

thanx for all the advice, i dont watcht the tank much- so i was just wondering if they were okay or not- surprised me to see them


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## lildark185 (Jul 7, 2006)

I believe clown loaches are the best of the loaches to keep for getting rid of snails, if thats what you end up doing. They're pretty fun to watch too since they're active most of the time (if there's 2 or more).


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Here is a link to help you ID the snails that you have... http://www.applesnail.net/content/snails_various.php

The most common snails are Pond, Ramshorn & Malaysian Trumpet snails . These get in the tank by the way of very small snails or eggs on the plants. These snails in controlled numbers will help keep your tank clean and stir up the gravel. If you see a population explosion then you are over feeding.


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

nailalc said:


> ...Although cutting down on the amount of food the fish are feed will probably help control the snails, less extras for the snails.





trenac said:


> ...If you see a population explosion then you are over feeding.


The two quotes above are spot on. I've been able to observe a snail population increase and decrease by varying the amount of food.


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## Shrimp&Snails (Mar 27, 2006)

Jimbo205 said:


> You have to be in a certain mood to use your finger and squish them (cracking the shell sometimes) if you want to get rid of them. I would not recommend using chemicals to get rid of them unless you know exactly what they will do to your tank.
> 
> What do the rest of you do?


I would use a plastic spoon to crush them rather than your finger. A piece of shell could pierce the skin and leave you with an infection.

I'm not a physid fan.....I used to spend ages crushing the eggs and removing the snails (to feed to hubby's loaches) and they seemed to reproduce like there was no tomorrow. When I added shrimp to the tank I started feeding the tank a lot less so there's not many now.....my substrate looks like a mini snail graveyard.


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## Burks (May 25, 2006)

I heard placing a piece of zucchini/cucumber in the tank works to draw the snails out. Once they are on the piece, just pluck it out and bye bye snails.

My hitch-hikers, some type of ramshorn, like the zucchini. There are only three or so of them so they don't bother me. I have a shipment of MTS coming in as a matter of fact. Should be here tomorrow or Friday.

*scratches head* What to do with them when the whole tank is moving? LOACH FOOOOOOD!!!


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## mrbelvedere138 (Jan 18, 2006)

I love my snails. I used to hate them.....but now I realize they are just extra biodiversity. Just drab versions of the pretty snails I really covet. I just bought some A. spixi and I am really looking forward to them arriving.


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## Shrimp&Snails (Mar 27, 2006)

I also keep asolene spixi snails and they are great little snails but if you allow an egg clutch to hatch the hatchlings are like locusts for your live plants. Since spixis lay their eggs underwater I have to play *hunt the eggs* everyday.


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## aquaboyaquatics (Feb 22, 2006)

There are some shrimps that eat the eggs. There are other shrimps and Dwarf Crayfish that eat the adults. I have seen Neocardina sp. "Blue" destroy an entire population by eating the eggs in a short period. This will not help with MTS, they are live bearers. A snail eating Invert would be needed to control them.

Another factor to consider is amount of dissolved calcium in your water. You can effectively control a population with soft water.

Mike


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

I am guessing that a lack of calcium in the water stops somehow the snail shells from collecting. 

So, with this biodiversity thing. If I am not so generous with my fish food feeding, I may end up with more snail shells in my substrate which are basically calcium yes? 

Calcium is good for plants yes? So in a twisted way, dead snail shells are good for plants, maybe? 

Is this true? Or just screwed up logic and biology?


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## Shrimp&Snails (Mar 27, 2006)

Keeping snails in soft water wouldn't control the snail population. The lower PH would cause the shells to erode but i've seen MTS that are basically nubs because of shell erosion but they still went about their business as usual.

Dead snails pollute the water but their shells do release calcium. I don't know if the calcium is absorbed by plants but it is by other snails.


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