# Snail Advice



## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

Has anyone here ever kept snails in an el natural tank that's not filtered? If so, did you have any problems? I don't want to use a filter/powerhead in the tank I'm going to set up because my betta does not like currents but I was told that snails are better off in a filtered tank.

Does this mean that I wouldn't be able to have a snail in my tank?


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

Ummm, snails are pretty hardy. Although it may depend on the variety of snail. I have some driftwood soaking in a covered rubbermaid container. Added a piece of driftwood that came from an established tank (I didn't want to use it anymore then but I didn't want it to dry out). Ignored container for more than 2 months, no airstone, just stagnant water becoming browner and ickier by the day. Finally decided I'd better change the water and there were over a dozen healthy ramshorn snails in there!?! There must have been some snail eggs on the driftwood I added.

Malaysian trumpet snails are also hardy snails and they help keep the substrate from becoming anaerobic. 

If you have a well planted tank to deal with waste products and you don't overfeed to cause a snail population explosion, I don't see why you couldn't have snails. It's more likely you'd never be able to get rid of them if you change your mind.


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## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

Thanks for the quick reply. 

I have considered MTS because of what you said, they help keep the substrate from becoming anaerobic. I know they are small so how many would I need for a 10 gallon tank? I know that I can get ramshorn snails in my area but I've heard that they tend to eat plants and that's something I don't want to happen in my tank. Would snails make the tank really messy because they produce a lot of waste if there is no filter?

Are there any other types of snails that you could recommend?

EDIT: Can snails live in temperatures that are in the low 80's? I always keep my current tank at at least 80F.


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

Malaysian trumpet snails are livebearers, so you wouldn't need to start with many. Even just 10 would be enough as they reproduce easily.

I wouldn't worry about the waste snails produce as long as you have a heavily planted tank. The plants will consider the waste fertilizer. Temperature-wise I think snails would be ok at 80 to 82 F, warmer than that I just don't know.

Other snails I can think of are brigs (Pomacea bridgesii), which I'm quite new to keeping but are a very interesting snail that can get quite large (golfball size) but they won't eat healthy plants. You have to make certain that you feed them properly (plenty of calcium rich veggies) to keep them healthy. Check out http://www.applesnail.net/content/species/pomacea_bridgesi.htm if you'd like to learn more about them. In a 10 gallon I'd think one would be enough.

I know some people here have nerites and pond snails, but I've no experience with either of them and haven't learned much about them.


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## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

Aren't Pomacea bridgesii's also called Mystery Snails? I can easily find them at almost any LFS here! I've always found them interesting.

When feeding them veggies, would you just get one of those vegetable clips for aquariums that go inside the tank and clip on a piece of lettuce, for example and just leave it there? Wouldn't that make the water really dirty?

Thank you for your help.


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

Yes, Pomacea bridgesii's are also called Mystery Snails and Apple Snails, but not all mystery snails are brigs. Some mystery snails are other species of snails that are plant eaters. I bought one of those non-brig mystery snails one time before I knew better and watched it mowing a patch of E tenellus before catching and returning the darn thing. It is possible to tell the difference and the website I linked to before has a good description of the differences. There is a good chance that what is at your LFS is a brig, but it's best to be certain.

I've fed my snails food made by other members here specifically for invertebrates (I don't have to deal with the mess and smell of making the food!). I've also fed small pieces of blanched zucchini and cucumber, kale leaves, and shelled thawed frozen peas. For the zucchini, cucumber and kale you can use a veggie clip, put it in the tank in the evening (snails are more active at night) then remove the excess in the morning before it disintegrates and pollutes the water. For the peas I just thaw a few for each tank, pop them out of the skins and drop them in. If a brig is near the surface I'll feed it directly, it's quite interesting watching them grab, hold and devour a pea. They just love them. I will also drop in Hikari Crab Cuisine (for hermit crabs) every now and then, its a big hit with the snails. The snails will also eat any fish food they come across so its not necessary to feed them specifically every day. I usually give them something specifically for them once or twice a week.

Do you have hard or soft water? I have naturally soft water so I've had to harden my water so that the snails' shells don't disintegrate. Hopefully, you won't have that problem.


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## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

I'll definitely read through that link you gave me so I'll know what the differences are between actual brigs and the look alikes. 

Feeding thawed frozen peas won't be a problem because I give my betta two or three bite sized pieces once a week so I could easily thaw out more for the snail. The type of fishfood I give my betta is Hikari's Micropellets. I just hope that some will land on the bottom for the snail because my little boy is quite piggy when it comes to food. lol How quickly can snails move?

Well I'm not exactly sure what the gH is of our water. I have to get a test kit for that but I do know that our pH balance is 7.8 so I'm not too sure if that is considered soft or hard water. I have some crushed oyster shells that I use to give to my quail so I'll probably add some of that into the soil when I go to set up my tank, just in case.


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## bartoli (May 8, 2006)

Red_Rose said:


> Has anyone here ever kept snails in an el natural tank that's not filtered? If so, did you have any problems? I don't want to use a filter/powerhead in the tank I'm going to set up because my betta does not like currents but I was told that snails are better off in a filtered tank.
> 
> Does this mean that I wouldn't be able to have a snail in my tank?


In my 10g tank, there is no filter. The pond snails are doing just fine and are quite active.


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## chrisb (May 30, 2007)

Red_Rose said:


> Thanks for the quick reply.
> 
> I have considered MTS because of what you said, they help keep the substrate from becoming anaerobic. I know they are small so how many would I need for a 10 gallon tank? I know that I can get ramshorn snails in my area but I've heard that they tend to eat plants and that's something I don't want to happen in my tank. Would snails make the tank really messy because they produce a lot of waste if there is no filter?
> 
> ...


A problem with small size snails like MTS is that the population might get out of control and that would be a problem in a non-filtered tank and this is not just about live snails, since it is impossible to find and remove dead MTS.
I also have apple snails and I find they do polute a lot when alive, but of course they are easy to spot if they die.
It is possible to set up the output of a small filter so that the current is extremely low. If you would use one, the small current would be good for the plants and the filter would give an advantage on the snail issue since any unhealthy snail products will be "fed" to the plants (and to the small filter) faster.


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## rohape (Feb 7, 2005)

I have many of the above snails; MTS, Mystery (maybe ramshorn, controversy), Olive Nerite, Pond, even two garden snails! I used to not like snails, but now I love them! My wife and I call them "Water Ticks". The only issue (not really an issue) is that the MTS will get wedged in the intake plastic screen of my power head. All you have to do though is just wipe them off, no biggie.
I keep my water between 78 and 80 degrees. They all do great no matter what!
If your going to get any snail that can get over 1/2", make sure you have hard water, VERY important.

As far as feeding, I just over feed and everyone's happy.  Plants, inverts, fish, my endless pit Gourami's.  Zucchini is cherished in my tank.


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## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

Hmmmm..... maybe I won't get some MTS then. I don't want any of them to die and I not be able to find them. Plus, I have a feeling that my betta will eat them and I don't want to put them through that! lol

If I use a filter, which one should I get? Would a simple sponge filter be okay to use? Can anyone suggest any brand names so I can start pricing them? I'd rather leave the water still since that's what my betta likes but if I have to try a filter, I will.

Thanks!


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## rohape (Feb 7, 2005)

Your betta should leave them alone, their mouths aren't really made to crunch shells. You'll have so many you won't notice if some die. If they get to full size they won't be hard to find. Full grown MTS are about 1" long. On the picture you can see an average size pond snail on the left next to a neon, and a baby MTS on the lower right, for size comparison.

I thought I saw that you have a 10gal, so any old powerhead should work fine. No need to get crazy. If you can find one that small.


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## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

I just assumed that he would eat them because I know that bettas tend to eat small snails and knowing him, he would try. lol

Pond snails look rather nice.  I'll look into some powerheads and ask the sales person about them to find out which one would be best.

Thank you everyone!


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## skincareaddicted (Mar 19, 2007)

Looks like your question has been answered but I wanted to say I keep snails in a no current 10 gallon tank and they do fine. I have pond snails and an golden mystery snail in with fish. My tank is heavily planted with eco-complete for soil. 

Kristen~


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## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

skincareaddicted said:


> Looks like your question has been answered but I wanted to say I keep snails in a no current 10 gallon tank and they do fine. I have pond snails and an golden mystery snail in with fish. My tank is heavily planted with eco-complete for soil.
> 
> Kristen~


Thanks for telling me that. It's good to know that people have kept snails in a tank with no current or filtration and are having no problems with it.


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