Apple Snails

[CTlovesKS]

I got 4 apple snails for £2 today.... It was meant to be 5 but one was empty sell so I let that one go haha. Anyways put them all in my bettas tank. And will be taking two of them with me on Sunday to my main tank. Only one apple snail has got the guts to come out his shell and wonder around. Anyways my betta "Bubbles" keeps biting him (The fleshy bit not the shell) not flaring or showing any signs of hating him just a little nip every now and again... Will this stop and will it hurt the snail ?

 

[Syphoniera]

Hi, CTlovesKS,
I'm afraid bettas will sometimes bite off snail's eyestocks and antennae with some being far more prone to it than others.
You might want to move all of the Apples to your main tank, or see about a trade, perhaps, to prevent them being blinded and mutilated, and get him a Nerite, which can keep body parts tucked into its shell and survive intact.
The only down side is, of course, the tiny infertile white eggs Nerites tend to lay all over, but it's better than having snail torture being committed before your very eyes, and Nerites are great little algae scrapers and cleaners as well as being smaller and lower bioload, and more suitable for smaller tanks.

 

[CTlovesKS]

Well he seems to be stare at them now but will keep a close eye on it. If it keeps happening will move all 4 to main tank if not then keep to in with him. Those little Nerite snails are cute... Never seen them before had to google it lol

 

[Syphoniera]

They're great little things, very pretty, and fabulous for keeping in with fish that nibble on snails.

 

[CTlovesKS]

Well they are pretty thats for one thing. Though he does see to leave them alone and seems to be making him self happy by trying to swim towards the current. Small things amuse small minds. Im not joking when i say that he has a personality of a 5 yr old lol... Will still keep eye on apple snails. If he does start to nip them again then will put all 4 in main tank and get some of the little pretty snails you said !!!

 

[betta fish]

Nerites are lovely snails, really good for algae too but I've had no luck with them, had 6 at one point and now only have 1, they all just seemed to die they had plenty of food so I don't know why they didn't last.

 

[Night61]

bettas that presistanly harass a mystery/apple snail will leave nerites alone, beause there are less tempting things to nibble on. they do a bang up job to one nitrate can keep a 2.5 gallon spotless, i have two in each of my five gallons and they go to town on algae.

 

[CTlovesKS]

Well lucky for me and the snails he seems to be leaving them alone. Just the odd stare or flare at them once in a while but thats about it