Found Snails In Tank - What Should I Do?

[Athena]

Last night when I got home I got a shock when I looked into one of my tanks - I saw about 3 little snails sliding up the glass side!

Have no idea how they got there - ok, well I am guessing that they must have hitched a ride on the live plants? They are little brown-shelled snails. Largest is about 1cm diam.

What I want to know is - are they a good thing to have in the tank? Do they help get rid of algae and tank debris? Or do they cause a lot of pollution from their own waste?

They look kind of cute so don't want to get rid of them unless it's thought really necessary.

What do you think? Would appreciate your thoughts on it.

Athena

 

[TylerFerretLord]

Snails are totally fine in nearly any tank. It sounds like you have pond snails; They won't eat live plants, only the dead parts, and they eat algae and left over fish food.

You won't get the whole 'snail infestation' unless you overfeed or never clean the tank. Even if you do, they're not harmful, just unsightly.

Snails make a great addition to any tank.

 

[kewskills]

Snails are fine, as stated they will stay at a manageable level unless you overfeed, They are a very very small bio load so would not worry about that side of it.
I actually like them, most of my tanks have them

 

[minxfishy]

They will help with your brown algae problem Athena, added 6 ramshorns to my 10g yesterday, over night the brown algae on the filter box is all gone, Yippeeeeeee.

 

[Athena]

Excellent - thanks for all the replies!

So, if I take one of the snails out and put it into the tank with the brown algae problem then I might see some change in that tank? Now, all I need to do is brace myself in order to pick a snail up - eugh - really not looking forward to doing that!!

I think snails are cute to watch - just don't fancy having to handle one (shudders)!

Athena

 

[kewskills]

Excellent - thanks for all the replies!

So, if I take one of the snails out and put it into the tank with the brown algae problem then I might see some change in that tank? Now, all I need to do is brace myself in order to pick a snail up - eugh - really not looking forward to doing that!!

I think snails are cute to watch - just don't fancy having to handle one (shudders)!

Athena

Yeah better watch yourself, may take ya arm off

 

[gaz gun man]

having snails sounds like the perfect excuse for a dwarf puffer set-up to me!

 

[Athena]

having snails sounds like the perfect excuse for a dwarf puffer set-up to me!

That's funny - I've just left a message on your other thread about brown algae!

Yes - I think snails might be the way for us to go, Gaz!! Oh, and of course you just HAVE to get a dwarf puffer to go with them. I fell in love with a little Porky Puffer years ago in a London lfs. It swam to the front of the tank and looked up at me with it's huge, Disney-like eyes. Awww! Always wanted one but never had one - and still don't have one! And now I don't have room for another tank - and I'm not much good at balancing heavy things on my head

I'm so fed up of the BA stuff, it's spoiling my enjoyment of that tank now. I look at it and think "Eugh!" instead of how I usually feel when I look at my good tanks and think "Ahhhh - luvverly!"

hehehe typical women, I know!

Athena

 

[gaz gun man]

lol I hear ya on the brown algae ruining the look of the tank, so its not just a woman thing!

I bet you do have room for a dwarf puffer tank! Mine is only 25L and sits on my desk, its gonna be great sitting there on my laptop with him to keep me company!

 

[Athena]

OMG I feel another tank-buying session coming on!!! Stop - don't let me near the LFS

Seriously, though - I don't even have anywhere to put a 1ft tank that would be in a good viewing position. Pointless having it tucked away upstairs somewhere - poor thing would never get seen. I do have a 1ft tank housing my dear old male Betta - so I guess when his time comes to leave me, I could use his tank for a puffer...

Thanks for fuelling my addiction!

 

[gaz gun man]

OMG I feel another tank-buying session coming on!!! Stop - don't let me near the LFS

Seriously, though - I don't even have anywhere to put a 1ft tank that would be in a good viewing position. Pointless having it tucked away upstairs somewhere - poor thing would never get seen. I do have a 1ft tank housing my dear old male Betta - so I guess when his time comes to leave me, I could use his tank for a puffer...

Thanks for fuelling my addiction!

lol you're very welcome

Have you seen these puffers on youtube? its an excellent video and the music is nice too!

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o1fw9jtRNc

 

[jennakid]

snails are finee.
they dont slean 'alot' of algae though because they only have little mouths lmao.
i used too have like.. tons of snail babies..
but they all ended up disapearing somewhere
ahwell.
they musta got hidden under all the gravel.
goodluck with your baby snails.
cute aren`t they.
xo

 

[Athena]

WOW!! Amazing vid clip. Oh, now I won't be happy till I get one (or some). Don't actually know much about their upkeep/tank requirements etc so will need to do some research first so that I am prepared once dear old Sammy the Betta pops his clogs.

Thank for sharing that, Gaz!

snails are finee.
they dont slean 'alot' of algae though because they only have little mouths lmao.
i used too have like.. tons of snail babies..
but they all ended up disapearing somewhere
ahwell.
they musta got hidden under all the gravel.
goodluck with your baby snails.
cute aren`t they.
xo

Yeah, very cute, Jen. I guess I would need to have quite a few in the "bad" tank in order for them to clean the amount of brown algae I have in there! Any idea how big these snails grow or do they stay at about 1cm?

 

[JJJ]

OMG I feel another tank-buying session coming on!!! Stop - don't let me near the LFS

Seriously, though - I don't even have anywhere to put a 1ft tank that would be in a good viewing position. Pointless having it tucked away upstairs somewhere - poor thing would never get seen. I do have a 1ft tank housing my dear old male Betta - so I guess when his time comes to leave me, I could use his tank for a puffer...

Thanks for fuelling my addiction!

lol you're very welcome

Have you seen these puffers on youtube? its an excellent video and the music is nice too!

[URL="http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o1fw9jtRNc"]http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o1fw9jtRNc[/URL]

I have ramshorn snails , they're on the class all the time, ( I leave some algae on the back class)my silver tip tetras keep nobbling on them, sending them back down to the gravel,

One way I monitor them is to to be sure to vacuum a few every week or two, MY tank is also planted with Hygro's, crypts and ambulia, they have not eaten any plant, they also remove the algae off leaves, and also consume dead leaves, i think they are a bonus to any tank..

One way to get the snails out of your tank ( without touching them) is to have some lettuce inside a small class place it in a central position ,( where the snails will get to easily), overnight the snails will enter the class in the morning pick up the class and release thwm in you other tank,
Depending on how many snails you have this may take a few days ect...

 

[Athena]

Thanks, JJJ - that sounds like a good idea! Thanks for the tip.

I've noticed that these snails move much quicker than land snails - one minute you see them, next you don't! So your idea will also save me the time of having to hunt for them amongst all the plants etc.

Yay! Can relax now I know I won't have to handle them...