Hc Cuba & Apple Snails

[Verminator89]

I've put this here because i want the HC to thrive, not so much the snails. I've tried with this plant before and failed but on a recent visit to a LFS i decided to give it a go again. So far so good, new shoots and crawling growth over the bottom after 6 days. However alot of singular small leaves are floating, and each day more do so, leaving bare stems on the bottom. Now the issue might be none snail related ( i'm hoping not ). I see my apple snails gliding over the HC and all over the tank and i'm wondering if there nibbling is causing the leaves to weaken and fall off, or the snails are jsut finding them delicious and eating the stems. Does anyone have experience with apple snails and HC? If its a bad mix and the snails are the culprits then they'll cop it by being removed from the tank to another.

I so want the HC to thrive, its carpeting nicely and my snails (possibly) are ruinging it!

 

[lljdma06]

I've put this here because i want the HC to thrive, not so much the snails. I've tried with this plant before and failed but on a recent visit to a LFS i decided to give it a go again. So far so good, new shoots and crawling growth over the bottom after 6 days. However alot of singular small leaves are floating, and each day more do so, leaving bare stems on the bottom. Now the issue might be none snail related ( i'm hoping not ). I see my apple snails gliding over the HC and all over the tank and i'm wondering if there nibbling is causing the leaves to weaken and fall off, or the snails are jsut finding them delicious and eating the stems. Does anyone have experience with apple snails and HC? If its a bad mix and the snails are the culprits then they'll cop it by being removed from the tank to another.

I so want the HC to thrive, its carpeting nicely and my snails (possibly) are ruinging it!

Can you describe your setup in more detail? HC is a fragile little plant without the snails. CO2, ferts, lighting?

llj

 

[Ed Green]

In one of my nano tanks I have an apple snail. EVERYTIME I put some HC down in it the little begger eats the lot. He usually waits until lights out, in the morning its all gone.

One of these days that snail is going to find himself in the boring old biorb if hes not careful!

 

[Verminator89]

2ft tank
x2 T5HO GloLight bulbs
CO2 dosing 5ml EasyLife EasyCarbo 3 times a week
Ferts dosing 4ml EasyLife ProFito 3 times a week

The HC is doing fine, other than small leaves keep going missing. New shoots creep out across the bottom with lush green growth and then the previous few days growth is slowing becoming bare. I'm possitive it has to be the snails. Other than that all my other plants are lushious and green too, including Anubias, Vallis, Echinodorous Rubin, Java fern and Crypy parva.

 

[lljdma06]

2ft tank
x2 T5HO GloLight bulbs
CO2 dosing 5ml EasyLife EasyCarbo 3 times a week
Ferts dosing 4ml EasyLife ProFito 3 times a week

The HC is doing fine, other than small leaves keep going missing. New shoots creep out across the bottom with lush green growth and then the previous few days growth is slowing becoming bare. I'm possitive it has to be the snails. Other than that all my other plants are lushious and green too, including Anubias, Vallis, Echinodorous Rubin, Java fern and Crypy parva.

While I personally love escargot, I just want to make sure that it isn't a fert or CO2 issue. I'm aware of the types of liquids you are using, but I want to point out that plants are competative like fish. They compete for nutrients and CO2. The anubias, Vallis, and others may possibly out-competing the HC for nutrients?

Is there a paticular reason why you've chosen to dose liquid CO2 rather than inject the gas? The tank just seems on the large end for liquid dosing. I'm just thinking that if you chose to dose more easycarbo, which is a legitimate solution if you indeed need more CO2 for the HC, you will effect your Vallis, which does not take kindly to over-dosed liquid CO2.

Do you have a dropchecker to measure CO2? When I had my 8g, I would often shift the position of my dropchecker to make sure CO2 was being evenly distributed.

When did you add the snail? Does it coincide with the change in the HC?

llj

 

[Verminator89]

I dose liquid CO2 because i currently can't justify spending money on a CO2 injection kit at this point in time. I've tried manual injection kits that arent on timers/solernoids and what not but i don't do it consistently enough for it to be successful. So currently dosing liquid ferts/CO2 3 times weekly is my easiest option.

The snails have been in there almost a year now i believe. The HC has been in there a week today, so its certainly no coincidence on that part. Every other plant is fine as i've said and the HC growth itself is fine. It looks healthy, theres no browning, its creeping nicely as i've said its just various leaves go missing. To the point where theres a probably 50% of the leaves that were/should be there have now gone (floating at the surface). Interestingly i must say a few stems of fairly substancial size are floating at the top too, and they don't look half as bad as those planted at the bottom.

In all fairness i believe its the snails, so...i've moved them into my 3ft Jack Dempsey tank for now, if the HC picks up i'll have my answer, if not then i'll be referring back to here for tips on keeping HC If the snails fail to survive in with the dempseys then so be it i guess. There more of a nuisance to be honest anyway, they look quirky enough though.