Malaysian Trumpet Snails

[Le Sorcier]

I have my 180l community tank progressing nicely and want to do my best to keep my sand substrate looking nice and clean.

I've heard that MTS's are the only thing that eats fish waste and they do a great job turning over the substrate etc.

However I am conscious that I don't want my tank overrun with snails. I've also heard they can clog your filter up?

I also plan to have 4/5 Polka Dot Loaches in my tank, would they keep the MTS populus in check or just wipe them out?

Many thanks

 

[saz326]

Dont know about those loaches in particular but a lot of loaches will struggle to eat a grown adult MTS as their shells are good and deep and strong.

I would however imagine that any babies would soon get munched so the population wouldnt boom but maybe steadily reach a sustainable level in the tank.

Plus - remember the loaches would have to FIND the snails. These guys spend most of their time under the gravel digging around so the fish wouldnt see them to eat them.

Any experts around?

 

[saltynay]

Polka dot loaches are botia's so will actively seek and kill snails however MTS are one of the best equipped snails to not be killed. Their shells are strong, they have a trapdoor to close their shell, they spend most of their life in the sand and they give birth to live young. I have only heard of very small snails clogging up the filter by eating the algae around the intake which MTS don't really do as they tend to remain in the sand except at night where they trawl the surface a little more then by day. MTS populations don't need to be kept in check they only breed when provided with large quantities of food which provided you don't overfeed your fish will not be present.

 

[rebma94]

They shouldn't over run the tank unless you have too much waste, algae or fish food. They tend to keep there population under control unless you have any of the above problems. I fed my fish too much and now am plucking them out. I don't suggest buying them though if you need more plants because chances are you will have them hitch hike into your tank. Hope it helps.

 

[Le Sorcier]

Many thanks guys.

I knew Saltynay would come to my rescue.

I guess I should get some?

I do have a few snails at present. Slightly smaller than a small pea with slightly translucent shells. what could they be?

 

[saltynay]

Pretty much anything if their shells don't darken then I would provisionally say ramshorns, which will predominantly eat algae although they do eat some plants like elodea but only make little pockmarks so no real damage, mine are in with elodea and strangely the elodea doesn't seem to be growing any more after the past 6 weeks but there are no missing leaves or bare stems from snail damage.

 

[Le Sorcier]

Thanks.

Where do you suggest I get a few MTS's from?

 

[saltynay]

Ask around members in your local area and LFS someone will have them in excess as a pest. I got mine from another member, wouldn't be worth the postage costs to buy them online really.

 

[mattlee]

i have a polkadot loach and he is fine with my baby apple snails and doesnt go near them, although he would have a big job on his hands to get in through the snails trapdoor... they are great loaches and look so nice, mine swims about and plays with my 4 corys sometimes. i would recommend them deffo

 

[Le Sorcier]

Ask around members in your local area and LFS someone will have them in excess as a pest. I got mine from another member, wouldn't be worth the postage costs to buy them online really.

How many should I get to start with? 4 or 5?

And should I get big ones or small ones?

 

[rebma94]

Medium ones would be best so you know they arn't going to die in the next few days because of age and little ones would have a slightly lesser chance of living but probably would live anyway.