Nerite Snails

[Infidel_Uk]

ok the questions are , how long after cycling a tank can i add nerite snails ? [ im thinking a week ? ]

and also how many for a 40 gal with 3 f8 puffs in ?

thanks

 

[saltynay]

Hmmm nerites with puffers not the best idea but horned nerites should be ok and 4 are acceptable in that size tank altho I would add one first and see how it fairs.

 

[mixmaster jay]

the puffers will have a very good go at them more than likley get eaten mate

 

[Infidel_Uk]

well im pretty sure i was advised to use nerite snails , im ive always said ill be using f8 puffs , salty you say horned ones *should* be ok yeh ?

the puffs im getting are really small at the mo , babies in fact ......

i just want something thats going to keep the tank cleaner than having *nothing* i cant have a plec [ brackish ] so guys i need some help here pls !


are they also called , staghorn nerites ?

 

[saltynay]

Bee, porcupine and staghorn are other common names for them. I am completely unsure whether they would survive, however they have the highest possibility due to their "horns" being a protection mechanism by physically being barbs for anythin that tries to eat them, their shells is strong an thus hard to crush by a puffer and the horns make them much larger then their actually bodysize so F8 puffers beak would need to be able to encompass this larger size. Puffers love eating snails however so they may find a way, as they are only babies they make accept a snail as a tankmate if they grow up with it. If you get a colony of horned nerites at the right salinity they will breed thus supplementing the food of the puffers and you can sell any snails which survive the gauntlet to adult hood.

 

[Infidel_Uk]

lol@ survive the gauntlet to adulthood .

i was thinking once they breed maybe the babies will be more than enough to keep the puffs away from mum and dad ?

 

[saltynay]

Indeed that is my thinking aswell normally predators won't go for a hard target when easier targets are freely available. Perhaps introduce the nerites to the tank first e.g. 3 weeks before the puffers so that they can breed and learn where to hide in the tank.

 

[Infidel_Uk]

i just got mail from an ebay seller that is selling some staghorn nerites , he said they are for FW only ?

is there any chance i can get them and slowly increase the salinity ?

thing is with no f8`s in , would i need to continue adding ammonia to keep the tank in cycle ? while the nerites , if i can have them , are settling in ?

i dont think the nerites will have a big impact on the waste situation ? and what would i feed them on ?

id really like to add the f8`s asap now, there are new babies at my LFS and i dont want to leave it too long , in case they sell

 

[saltynay]

They are either brackish or FW the adults can survive in both babies can only survive in brackish. I would gradually increase the salinity for them from FW if that is how he is keeping them. Are you not adding any other fish to the tank with the puffers?

 

[Infidel_Uk]

i want some bumble bee gobys too, but im not convinced if i can or not or how many, i wanted at least 4 ?

 

[saltynay]

Figure 8's are said to be the most peaceful of puffers and if you introduce them to the tank at the same time then shouldn't be much squabbling although check in the brackish section, I know its not very active but the gurus there are encyclopedic with their knowledge.

 

[Infidel_Uk]

cheers salty , ive asked there too now ....