Reducing Waste By Moving Snail Out For Feedings?

[trianglekitty]

I have an apple snail in with a betta in a five gallon tank. He's for a friend's tank, but I like him so much I want to get my own when he's gone. I know they are big waste producers though, and I notice when I feed him he often defecates soon after. The other issue is the betta dives on the wafer and will eat until he's bloated.

I was thinking of maybe moving him out of the tank once a day for feeding? I have a little one gallon or so tank. I would just fill it was a cup of the tank water, stick him in w/ a wafer, and leave him there for half an hour or so. It has a lid, so he wouldn't escape.

Would that stress him out though? I wouldn't move a fish around like that, but the snail seems tougher somehow. I've doing water changes every other day, but I'd like to cut it down to twice a week.

 

[KittyKat]

Yes, it would stress the snail. Also, the other concern is that if the snail dies, it may produce enough ammonia in one go to kill the Betta as well.

 

[trianglekitty]

Yes, it would stress the snail. Also, the other concern is that if the snail dies, it may produce enough ammonia in one go to kill the Betta as well.

Yes, I know they rot basically instantly. Hmm. Maybe I'll set up a seperate tank for a snail.

 

[KittyKat]

Yes, it would stress the snail. Also, the other concern is that if the snail dies, it may produce enough ammonia in one go to kill the Betta as well.

Yes, I know they rot basically instantly. Hmm. Maybe I'll set up a seperate tank for a snail.

For that reason, I always assumed at least 10 gallons per snail, but I've had much better luck with them in 20-30+ gallon tanks because they would get out of the tank too often in smaller ones (which I would take to mean that the tank wasn't *really* big enough for them). Have you considered some netire snails instead?

 

[trianglekitty]

Yes, it would stress the snail. Also, the other concern is that if the snail dies, it may produce enough ammonia in one go to kill the Betta as well.

Yes, I know they rot basically instantly. Hmm. Maybe I'll set up a seperate tank for a snail.

For that reason, I always assumed at least 10 gallons per snail, but I've had much better luck with them in 20-30+ gallon tanks because they would get out of the tank too often in smaller ones (which I would take to mean that the tank wasn't *really* big enough for them). Have you considered some netire snails instead?

I have noticed the mystery snail trying to climb up where the filter hole is. I wonder if he is feeling cramped? The tank he'll be moving to is 30 gallons, so hopefully he'll be happy there.

I did some research on the nerites snails and love the look of them...plus it would be a smaller snail for the tank. I do find conflicting information on how much bioload they create though...I assume it would be higher than a fish, as all snails seem to be, but less than a larger mystery snail. My PH and hardness are right where they should be for a snail...I never thought I'd be happy for hard water!

Thanks so much for the suggestion! I knew I didn't want anything that would breed, so a single nerite might well be the perfect solution for me.

 

[KittyKat]

I have noticed the mystery snail trying to climb up where the filter hole is. I wonder if he is feeling cramped? The tank he'll be moving to is 30 gallons, so hopefully he'll be happy there.

Do keep in mind that they are not truly aquatic, they do need to get out of the water to breath (or at least to get to air) and will lay eggs above water (so I usually kept the water level 4-6" below the lid because of this). They can even survive permanently out of water in an extremely high humidity environment.

I did some research on the nerites snails and love the look of them...plus it would be a smaller snail for the tank. I do find conflicting information on how much bioload they create though...I assume it would be higher than a fish, as all snails seem to be, but less than a larger mystery snail. My PH and hardness are right where they should be for a snail...I never thought I'd be happy for hard water!

I found that nerites did not create that much bioload in smaller tanks.. Also, don't worry too much about your pH, I've been living in hardwater areas for pretty much the whole time I have been keeping fish and there are ways of getting around it

Thanks so much for the suggestion! I knew I didn't want anything that would breed, so a single nerite might well be the perfect solution for me.

Nerites won't breed anyway, I don't think.. don't their young hatch only in brackish or marine water?