snails

[SailfinGirl]

Are snails good or bad for the tank?> I haven't got any but I think they're sweet and I wondered if they would help keep my glass clean.

 

[Joviella]

some are good, some are bad. i have had major snail problems in the past but my clown loaches love to eat them

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

i have a big snail problem in my fry tank they stowed away on one of my plants

 

[Dubby]

The good or bad part is based on how many you have If they are overrunning the tank then they are BAD !!!

 

[SailfinGirl]

oh. are they good at keeping the glass clean? i do do it my self, but it nwould be easier to have a snail. I have a baby molly and 3 guppies in my tank.

 

[Cavafish]

I only have a few snails but they are various shapes and sizes and I have never seen my clown loaches eating them. I hope someone who knows posts a reply to this one cos I need to know too

 

[Joviella]

alot of the botia loaches eat snails. i personally wouldn't rely on snails to clean my tank glass.

 

[Bangin]

I agree with chali. Snails do not effectively keep the glass clean.

 

[luxum]

I love my snails. I have pond snails, ramshorn snails, and the very best ones, malaysian trumpet snails. They eat algae growth and keep my plants clean. They also scavenge fallen fish food, dead leaves, etc. The MTS burrow in the substrate and prevent anaerobic pockets from forming. They don't keep the glass spotless, but they keep it well under control, i just use the scrubby thing on the front pane at water change time. The snail population is directly related to the food supply. If there is a lot of food for them in the tank, there will be a large snail colony. If you don't like seeing a lot of snails, you need to remove their food source. That means cut back on feedings, step up the gravel vacuuming, and if they are eating algae mainly you'll need to introduce a competing algae eater. Personally, i love them. They are really neat to watch and even when my tank is devoid of fish as it is now, they make it still feel alive.

 

[Teelie]

oh. are they good at keeping the glass clean? i do do it my self, but it nwould be easier to have a snail. I have a baby molly and 3 guppies in my tank.

Some are excellent at eating algae off glass and some won't touch it but no number of snails is a replacement for cleaning the glass yourself.