What type of snail?

[Byron]

Some people like snails in an aquarium and some people do not. But let's understand what they achieve.

Snails do not contribute to the bioload provided they are not being specifically fed but only eat what is already in the aquarium. The small helpful snails like pond, bladder, Malaysian will eat any and all organic matter. This includes fish excrement, dead plant matter, uneaten fish food, all of which is already there contributing to the bioload. And this is beneficial because it breaks down the organics faster so the bacteria can get at it and deal with it. Snails get everywhere, and some burrow in the substrate. This is beneficial, and not in the least detrimental.

Snails will eat algae but not to the extent that they will control problem algae, so it is minimal. But in most cases this is a benefit. As for eating fish eggs, in most cases the other fish will achieve this before the snails can ever get started. But even so, don't have snails in a breeding tank if you want eggs/fry.

The snails will be at the number according to the available food; if they have no food, they will not survive and increase beyond that level.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Snails breed uncontrollably in an aquarium because there is plenty of food and no predators. I have seen tanks that have thousands of snails in and the tanks weren't overfed. The snails simply ate all the plants and algae and were producing huge amounts of poop (more than the fish).

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Bigger snails that don't breed as readily are better options because they are easier to control.

But then they have larger bio-loads.

 

[Irksome]

Looks like a pond or bladder snail. When I had an unwanted ramshorn snail in my tank I took it out immediately, 3 weeks later I had at least a dozen. I then introduced assassin snails and after a week I never saw a ramshorn snail again... I think they are still in there, maybe, but I can’t be sure.

 

[Colin_T]

Snails do not contribute to the bioload provided they are not being specifically fed but only eat what is already in the aquarium.

We will have to agree to disagree on this point. If you have 100 snails in a tank, they will be pooping a lot and producing a lot of waste, regardless of if they are being fed extra food or just scavenging whatever is in the tank.

For anyone who has Malaysian Trumpet/ livebearing snails, you will have hundreds in your tank.

Snails use oxygen, and produce waste and ammonia. To test this, put some snails in a bucket of water without a filter and monitor the water quality.

 

[LarsB]

In my opinion, Every snail is a good snail.(Excluding mystery snails) snails will help your tank out so much! I have hundreds In all my tanks!

Curious what is the singling out of mystery snails? (I too, appreciate snails) The thing that confuses me about them, is "what's the mystery?" They are freakin snails!!!! LOL
But seriously, what is up with the MS?

 

[seangee]

They will eat your plants. I have MTS in all my tanks.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

They will eat your plants. I have MTS in all my tanks.

Same here. I have MTS and Blue Rams Horn Snails in all of my Tank. MTS’s help keep the sand clean and BRH help keep the glass clean. I also have 1 Zebra Nerite snail, which is a great snail to have in any tank.

 

[CryptFan]

Curious what is the singling out of mystery snails? (I too, appreciate snails) The thing that confuses me about them, is "what's the mystery?" They are freakin snails!!!! LOL
But seriously, what is up with the MS?

they just add to the bioload and eat plants, they are not like bennefacial snails that clean the tank.

 

[Retired Viking]

I stocked my tanks with nerites snails after a bad experience with mystery snails. They do a good job cleaning.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

they just add to the bioload and eat plants, they are not like bennefacial snails that clean the tank.

They are beneficial to your tank. Not all snails eat plants, Nerite snails don’t.

 

[CryptFan]

They are beneficial to your tank. Not all snails eat plants, Nerite snails don’t.

i was just talking about mystery snails. I love All the other snails