Which Snail?

[willowstwin]

Hi All

Right, before I go ahead and be all girly and buy pretty pink german ramshorns from a member on here, I thought I would ask for some advice...

I would like a few snails to keep the algae problem I seem to have down (I do weekly 50% water changes with gravel vac, I have a lot of moss in the tank which I was told would help by taking up nutrients, I scrub little patches off as soon as I spot it, and I have the lights on for a maximum of 6 hours a day - it's not in a bright sunny room).

However, I only have a 48litre tank, so no chance of a snail eater like a clown loach. So I don't want to be over-run with snails.

Another member posted they were selling Golden Apple Snails, and stated that they lay their eggs out of the water in 3cm clumps. This sounds perfect to me for population control. However, I love wub the pink german ramshorns a different member is offering for sale. Now, I can get pink apple snails from a breeder online, but I would really love the ramshorns.

Basically, out of all that confusing rambling.. I want pretty snails (I'm a girl, I like the shiney shinies ) but I don't want to be over-run with snails. Can anyone confirm if the pink german ramshorns are prolific breeders, and if their eggs are super easy to spot? If not, I'll go with the pink apples.

Thanks
Willow

 

[ZoddyZod]

you want an algae eating snail that doesn't breed?

nerite.

they can't breed in freshwater.

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

There are a variety of snails - ramshorn snails will breed however provided you don't over feed you won't be over ran.

Apple snails will be good as you will see their eggs.

Nerite snails are very good algae eaters but if there is no algae left they are quite fussy so may die of starvation even if you feed them.

Malaysian Trumpet Snails (MTS) are small snails - they will breed but again so long as you don't over feed they won't over populate - they are good algae eaters; I have them in a cold water tank of mine and they keep it algae free (I used to clean the algae and the following day it would be back). I have these purely because I didn't want anything big and needed something for coldwater.

I'm not saying don't ger the ramshorns (I love them) but I've never owned them so know nothing about them.

One thing with all snails is you need to provide food for them as well (i.e. vegetables) - a slice of cucumber (mine LOVE honeydew melon), lettuce etc, algae wafers and mine get crab cusine (lots of calcium).

There are other snails out there e.g. sulawesi snails - these are great but they also grow rather big. These do breed once they get big enough and have about one baby a month. However if you got these and they did breed a lot you would be able to sell these (as you would all of your snails in fairness).

 

[willowstwin]

hmmm never thought about selling the babies... I think I may go for the pink apples, as I can see the eggs and so choose to have babies or not... but then the ramshorns are soooo beautiful!!... *cries*

I'll have a think tonight and make my decision later.

Thanks for the advice. I'll buy in some "crab cuisine"? My fish and shrimp get veggies on a regular basis. They all absolutely adore cooked shelled peas

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Maybe a combo of MTS and assassin snails. I've never done it, but it is just something I've wondered about... could that even work?



I have some pest snails, not that many, but enough to notice them from time to time. I generally just suck some out every water change - usually 10-12 will go each week that way. But, I wonder if I could just get an assassin or two and not have to worry about vaccing them.

 

[juggernuts]

just get a couple of nerite snails, or even just one.

My girlfriend got 4 and they have absolutley shined up her tank, got in all the little gaps on her 3d background too!


100% reccommendation.

And assassin snails will also demolish your few pests, and I must say they both look rather cool too

Id say maybe 1 or 2 nerites and a few assassins should see your problem out.


Paul

 

[librarygirl]

I have two horned Zebra nerites. I really like them, they're very active and fun to watch. I'm not 100% sure what they're eating as I don't have much if any visible algae in my tank and the few things I've tried to feed them (lettuce, cucumber) they didn't seem to go for but I"ve had them for two months now so I'm guessing they're eating something. The two biggest reasons for me getting Nerites were that their shell designs are very pretty and they can't hatch eggs in freshwater so I won't have to worry about being overrun with snails.