Burrowing Snails

[Narwhal]

I am curious about all the different burrowing snails out there. I know MTS is very common, but often is labeled as a pest, but it seems like it doesn't have many downsides, are their any besides lots of snails? like do they head delicate plants or damage roots. They look kind of pretty in many cases, but I was curious if there are different, more ornamental varieties like ramshorns?
I am really fascinated by the Sulawesi rabbit Snails and they seem to have a long conical shape, although they seem to prefer being on the surface of the sand rather than under it. Do they burrow, or is it a special species? I have heard there are some that like to live on rocks and wood.
I have also been looking into the chopstick snail (Stenomelania torulosa) which seems to be a close relative of the Tylomelania species and also from Sulawesi, but appears to be a burrower like MTS just a very slow breeders. I have been trying to see if some LFSs can get them in but it appears to be something only carried by a few select websites. They claim it doesn't bother plants, but I know rabbit snails will eat delicate foliage. Has anyone here kept this species?
Are their any other interesting burrowing snails I haven't heard about? (I know assassins burrow, but they seem to be more predators than scavengers, and also like to be above the surface)

 

[monkeybike]

I have mts, they don't hurt plants and do a great job keeping my pool filter sand substrate turned. When the get too numerous I bait a trap and catch a load of them.

 

[skjl47]

are their any besides lots of snails?

Hello; I have kept MTS for several decades. I had lots of them until I figured out it was my overfeeding that caused the excess numbers. If you get too many MTS it is likely a sign of overfeeding or very messy eater fish. Either way the excess food is better turned into snail than rotting in a tank.

I have not kept all plants but have kept plants for decades. The MTS have not hurt the plants.

 

[monkeybike]

One night's catch in my 180, in my case they thrive off the veggie scraps from my plecos.

 

[Narwhal]

One night's catch in my 180, in my case they thrive off the veggie scraps from my plecos.

View attachment 1280798

Wow. Makes me curious about the very slow breeding chopstick. Or get a single very pretty snail and generate a more ornamental looking strain, I have seen some pictures of some very nice MTS, Still curious if there are special strains of them.

 

[J. H.]

I keep MTS and see them only at night. They do not bother my plants, turn my sand over for me and spend the day out of sight. What more could you ask for?

 

[Wailua Boy]

One night's catch in my 180, in my case they thrive off the veggie scraps from my plecos.

View attachment 1280798

That's a lot of snails

 

[Narwhal]

part of me wants to keep MTS in one tank and Chopstick in another and compare them, based of the slow breeding of the chopstick it takes years to get the numbers MTS can quickly provide. I have been far more interested by snails since I got some ramshorns as a hitchhiker, and they seem to keep the tank healthy. Do MTS eat Algae?

 

[J. H.]

part of me wants to keep MTS in one tank and Chopstick in another and compare them, based of the slow breeding of the chopstick it takes years to get the numbers MTS can quickly provide. I have been far more interested by snails since I got some ramshorns as a hitchhiker, and they seem to keep the tank healthy. Do MTS eat Algae?

Barely. They will climb on to the plants and glass at night and eat a little algae, but if you want an algae eater get moonsnails, ramshorns, (I have never kept these, but they are supposed to be good) mystery trapdoors,(horrendously big and rather ugly) or apples(I have only kept the kind that grows to 2", not the giant kind). You can also get ancistrus, farowella, ottos, mollies, neocardina, bamboo shrimp, or any of many others, but if you have a serious algae problem, you need to address your ammonia/nitrate, and starve it, not harness an army to destroy the algae. Much easier for you, and healthier for your fish.

 

[monkeybike]

I have what appears to be just common pond snails in my planted tank as well. I've never seen them bother the plants and they do a decent job of eating algae off the leaves. My fx6 is like a pond snail farm.