Looking for snails for my 5g fw tank?
- Thread starter olga21
- Start date
The number of snails depend on how your water parameters can cope with the bioload. A lot of the snails are similar to plecos being able to excrete far more wastes than you can imagine. You have an option to get the Pomacea diffusa, assassins (Anentome helena), nerites or Sulawesis (Tylomelania sp.).
For P. diffusa, I'd recommend 2. Be sure to feed them calcium enriched foods such as collards. What are your pH , KH and GH? They need calcium to avoid shell erosion. Most people are plainly ignorant in their needs assuming these snails are just scavengers that do not need to be supplemented anything at all. There are also other species of apple snails but most of these are voracious plant eaters and are banned for transport in all states. You can however obtain them legally if you buy them within your state. If you plan to make your tank planted, then these plant eating species are not for you. Primary examples are the Saltons, insularums, canaliculata and paludosa. A lot of these reach baseball size which is something you should watch out for. Conduct further research about this in applesnail.net or look for more information in suggested references below.
Apple Snail: Differentiating Snail Egg Species
Apple Snail: Incubating and Hatching Eggs
Calcium Supplements
Common Health Risks and Conditions
Nerite Snail: Breeding
Snail Food Recipe
Snail Safe Tankmates
USA: Snail Legalities
Other references can be found here.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=194702
Next, the assassin snails. These snails grow to 1.5 inch and are predatory species that devour pond snails, ramshorns, MTS and even other species smaller than them. These are best kept by themselves along with some feeder snails such as pond snails for food as there have been reports of them ganging up on larger ones by 'stabbing' them continuously in groups. They shouldn't pose a problem with shrimps though.
Nerites are the most efficient algae eaters. I have some horned nerites (Clithon corona). Whichever species you pick, they will wipe out almost any algae straight away. I don't know if they eat blue-green algae but I assume they don't as BGA is a cyanobacteria that is toxic to most creatures when ingested. You have a choice from the most common ones such as Neritina natalensis to the European ones whichever you can find first. Breeding in FW is not possible as they come from tidal pools and undergo about two larval stages called vellifers before becoming snails. Not many people were able to accomplish such feat. The only ones that can breed in FW are the European species.
Lastly, the Sulawesi snails (Tylomelania sp.). These still command a high price due to high demands. They are available in various colors and breed by laying a single egg. Apparently, certain species eat some plants so you may need to watch out for this.
For P. diffusa, I'd recommend 2. Be sure to feed them calcium enriched foods such as collards. What are your pH , KH and GH? They need calcium to avoid shell erosion. Most people are plainly ignorant in their needs assuming these snails are just scavengers that do not need to be supplemented anything at all. There are also other species of apple snails but most of these are voracious plant eaters and are banned for transport in all states. You can however obtain them legally if you buy them within your state. If you plan to make your tank planted, then these plant eating species are not for you. Primary examples are the Saltons, insularums, canaliculata and paludosa. A lot of these reach baseball size which is something you should watch out for. Conduct further research about this in applesnail.net or look for more information in suggested references below.
Apple Snail: Differentiating Snail Egg Species
Apple Snail: Incubating and Hatching Eggs
Calcium Supplements
Common Health Risks and Conditions
Nerite Snail: Breeding
Snail Food Recipe
Snail Safe Tankmates
USA: Snail Legalities
Other references can be found here.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=194702
Next, the assassin snails. These snails grow to 1.5 inch and are predatory species that devour pond snails, ramshorns, MTS and even other species smaller than them. These are best kept by themselves along with some feeder snails such as pond snails for food as there have been reports of them ganging up on larger ones by 'stabbing' them continuously in groups. They shouldn't pose a problem with shrimps though.
Nerites are the most efficient algae eaters. I have some horned nerites (Clithon corona). Whichever species you pick, they will wipe out almost any algae straight away. I don't know if they eat blue-green algae but I assume they don't as BGA is a cyanobacteria that is toxic to most creatures when ingested. You have a choice from the most common ones such as Neritina natalensis to the European ones whichever you can find first. Breeding in FW is not possible as they come from tidal pools and undergo about two larval stages called vellifers before becoming snails. Not many people were able to accomplish such feat. The only ones that can breed in FW are the European species.
Lastly, the Sulawesi snails (Tylomelania sp.). These still command a high price due to high demands. They are available in various colors and breed by laying a single egg. Apparently, certain species eat some plants so you may need to watch out for this.
Heres my set up. I kinda wanna add to it. I wantt the moss to grow more too but its growing slow.
I'm not Niko. You were referring to Reefscape.olga21;2628270; said:
Which snails do you want? Msjinkzd has the nerites, assassins and Pomacea diffusa if it's any of the three you are looking for. PM her as she is also a member here.