I have a single cobalt zebra living alone in a 20 gallon tank. She is far too vicious and aggressive for me to place any other fish in the tank with her so I'm considering adding some Malaysian trumpet and nerite snails. Do the snails have a good chance of surviving? Thanks in advance
Mbuna with snails?
- Thread starter brown_snake
- Start date
For me, mbuna seriously shortened the life span of nerites. Nerites eat only green algae and must eat continuously to thrive. My mbuna knocked them off the glass all the time, and I was not able to flip them over until I got home from work. They lived < their two year life expectancy. MTS? I wish I could get rid of them but they stay under the substrate by day...will not add much interest to your tank.
The Madagascan genus Paretroplus are great snail eaters. They can jam their snout deeply into the substrate in the same manner as Geophagines , or Fossorochromis to get at them. And if the substrate is sand, will fan dish like pits that expose the MTS snails.
Although I appreciate the moving and aeration of the substrate the snails do, at times they can become an infestation, so I would move Paretroplus from tank to tank, and they could reduce an explosive snail infestation by 50% within only 24 hours. If the large snails are too hard to crush, they use their can opener like teeth to extract the flesh.
Although I appreciate the moving and aeration of the substrate the snails do, at times they can become an infestation, so I would move Paretroplus from tank to tank, and they could reduce an explosive snail infestation by 50% within only 24 hours. If the large snails are too hard to crush, they use their can opener like teeth to extract the flesh.
I need rent-a-fish, LOL. The stupid MTS, between empty shells (tanks established for 10+ years) and live snails, clog my filter intakes and need to be reamed out at least once/month.
Sorry for the derail and veer off your saving the snails post, OP.
Some others of the genus Paretroplus, any and all, worth an extra tank
the smallest P kieneri
P nourisatti
one of the largest P menerambo, mine easily hit 15" and needed very large tanks
Some others of the genus Paretroplus, any and all, worth an extra tank
the smallest P kieneri
P nourisatti
one of the largest P menerambo, mine easily hit 15" and needed very large tanks
Thanks for the info, everyone. Much appreciated. Based on what Dj Ransome said, I'm going to give the nerites a miss. Would anyone be able to recommend other mbuna compatible snail species apart from the MTS that would be able to survive on fragments of algae wafers? I will probably be getting one MTS but no more than that since I don't want a population explosion. Thanks again.
IME those are your best chance. Nerites. MTS will live but with one (they are like 1/4") that stays under the substrate all day you will likely never see it.
I'll go with that option then. How long should I quarantine my snails to ensure that they're not carrying any diseases?
Again, thanks
Again, thanks