snails good or bad

[huntery18]

hey guys just wanna hear your opinion on snails in a cichlid tank( juvenile jack dempseys roughly 3 to 4 inches) ive heard positive and negatives but interested in what you have to say

 

[Jexnell]

Snails help keep tanks cleaner by eating algae and uneaten food what have you. You can get some snails that live in the substrate turning it over for you and eating all the stuff that gets trapped.

Problems that may arise, the snails over running the tank by mass breeding. If they run out of food could cause a tank crash from a mass die off. You can counter the breeding issues by getting Nerite snails. They live in freshwater, but breed in salt water so can't breed in our tanks.

And one last bit, when the cichlid gets big enought most likely will eat the snails.

 

[huntery18]

Snails help keep tanks cleaner by eating algae and uneaten food what have you. You can get some snails that live in the substrate turning it over for you and eating all the stuff that gets trapped.

Problems that may arise, the snails over running the tank by mass breeding. If they run out of food could cause a tank crash from a mass die off. You can counter the breeding issues by getting Nerite snails. They live in freshwater, but breed in salt water so can't breed in our tanks.

And one last bit, when the cichlid gets big enought most likely will eat the snails.

wow thank you for such a drawn out reply, I have a clown loach so I feel like my fish would keep them in line stopping over breeding I’ll have to see what the stores around me have

 

[Jexnell]

I have Nerite snails in with my cichlids. When my fish get big enough to look at them as food I will move them to my 55, the HRP's are too small to eat them.

 

[huntery18]

I have Nerite snails in with my cichlids. When my fish get big enough to look at them as food I will move them to my 55, the HRP's are too small to eat them.

I’m gonna head to my lfs let’s hope they have 4 or so

 

[Jexnell]

 

[huntery18]

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they sure are interesting lil things

 

[duanes]

I also like the cone snails that rummage thru the substrate, keeping it from compacting and going anoxic.
If you don't overfeed, and do regular vacuuming with water changes, they don't get out of control.

 

[monkeybike]

I do not recommend adding Malaysian Trapdoor Snails. They can get out of control very quickly, and through careless practices can infest every tank you own.

 

[huntery18]

I also like the cone snails that rummage thru the substrate, keeping it from compacting and going anoxic.
If you don't overfeed, and do regular vacuuming with water changes, they don't get out of control.

so cone snails and nerite snails? my lfs dont have any sadly im gonna take about a 2 hour drive tomorrow to get some, i would like breeding bc i believe my fish will stop them from taking over.