Is there any benefit at all to having them in a planted tank? I got some free gravel from a guy that is supposedly good for planted tanks. There is a bunch of snails with it though. So should I leave the snails (looks like there are a ton of tiny ones)? I've heard they are very hard to get rid of once you have them. I've never had a single snail in any of my tanks in the past. I guess it doesn't really bother me much if they aren't a problem. If I do decide to try to get rid of them...I'm thinking that a couple of snail eating fish seem like a logical solution. Any suggestions for smaller fish that eat snails? The only fish in there are a small pleco and an African Brown Knife.
Thoughts about snails?
- Thread starter fook
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snails can quickly become a bit of a problem and over-run your tank if there is enough of a food source for them to do so...
As for whether or not you want them in a tank is personal preference, although trying to get rid of them in a planted tank is no easy feat, so i would advise that, if you don't want the possibility of hundred or even thousands of snails in a tanks i would get rid of them first...
One method to remove snails that doesn't require any fish is to get an empty plastic bottle, place a piece of cucumber cut long ways in the bottle and place it in whatever it is you have your substrate in with water over night and then remove the bottle along with snails and cucumber and repeat as necessary...
As for whether or not you want them in a tank is personal preference, although trying to get rid of them in a planted tank is no easy feat, so i would advise that, if you don't want the possibility of hundred or even thousands of snails in a tanks i would get rid of them first...
One method to remove snails that doesn't require any fish is to get an empty plastic bottle, place a piece of cucumber cut long ways in the bottle and place it in whatever it is you have your substrate in with water over night and then remove the bottle along with snails and cucumber and repeat as necessary...
That sounds like a good idea. It should work in the tank too shouldn't it? I already put the gravel in. I was expecting snails but holy crap...I bet thats going to be a lot of snails. There are already several dozen tiny ones floating along the glass at the top of the water. Who knows how many are in the rocks?
Just about any type of loach will make quick work of them. I personally like the dojo's
Tank Setup - 135gal, fx5, mag350, korilla 4, 3 silver dollars, 3 Red blood parrots, 12" Green severum, 10 coreys (3 emerald & 7 swarts), 2 black spotted eels, 22" fire eel, 24" clown knife, sun catfish, and leopard plaeco
Assassin snails can help you get rid of them also. I don't think there is a benefit to having them in a planted tank. The only downfall is that they could possibly leave holes on your leaves from chomping on them. It's best to remove them early on before they start multiplying exponentially.
i just want to add a question to the thread is there any benefit to snails in any type of way to a tank a friend of mine has three mystery snails he wants to give away if they are put in a cichlid tank with fake plants if i had a outbreak would the small ones b a type of food source for the cichlids?
I know MTS (Malaysian Trumpet Snails) are good if you have a deep substrate as they help burrow through the substrate airing it out so to speak...
And yes, the cucumber method would work in a planted tank as well, but would most likely work better with no other food source available to them so they would almost definitely congregate around the cucumber instead...
And yes, the cucumber method would work in a planted tank as well, but would most likely work better with no other food source available to them so they would almost definitely congregate around the cucumber instead...