# Are snails "good" for a planted tank?



## Cento (Apr 7, 2010)

Okay, first, I'm new to planted tanks, so please don't blast me...:redface:

And, I know by posting in this section (invertebrates), the majority of people here are bias toward the use of them.

I ask because after many many years of fishkeeping, snails were usually the enemy. There were stories of snail eggs clogging up filters and intakes. There were urban legends of snails completely covering the walls of the tank like the fuzzy wuzzy creatures in that episode of Star Trek....:icon_eek:

But, after recently becoming interested in planted tanks, I've discovered that many willingly have snails in there tanks. Apparently for algae control(??). What are the other benefits of snails? Substrate aeration?


----------



## VincentK (Dec 16, 2009)

Yes, snails are good, they do aerate the substrate, eat algae, eat excess food, etc. You shouldn't have problems with them clogging up filters if you have a prefilter or something covering the intake, however, there is a point where you can have too many and they become a nuisance.


----------



## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

What VincentK said.

Snails will control the algae, along with the shrimp themselves. I've never had an issue with "too many" snails, because I will move snails over to my other tank that has some fish that love to snack on them. The only thing I dislike about snails, is picking off their darn eggs off of my plants.


----------



## knm<>< (Mar 18, 2010)

To add to VincentK's reply, they also can be used as a constantly renewing food source for loaches and other fish that like to eat inverts. Assassin snails are popular for snail control as well as being fun to watch. It seems only a matter of time that you will get snails in a planted tank. They like to stow away on the plants you puchase for your tank. Most won't cause any real problems anyways.


----------



## comatoast (Mar 11, 2009)

What msnikkistar said.

Additionally, escargot is delicious (not).


----------



## jreich (Feb 11, 2009)

snails per say are not a problem but most people on this forum do not like them and consider them a nusance. usually when talking about "nusance snails" we are talking about the common pond snail which are 99% of the time hitch hikers from plants. they dont really cause any problems in aquariums, just unsightly to look at and very hard to get rid of.
edit: double ninjad!


----------



## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

comatoast said:


> What msnikkistar said.
> 
> Additionally, escargot is delicious (not).


Gross............


----------



## Cento (Apr 7, 2010)

Wow... Thanks so much for the replies guys/girls... greatly appreciated!:icon_mrgr

So I guess I won't go out and "buy" snails. I'll just wait for them to come to me...

Sorry, last question: So if I acquire super ninja assassin snails first, will they eat algae and excess food as well, or are they solely carnivorous?


----------



## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

Cento said:


> Wow... Thanks so much for the replies guys/girls... greatly appreciated!:icon_mrgr
> 
> So I guess I won't go out and "buy" snails. I'll just wait for them to come to me...
> 
> Sorry, last question: So if I do acquire super ninja assassin snails, will they eat algae and excess food as well, or are they solely carnivorous?


Soley carnivorous.


----------



## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

Just to let you know, I got the snails I have from the LFS that has closed down now. I bought some Java moss, and their eggs were in them. Now I have constant food source for my clown loach in my other tank. But you can buy snails, but just be sure to buy the right type. Some will eat your plants =X

Assassin snails, I THINK, think is the keyword here, primarily focus on eating other snails. So if you have an overpopulation of say Ramhorn snails, the Assassin will keep it under control.


----------



## Cento (Apr 7, 2010)

Craigthor said:


> Soley carnivorous.


 

Ah, I see. Okay. Good to know. Thanks!


----------



## 9am53 (Jan 23, 2008)

I have pond snails and ramshorn snails in my 29 gallon that magically came out of nowhere. The pond snail population has stayed relatively low, maybe 5 that I can count...same with my ramshorns. I have found that my water conditions and CO2 keep the snails in check, I have tons of their shells mixed in with my substrate now, I kind of like it...I recently picked up a nice golden apple snail that seems to eat everything in his path EXCEPT for live plants, so not only is he really cool to watch, but he keeps things clean. I also recently got some hitchhiker malasian trumpet snails that don't seem to be having too many babies like I was expecting, and seem to eat algae nicely. Sofar I don't have any problems at all with snails they are actually a welcome addition to the tank. You will like them!


----------



## tinkerpuppet (Feb 13, 2010)

I have sand substrate, and got lots of advice that the Malaysian Trumpet Snails would be helpful in keeping it areated. They're doing great! They bury down in the sand and you can see them moving around under it. I am surprised that a week later I already see 8 baby snails, but if they get out of hand, I'll use a couple of assassain snails to get them back in check. I did have an apple snail that I loved, he was so interesting to watch. But he was the kind that ate plants ('cana' I think?) so he went to live in my moms plantless tank.


----------



## Cento (Apr 7, 2010)

I found a LFS that has assassin snails and they say the regularly stock it. So, if a few do indeed hitchhike into my tank, I'll have these mercenaries on hand to keep them under control. Who knows. Maybe I'll overcome my fear of snails!


----------



## Absolver5000 (Sep 6, 2015)

*Right Kind of Snail?*

My LFS sells Chinese Mystery Snails. I've just put in my plants in a brand new tank setup (Staurogyne Repens, Anubais Nana, Windelov Java Fern, and Bacopa).

I'd like to start the tank cycling with some guppies and a snail. The guppies will start to produce ammonia but the snail should help stabilize it. My KH and GH are off the charts too so while I WILL address that, for the first few weeks I will just see how my pH plays out.

My question is: will the Mystery Snail eat my new plants? I have algae wafers, but I'll just wait a few months on the snail to let the plants get more firmly established (or less time if they just love my tank) if they will munch my plants.


----------



## NavyDogFish (Sep 11, 2013)

Bladder snails are pretty nice. They immediately head toward any rotting part of a plant to munch on it. I also have ramshorn snails that do the same thing. I have had trouble keeping my Malaysian trumpet snails alive, but I do know they burrow into the substrate during the day.

I think the snails make the tank look nicer, and they help promote infusoria in the tank which in turn gives scuds and the little wiggly non-parasite worms some food where they live among the plants, which in turn gives live food to fish in the tank.


----------



## schnebbles (Jan 10, 2015)

I have some mystery snails, I love them. I probably have 6-7, can't remember in my tank. They don't breed by themselves, they are male & female. I once had eggs but they didn't make it. I think they are pretty and fun to watch.

Also have MTS, and yes, they do multiply fast. I was surprised when I saw babies a week or so ago and my big ones are still fairly small. I probably over feed.

Nerites are cool and very pretty IMO, but some tend to want to leave the tank. They are pretty though. My favorites are the horned. I would be afraid an assasin would eat them, they are small.


----------



## Aquadawg (Aug 18, 2012)

I must have had over 1000 snails in my 90 gallon when I set it up. They were literally covering the 5 manzanita trees I was soaking. They ate all of the stuff that oozed out of the manzy, then cleaned up the fungus which grew on it, then the hair algae. I put three assassin snails in to rid the tank of them and now have about 20 assassins and I only see a ramshorn occasionally.


----------

