I have questions! - New to Planted Aquariums

Fox_McCloud2000 · 03-12-2005, 11:36 PM

Greetings one and all. I'm a bit curious about a few things. First off I finally got a pair of ram horn snails for my 30g tank. My question is why do the snails travel the glass walls of the tank and camp near the surface of the water? Is there something wrong with them cause once they get up that high I some times poke them down or turn their bodies back in the right direction. Should I not touch them at all or what?
Since I have plenty of the green stuff grown for them I hope they enjoy it greatly and keep the place clean. And should I get more snails or not? I read the other snail to use is the cone one. Should I have more then two?
The current size of the ram horn snails is about an inch or bigger.

With having a large variety of fish in the tank should I be using a CO2 container? Beware my tank is nutz. 2 Zebra Dino, 1 gromie, 1 angel fish, 1 spotted molly, 2 tiger barbs, 2 neon tetras, 1 female beta (one eye), 1 female tetra and one bumble bee gory. Should got any idea on what I should add next to the bunch? Oddly enough the fish live happily together and rarely fight. Granted the tigers and zebra's chase each other and the gromie tries to eat the molly but that will never happen. HA HA!

Also I've got a hand full of plants growing so far. I'll have pictures later of what the tank looks like. Granted it isn't much but all the plants are growing healthy. I'd like some kinda grass the covers the bottom of the tank and can grow like wild! I've got two bushings of mini swords growing outwards slowly. Any idea on what I can put in next?

Thank you,
-matt-

synchiropus · 03-12-2005, 11:51 PM

The cone snails are Malaysian Livebearing snail. They live in the substrate and can breed out of control without being seen. I use red ramshorn snails and have had good results.
As for the grass try Echinodorus tennellus (Pygmy Chain Sword). If that is what you already have then try Eleocharis acicularis.

trenac · 03-13-2005, 12:26 PM

The two Ramshorn snails you have will multiply in no time, then you will be wanting to get rid of some. They are climbing on your glass searching for algae to eat, when they linger in one spot they have found some algae to eat. Just let them be, they will eventually move on in search of other food.

The cone shape snail is a Malaysian Trumpet snail, they are good for keeping your substrate mixed up and will eat algae also. They are mostly nocturnal, but on occasions will come out when the lights are on. Mine will come out after a water change.

What type lighting fixture do you have and how many watts?

Using C02 has nothing to do with the fish you have. You will want to use C02 if you have 2WPG or more.

Also the carpet plant you use will depend on the wattage you have.

My opinion on the fish is that I would remove the Tiger barbs, Zebra danios and the female Tetra, because all these fish do better in larger groups (schools/shoals). Then I would add more Neon's to the two you already have to make a school of 12. Also the Bubble Bee goby is a brackish fish, although fish stores sometimes sale them as fresh water fish. So it would be best to remove it also.

Piscesgirl · 03-13-2005, 12:55 PM

Hello, welcome to APC! I would like to let you know that we have a shrimp and other inverts (other inverts like snails) forum here if you have any other specific questions to snails, or if you just want to check it out. Also, I've found my Ramshorn snails, although they do hang out at the bottom at times in search of food, tend to spend most of their time in higher 'elevations' (lol, do you call it elevation in a tank?!) -- in that way, also, my Ramshorns in my 20 gallon long escaped being eaten by my clown loaches whereas the Malaysian Trumpets, being at the bottom, sadly became lunch.

I think Ramshorns are a more middle to high level snail!

JanS · 03-13-2005, 02:39 PM

I agree, you should get rid of the TB's, Goby, and female Betta (why does she only have one eye?).
The Tiger Barbs will nip relentlessly on the Angel's and Gourami's long flowing fins, and the Betta and Gourami are both labyrinth fish, and in most cases they don't get along well together. With a nice school of the Tetra's, you'll have a nice appealing looking tank, without the hassles of incompatible fish.

PG, I assume you meant "welcome to APC"? LOL!

Piscesgirl · 03-13-2005, 02:57 PM

Oppps! Thanks for that Jan! My eyes are crossed from typing transcription (my second job -- weekends)! Edited!

Fox_McCloud2000 · 03-13-2005, 03:35 PM

Thank you one and all.

You'd actually have to see my fish to believe it. The tigers stay with each other and don't fight with the others, same with the zebra's. I got the female beta on the bumble bee gory together from the same tank (pet store). They just lived together for some reason. As for the eye I don't know. The day after I got her I found they she was missing an eye. Don't ask why.
If the fish fight it is amoung their twins with the exception of the molly and gromy.

The lighting I have is an Aqua-glow 18 inch 15 wats. I do believe I should get something more powerful but thats what I can afford now. The light is kept on for about 12 hours a day or more. All depends on the time I go to bed at night.

I don't have room or another tank to move the fish too so sadly I'm going to have to stick with what I have now and add to it.

-matt-

trenac · 03-13-2005, 05:17 PM

It's kinda odd for that combo of fish to be living peaceful together, I still would keep a close eye on them just in case that changes.

If you do not won't to get rid of some of the fish you have then I would not add any more fish to your setup. If the conditions start to become over crowded then the fish you have may start to turn on each other.

You need more light to grow plants, so before you add anymore plants I would upgrade the lighting first. If not the plants will die and foul up your water.

Fox_McCloud2000 · 03-13-2005, 10:49 PM

Thank you. Also the fish have been together since about the end of august of last. Granted I've gone though a few fish but thats only with the tiger barbs fighting among each other. I had 6 and I'm down to 2 now but the two left are very healthy.

And could you point me in the right direction of lighting? The tank is a 30 gallon high so I'm guessing what should I be using? Throw me a bone here.

I've had a few plants die and when I see that I usually pick them out of the water with in a day or so.

JanS · 03-14-2005, 10:50 AM

Depending on how much you want to spend, you can find a reasonably priced CF light like the AllGlass at www.petsolutions.com, or you can go a little higher end and find a JBJ dealer (to name one brand) and spend a little more.
Many of the sponsors here sell nice lighting, so you could browse their section to see if there's something you might like.