able_ranui

Hi
I've read and been told differently on which snails are good and which are bad. What are your experiences with snails, which did you find to be harmful and which are benefical? I have in my tank the snails that reproduce like guppies, but found that Skunk Botia are really helpful in keeping the numbers down. They don't seem to eat the plants though.

Sir_BlackhOle

I have had ramshorn and MTS in my tanks. I know the MTS dont bother plants, but I dont know about ramshorns. I dont think they bothered the plants much, the only problem I had with them is they reproduce like crazy. Yo-yo loach trio takes care of that problem though.

able_ranui

Do you know of any places that has pictures of common aquarium snails? I think the ones I have are just pond snails, but who knows what comes in on plants.

Sir_BlackhOle

Dont know of any place of-hand. Try doing a web search for aquarium snails. You should be able to find plenty of pictures.

wicked_good_guppies

If it came in on a plant it is most likly pond snails. They are usually pretty small brown things 1/4 in and smaller. Here's a picture but it is kinda fuzzy.

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guppy

if you dont like the snails try to avoid squishing them even though your killing them your releasing their eggs, its a purplish color and just as you think you got rid of your snail problem 2 weeks later you'll find a few dozen little snails... so just take them out without squishing them.

able_ranui

What about Apple Snails? I've read conflicting reports on the plant eating tendencies of them. Mystery snails are the same as Apple snails, right? Anyone have experience with Trapdoor snails(at least that's what the LFS calls them)?

Sue

I've got common pond snails, ramshorn, 2 big mystery snails and MTS. They haven't bothered much of anything. I see them on the leaves that are on the way out more than anything else.

The MTS are kind of new to the tank so I don't know completely what they are going to do other than make more snails. The pond and ramshorn breed very fast and I do have to thin them a bit from time to time. The mystery snails are big enough where they kind of fall of all but the biggest leaves. Again I don't see them bother fresh growth only leaves that are dying. Really I see them doing more good than harm and they add interest. Eat things no self respecting fish would eat and can get into all kinds of little nooks and crannies a bigger creature can't.

Easy to pick. Put a small glass in the tank with a bit of wilted lettuce or spinach and leave it overnight. Glass is usually full of those looking for a free lunch.

Does anybody know if the little common kuhli loaches eat snails? I can't imagine them being able to eat any but the smallest. Trying to figure out a loach for later. Right now I want the MTS to get established. Know I'd probably never see one in a planted tank but most of the others I'm aware of get too big. I like snails. Don't want a massacre, just a little birth control.

able_ranui

There is another thread in fish for the planted aquarium about snail eaters. I have skunk botias and my snail population is greatly reduced.