[livingword26]

I've been trying to decide whether or not to add 5 Cardinal tetras to my 29 gallon that already has 5 Harlequins, and 5 Neons. I've been using the calculator at: http://www.aqadvisor.com/.

There is quite a bit of difference in how this site rates your tank:

Without snails:
http://www.aqadvisor.com/AqAdvisor....AqSpeciesWindowSize=short&AqSearchMode=simple

And with snails:
http://aqadvisor.com/AqAdvisor.php?...AqSpeciesWindowSize=short&AqSearchMode=simple

Any input would be appreciated.

 

[AshleyMac]

My personal opinion is that depending on the snail type it can almost be like breaking even. They can poop as much as a fish, but they do take care of eating a lot of things that could effect your nitrogen cycle later.

The faqs on that calculator say that they calculate the filter you choose at 65% capacity and don't take any live plants into consideration. If you really want snails, start with one or two and test your water often. Keep up with your water changes and you should be fine. From there you can decide if you want more.

I have kept a few mystery snails in a tank that was already at max capacity (going by 1 inch of fish per gallon) with the fish alone and didn't have any problems.

Side note, 40 seems like an awful lot. You should probably up your shrimp and lower the snails. In any case you will need to make sure to give your shrimp and snails some algae wafers or blanched veggies to make sure they are getting enough nutrition.

 

[livingword26]

I already have everything in the tank except the Cardinal Tetras. That is what I am trying to decide, whether to get the Cardinals. I want the MTS in the tank, I think they are necessary for a sand substrate. I would keep them at a lower number, but that is sometimes hard to do. I definitely want more Cherry shrimp, but I am not very heavily planted at the present time.

 

[Crispino L Ramos]

My personal opinion is that depending on the snail type it can almost be like breaking even. They can poop as much as a fish, but they do take care of eating a lot of things that could effect your nitrogen cycle later.

The faqs on that calculator say that they calculate the filter you choose at 65% capacity and don't take any live plants into consideration. If you really want snails, start with one or two and test your water often. Keep up with your water changes and you should be fine. From there you can decide if you want more.

I have kept a few mystery snails in a tank that was already at max capacity (going by 1 inch of fish per gallon) with the fish alone and didn't have any problems.

Side note, 40 seems like an awful lot. You should probably up your shrimp and lower the snails. In any case you will need to make sure to give your shrimp and snails some algae wafers or blanched veggies to make sure they are getting enough nutrition.

I do utilize the snails to clean up algae from tanks with uncontrollable algae growth. I would move snails from different tanks to the one that needs them. The problem is - half of the snails die after the transfer to a different tank.

What could cause the snails to die? Do they need to be acclimated before I toss them in another tank?

 

[Psionic]

Are they dead dead or just closed? I had that happen with some of my Japanese trapdoors. I would think they were dead when I moved them, but within a few days they were fine. Some say it can take up to a week for them to open up.

My husband tosses them from tank to tank... literally.


-Val

 

[acitydweller]

Are they dead dead or just closed? I had that happen with some of my Japanese trapdoors. I would think they were dead when I moved them, but within a few days they were fine. Some say it can take up to a week for them to open up.

My husband tosses them from tank to tank... literally.


-Val

What type of snails are you referring to? Mts or another breed?

I have recently seen some ramhorns not adapt too well transitioning between tanks, granted they were Peewee sized. While the tank already have red rams horns living there... Ime, mts tend to hide in their shells after entering a new tank and eventually come out to do their thing... If a snail hasn't moved in three days, is it safe to assume it's croaked?

 

[Psionic]

What type of snails are you referring to? Mts or another breed?

I have recently seen some ramhorns not adapt too well transitioning between tanks, granted they were Peewee sized. While the tank already have red rams horns living there... Ime, mts tend to hide in their shells after entering a new tank and eventually come out to do their thing... If a snail hasn't moved in three days, is it safe to assume it's croaked?

Japanese trapdoors for me. I don't know what snails Cris was referring to.

Easiest test, take it out and smell it. They don't always release their muscle to lose their protective flap. I had asked that a long time ago and was told by other members to sniff it. They're gonna smell AWFUL if they're dead. Someone said they could smell it through their water.

So early... eyes still glued shut *drool*


-Val

 

[BBradbury]

Bioload & Snails

Hello living...

If you're willing to commit to changing half the water in the tank every week, then you can have a few more small fish in your 29 G. Tetras are schooling fish and 10 or 12 together would be best. They're small enough, so you could add half now and half in a couple of weeks.

Snails do add to the bioload, but stick to the large, frequent water changes and the fish will be fine. Add some floating stem plants like Anacharis or Water wisteria. These are natural water filters and will help maintain a stable water chemistry.

B