In Search of Attractive Snail

2168 Views 19 Replies 13 Participants Last post by cjstl, Jun 2, 2014

Rhaethe

Discussion Starter · May 2, 2014

So, I have decided that my 40b should have a snail. I used to have a nerite in there, and it grew to impressive proportions, living a good number of years in previous tanks I have had, before finally passing. The one thing I did not like about it were the endless blankets of dud eggs it laid .. everywhere.

So, I am looking for a nice large-ish snail that would not leave blankets of crusty dud eggs everywhere to take its place. It is a planted tank, so no munching on live plants. A preference for diatoms is ideal.

Any suggestions? I initially liked the look of the apple snail, but read on planetinverts that they will eat live plants, so that is a no go.

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thelub

· #2 · May 2, 2014

Mystery snails come in all kinds of neat colors and don't breed out of control. They will lay an occasional clutch outside of the water, but its easily removed and disposed of if you don't want more snails.

lksdrinker

· #3 · May 2, 2014

I honestly dont know all too much about it yet, but I recently picked up a black rabbit snail that looks pretty cool. (LFS actually sold it as an elephant snail)

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nyxkitten

· #4 · May 2, 2014

Mystery snails ARE also apple snails but are known to "supposedly" Not eat live plants.

starlett

· #5 · May 2, 2014

lksdrinker said:
I honestly dont know all too much about it yet, but I recently picked up a black rabbit snail that looks pretty cool. (LFS actually sold it as an elephant snail)

Known as sulawesi snails in my country

I had them last time in my sulawesi shrimp tank.

starlett

· #6 · May 2, 2014

Snail eggs thay don't hatch in freshwater are horned snails aka bumble bee snails.

Loachutus

· #7 · May 2, 2014

What is the Ph you're shooting for and temperature of this tank?

Axelrodi202

· #8 · May 2, 2014

I find horned nerites don't really lay eggs (and the ones that they do lay are very inconspicuous). I find older nerites or nerites kept as the only individual of their kind in a tank don't really lay eggs.

thelub

· #9 · May 2, 2014 (Edited)

Those rabbit snails are awesome! The only downfall is they are diggers so they don't work well in a *dirted* tank.

Rhaethe

Discussion Starter · #10 · May 3, 2014

Loachutus said:
What is the Ph you're shooting for and temperature of this tank?

Around 6.7ph and 76-78F

Betta132

· #11 · May 3, 2014

I'd suggest horned nerites. They either lay very small eggs or very few, not sure which. I don't see many eggs despite having several... Just one or two now and then.

garfieldnfish

· #12 · May 3, 2014

Apple snails can be cana or diffusa formerly called bridgesii. Cana will grow larger and eat live plants, brigs do not touch live plants and are usually sold as mystery snails. Cana come usually in their natural color which is brownish, brigs or mystery snails come in a variety or line bread colors. I have had mystery snails for years in planted tanks and they were great to have. Never touched the live plants only decaying plant matter and left over fish food.

dzega

· #13 · May 3, 2014

Ampullaria/Bridgesii apple snail. Impressive size and looks. Nice speed. Does not lay eggs unless you lower waterline like 15cm

Rhaethe

Discussion Starter · #14 · May 3, 2014

So look for mystery/Bridgesi/diffusa snails ... with colorful shells. And it is a good bet that I will have a snail that will not eat live plants?

lksdrinker

· #15 · May 5, 2014

thelub said:
Those rabbit snails are awesome! The only downfall is they are diggers so they don't work well in a *dirted* tank.

Mine is in a dirted tank and does no digging that I've seen yet. I've had it about 6 weeks or so now and it seems to stay on the surface of the substrate.

Ethana

· #16 · May 6, 2014

I love my trumpet snails

cjstl

· #17 · May 6, 2014

My horned nerites lay quite a few eggs. Not as many as the bigger cousins, but still enough to bug me.

Throw a couple of cups of crushed coral in with your substrate and see what kind of ramshorns you can grow. This guy was in an experimental tank and is easily three to four times the size of any of my other rams. I have good luck with them as cleaners and they don't seem to bother my plants. Next up I'm going to try and grow a giant blue one

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Soothing Shrimp

· #18 · May 6, 2014

is that the size of a dime? nickle?

cjstl

· #19 · May 7, 2014

Soothing Shrimp said:
is that the size of a dime? nickle?

Nickel. Maybe a little bigger. It grew that big in about two months too. I have dozens of pink/red, blue, and leopard in other tanks and bowls, and none of them are close to that size.

cjstl

· #20 · Jun 2, 2014

Soothing Shrimp said:
is that the size of a dime? nickle?

The original snail is now the size of a quarter. It's offspring are growing quickly too. One is nickle-sized, and two are about the size of dimes.

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