Apple snail minimum tank size?

[jclyde13]

What is the minimum tank size for an apple snail, would a 2g be too small? I want to get some kind of snail for my 2g betta tank, and apple snails are the most common species sold in my area. I know they get pretty big, I had one a long time ago in a 55g that was about 3-4" when it died, so I don't know if one would fit in my 2g or not.

 

[kjfan1]

I had one in a 2.5 gallon. But I fed it to my puffer. Go for it!

 

[jclyde13]

Thanks for the reply. How big was yours?

 

[Dreamsing]

It depends, apple snails have a huge range. All of mine have always grown really slow too, so I wouldn't see it as being a huge problem.

I have had a particularly violent betta who nearly nipped an apple snail to death before I could separate them though.

Something else to keep in mind, snails like hard water and bettas like soft water. You will have to have the water more on the hard side or your snail's shell will get leached out into the water and it will die. Horrible way to die I'd imagine.

You might be best served by the hitch-hicker snails that come on live plants. They reproduce fairly quickly so if the betta takes a liking to them it's no huge loss.

 

[jclyde13]

It depends, apple snails have a huge range. All of mine have always grown really slow too, so I wouldn't see it as being a huge problem.

I have had a particularly violent betta who nearly nipped an apple snail to death before I could separate them though.

Something else to keep in mind, snails like hard water and bettas like soft water. You will have to have the water more on the hard side or your snail's shell will get leached out into the water and it will die. Horrible way to die I'd imagine.

You might be best served by the hitch-hicker snails that come on live plants. They reproduce fairly quickly so if the betta takes a liking to them it's no huge loss.

My pH is in the 7.4-7.6 range, do you think that would be okay? Also, if by "hitch-hiker snails" you mean the kind that look like this:

then I don't want to have to deal with those. I had 2-3 of them in a 20 gallon a long time ago, that multiplied until I ended up with literally hundreds of them. I can't remember what I did with them, but I do remember that it took a very long time to get rid of all of them.

 

[jclyde13]

bump

 

[congo1040]

I have some in a 10 gal.

 

[Dreamsing]

This is the kind i had with mine. My betta loved to eat the little ones and left the ones too big to fit in his mouth alone.

That ph is just fine for snails, anything over 7 won't break down their shells faster than they can rebuild them.

As far as getting an apple snail in a 2 gallon, I'd start with a 1 inch snail and be prepared to put it somewhere else if the betta trys to eat it.

 

[jclyde13]

This is the kind i had with mine. My betta loved to eat the little ones and left the ones too big to fit in his mouth alone.

That ph is just fine for snails, anything over 7 won't break down their shells faster than they can rebuild them.

As far as getting an apple snail in a 2 gallon, I'd start with a 1 inch snail and be prepared to put it somewhere else if the betta trys to eat it.

Oh, I've never seen those before, how big do they get?

 

[jclyde13]

Do mystery snails stay smaller than regular apple snails?