hey guys, My 55 gallon mbuna tank is almost ready But there is algea all over my glass. I was going to add appl snails to eat the algea since the high ph would keep thier shells hard and hopefully provide a good deffenc from african cichlids, but then I read that they won't eat algea. Is this true?
apple snails
- Thread starter rrcoolj
- Start date
apple snails are illegal from what i have read in arizona but i do not know if it is strictly limited to arizona or where else
they are totally legal here in minnesota..
but may eat algea.. but not to the extent of getting your glass clean. if you have a tank with really thick algae the snail will knaw at it and leave bite marks on the algae, but not take all of it away..
BN plecos work wonders with glass thou
but may eat algea.. but not to the extent of getting your glass clean. if you have a tank with really thick algae the snail will knaw at it and leave bite marks on the algae, but not take all of it away..
BN plecos work wonders with glass thou
Apple snails are not a good addition to a cichlid tank. Cichlids will aggressively attack the snails and may kill them.
Apples do not eat algae. They need to be fed a calcium-rich diet of fresh veggies just as you would feed any other invert. Many species of apple snails are illegal to ship across state lines, but it is not illegal to simply own an apple snail in any state. Pomacea bridgesii - mystery snails - are legal to ship with a permit and can be found in most states.
All apple snails are heavy waste-producers and will add to your bioload as much as another fish would. They're not a good choice for algae cleanup. It's better to determine the cause of your algae rather than look for a snail or fish to clean it up. Too much light, too high nitrites or nitrates, excess phosphorous are all potential causes.
Apples do not eat algae. They need to be fed a calcium-rich diet of fresh veggies just as you would feed any other invert. Many species of apple snails are illegal to ship across state lines, but it is not illegal to simply own an apple snail in any state. Pomacea bridgesii - mystery snails - are legal to ship with a permit and can be found in most states.
All apple snails are heavy waste-producers and will add to your bioload as much as another fish would. They're not a good choice for algae cleanup. It's better to determine the cause of your algae rather than look for a snail or fish to clean it up. Too much light, too high nitrites or nitrates, excess phosphorous are all potential causes.
I breed briggs for sale and they do eat algae but not at a rate that would clean up an algae problem,better for keeping a planted tank clear from minor algae growth.And mbuna do eat them I try to keep a few in my showtank as scavengers and have to put more in every few weeks.A little meat is good for the mbuna.
gomezladdams;1888987; said:
rrcoolj, please do not follow this example - it is extremely cruel. apples can feel pain and should not be used as a food source for any fish since they are never eaten whole and therefore killed instantly, but rather picked and pulled out of their shells before being eaten.
good luck with the algae issues.