Tiny Snails in my aquarium...good or bad?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
C

chrisngo

Candiru
MFK Member
Feb 15, 2008
160
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48
San Diego
I just set up my "new" used 200 gallon and I am using just a little bit of previous owner's crushed coral. On top of the crushed coral I put sand on top. I am noticing tiny snails that colonized the previous owners substrate. Are these snails bad? Any fish out there eat them (Tanganyika only)?

Thank you
Chris
 
There is really nothing wrong with them. If what you have are Malaysian trumpet snails, they do help stir the substrate around thus preventing anaerobic pockets on the substrate which if disturbed can release hydrogen sulfide which smells like rotten eggs and will harm your fish.

Some species of snails do eat plants but some consume only the dead or decaying parts which is why they are sometimes mistaken to be the causes of plant damages. You'd certainly want to avoid Columbian ramshorns which do eat plants voraciously. Pond snails, MTS and ordinary ramshorns are fine.

Like the fish, snails can proliferate quickly if food supply is abundant so be careful not to overfeed. Don't resort to fish to eliminate them. Manual removal or lettuce baiting help put their population in control. Most cichlids though will appreciate a meal of snails.;)
 
I have a small one in my lamp. tang tank =] he is cool. It should be fine -I would keep them, imo.
 
Snails arent bad at all, depending on the snail type and if you have live plants, they will be a pest. If you have no live plants then dont worry about them. If they start to multiply rapidly and you dont like that then start removing some of them manually. Some of the fish though may aid you in keeping the population down.
 
They are not bad.. The cichlids may eat them though..
 
I've never had a snail problem in a cichlid tank.

If they do start to over populate and become a problem, loach keepers will take them off your hands.
 
just make sure that there aren't too many to the point where snails may clog the intake of your filters and powerheads
 
The very tiny snails that live in the substrate and come out at night, clown loaches do not help control them, I have 8 big loaches (7 to 9 inches) and the snails still thrive.
 
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