these little wonders can make a with child difference in both freshwater and saltwater tanks . With their unique features and perks , snails add a touch of tranquility and proportion to your underwater haven . Whether you ’re a newbie or a veteran tank enthusiast , there ’s a lot to discover about these slow - moving companions .
escargot are known for being fertile breeders , so you may desire to find a single escargot to suit your needs . snail are hermaphroditic , so any two of the same type can spawn .
Types of Freshwater Aquarium Snails
There are several metal money of snails suited for freshwater aquariums that can be easy found in popular pet store .
Avoid on-line dealers and make certain to involve any store how your snail have been source and cared for to avoid introducing sick snails to your tankful .
Apple Snails
There ’s this coolheaded group of snails — around 100 to 200 of them — from the Ampullariidae family . They ’re not picky eater ; they crunch on quotidian veggies , stuff in the piss like aquatic plant life , and even angle nutrient . But they ’re not really into alga . These are some grownup buddies , with the largest single getting up to six inches across !
Apple snails can be look at pests in a flora tank . But if you ’re looking for a pretty escargot , they are establish in a mixed bag of colors , including blue , yellow , or albino , name them a popular aquarium indweller .
Horned Nerite Snails
Thehorned nerite snailstands out with its cool look — it ’s got a shell with bootleg and yellow swirls and tough little swelling that make it look like it ’s wearing a tiny horned helmet , which is how it got its name . These little guys , about 1/4 - inch big , are awesome at chowing down alga . Plus , they wo n’t breed in fresh water , so you do n’t have to worry about them taking over your tank like some other escargot species might .
Malaysian Trumpet Snails
This species , scientifically get laid asMelanoides tuberculata , is very democratic and is a good choice for a planted tank . These snails will not eat industrial plant , ingesting only detritus and leftover food that has fallen into the substrate of the storage tank . When these snails burrow in their search for food , they will air the substratum . This is good for planted tanks , as the process promotes atmosphere rally and foot increment .
The Malayan cornet snail has an elongated spiral casing and is tan with chocolate-brown speckles . They usually hit 2 to 3 cm in length but can become bigger . This snail species reproduce chop-chop , and a sudden population detonation can indicate overfeeding in your tank car .
Pond Snails
This group of snails also consist of a smorgasbord of mintage and is often thought of as an marine museum pestis . Pond snails eat everything — remnant nutrient , stagnant carcase , algae , and springy plants . They are great scavengers and will keep your armoured combat vehicle sporty , but they are fatal inhabitants for a implant tank .
pool escargot are brownish to white-livered - brown in semblance and have pear-shaped shells . They stay little , staying under 1/4 column inch in diam .
Ramshorn Snails
Ramshorn snails are a family that contains several modest species . While ramshorn snails are often think of as pests , they are not quite as likely to eat alive plants as pool snail . According to hobbyistJan at Aqua-Fish.net , these snails do a large chore observe an aquarium clean . They are scavengers and will eat remaining food or fish carcasses .
Many color varieties of Ramshorn escargot can be found , include pink , blue , or Robert Brown . Their shells are spiral - wrought , and they lay eggs in a hard mucous .
The heavily mucose can be unmanageable to remove from your aquarium .
Things to Avoid With Freshwater Species
If you want to keep your snails alive , you need to be cognisant of several threats to their health . The main threats to your wretched friends let in :
Types of Saltwater Snails
seawater aquariums are more complicated and extend more diversity in your option of metal money . verify that you evaluate any species of snail in relation to your particular tank ’s apparatus and parameters . These following species are popular plus that are suitable for most saltwater tanks .
Astrea Snails
This group of snails has a big appetency and prefer to feed pilus alga , although they will also consume diatoms , green film , and cyanobacteria . HobbyistJoe Jaworskireports thatAstrea snailscannot right themselves , and if they descend upside down , they will starve and buy the farm .
Margarita Snails
These snails are popular in tanks because they tip on large amount of alga , peculiarly hair alga . Margarita snails , scientifically known asMargarites pupillus , are brown and have a unruffled , twisted eggshell . accord toLiveAquaria.com , these snails uprise as large as 1 in in diameter and are secure to house with corals , other invertebrate , or other tank Paraguay tea .
Margarita snails prefer somewhat nerveless water temperature , so they are not always a great choice for a tropical reef army tank . However , for those keeping a cold saltwater tank car at less than 70 degrees , this is a good choice of snail .
Cerith Snails
Cerith snail are less commonly found in the pet swap but are gaining in popularity . Thesesnails comprise speciesfrom several families but are all like in appearance and shape . These snails are fans of punishing surfaces and actually munch on backbone . Inside their gut , they sort out the dependable clobber , like bacterium and microalgae , for food and then ptyalise out the moxie .
Nassarius Snails
These attractive snails are native to the eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean . They are brownish with a reticulated radiation pattern over an stretch shell . This kin of snails is a great scavenger and tunnel through the substrate to eat debris .
Since they burrow in the sand , they’regreat at aeratingthe substratum in your tank .
Saltwater Snails to Avoid
Many eccentric ofsnails are predatoryand will harm other inhabitants of your marine museum . The following mintage are predatory or harmful and should be deflect :
Basic Requirements and Care for Aquarium Snails
For both freshwater and saltwater tanks , your snails want little exceptional care if you are adding them to an established cooler . According toPetco ’s Care Sheet , fresh water snails take the come after canonic forethought :
Saltwater snail have similar needs , but you should explore any specific species that you would care to keep .
Aquarium Benefits of Keeping Snails
One of the main intellect why aquarium hobbyists keep snails is to help defend a clean tank . Different species of snail each have private alimentation habits , which mold how they will keep your tank fair . If you ’re looking for a snail to scavenge something in particular , research for :
Avoid Accidental Hitchhiker Snails
escargot are not always desired in a tank , as some can be more harmful than helpful , specially to be plant . This depends on the species of snail and the type of armoured combat vehicle that you have . To stave off the accidental introduction of undesirable snail , clean and disinfect any raw plants before summate them to your aquarium .
Feeding Different Types of Aquarium Snails
escargot do not necessarily need to be fed beyond what algae is present in your armoured combat vehicle . For large populations of snail relative to the amount of alga , this will be require if you choose to keep the same population of snails . Carolina Biological Supply Companyrecommends you employ dechlorinated and condition water whenever you do a water change .
Blanched zucchini slices can beadded to your aquariumif your escargot are lacking in food .
Pick a Snail That Has What You Need
With a complete knowledge of your aquarium type , water parameters , andother inhabitants , you may make the best choice when selecting which snail to add to your tank . Whether you are look for an alga - eat species , a pack rat to keep the substrate clean , or merely an attractive and interesting invertebrate , there is certain to be a type of snail to satisfy your penury .
