How to take care of snails

[Dale_Bannister]

I have a 55 gal tank with mom cichlid and her thirty babies along with ten mystery snails and a few nirite snails. My pH is 7.5 water hardness is 180. I have maybe one or two snails that are active climbing glass occasionally. What do I need to do to make snails more active. Thanks

[Guppysnail]

Food is a big thing with mystery snails. Blanched veggies and wafers. The less food they get the more inactive they become. They cannot get enough from leftovers and algae. They eat a lot. If any of the fish are continuously investigating them they will go nocturnal. Your water seems fine. My nerite does his own thing. Sometimes I fear alien abduction as I won’t see him for days on end. I usually see his tracks on the glass though. Nerite do not eat most commercial foods as they are animal protein and they do not eat that. I just do not clean my glass so he has a supply of biofilm and algae (and it’s a great excuse to be lazy 🤣). Good luck I hope that helps. 

[Don H]

Hey Dale, 

I had Lake Malawi cichlids (that’s how the fish store sold them, I don’t know exactly what species) and they used to eat my ramshorn snails, so did my Jack Dempseys.  I don’t know if they’d act differently with mystery snails, but if they’re pecking at them, that might be why they avoid the glass.  
 

[KaitieG]

My mystery snails also really enjoy Repashy food.  They've gone for Soilent Green, Community, and Iguapo Explorer...not picky, but definitely hungry!

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

Some of the shrimp foods are good because they contain calcium and other minerals. Cichlids are a threat to snails, I am sure this is why they are less active during light on. This is why there are very few snails in most of my cichlid tanks unless they are MTS or very stealthy nerites.