Snails

[Neil]

What are the advantages and disadvantages of having snails (the ones that come in

with live plants?  I know they multiply like crazy.  How do I get rid of them?  I want to keep it at just the 

Nerite Snails that don't breed in freshwater.

[darkG]

The main disadvantage is, I think, that they may become too many if enough food. That may be considered unsightly. 

I counted my animals today, I haven't gotten any "willingly" yet but there are at least ten species 🙂 I think that's cool. (Two snails, four worms, seed shrimp, dapnhia, midge larva and some unknown very small bug.)

[MickS77]

The advantage is they break down fish and plant waste and eat excess algae. They can be beneficial to create a real eco-system in our aquariums. 

[Will Billy]

I wish i had before and after pictures of the back of my tank before i discovered bladder snails. I only clean the front glass for viewing my fish, and never clean the back or sides to keep diatoms and algae for my cleaning crew to have extra snacks. At one point you couldn't see my background picture. Then i had a bladder snail explosion, and now you can see my background again after only a few weeks. Since then my bladder snail population has tapered off and you can still see my background. To me they are amazing little critters, and had i not discovered them i would be missing out. My next snail i want to try is ramshorn snails. 

[Jungle Fan]

Try the military helmet snails, a form of Nerite, instead if you can find them they are the most ferocious algae killers around. They even go after the hard green spot algae with gusto.

[Will Billy]

33 minutes ago, Jungle Fan said:

Try the military helmet snails

Ooooh! I am googling it now. 

[Jungle Fan]

The Zebra Nerites are lazy slackers compared to them

[gardenman]

An advantage to pond snails is they make a good emergency food for your fish also. I broke my femur three years ago and spent 15 days in the hospital. My thirty high had lots of neon swordtails and lots of pond snails when I went into the hospital. When I got back home it still had lots of swordtails, but the snails were gone! The swordtails, who typically ignore them, decided escargot was better than nothing, so they ate the pond snails. There were lots of empty shells, but no snails. The snail population has since rebounded, but it was interesting to see. The swordtails are back to having no interest in the snails again now. When there's nothing else to eat, fish will eat the snails. (At least mine did.)

[Ben_RF]

Here is an excellent video on the advantages and disadvantages.
 

 

 

[Ben_RF]

Here is a video about getting rid of snails:
 

 

[Ben_RF]

If you want to keep your plants snail free when you buy them, check out these videos by Irene.
 

 

 

[Ben_RF]

And if you happen to decide you like your snails, here is a helpful video from Irene on how to keep them in your tank. Lord knows my nerites like to crawl out.
 

 

[Will Billy]

8 hours ago, Ben_RF said:

here is a helpful video from Irene on how to keep them in your tank.

Man, those are some great tips. I wished i had seen that video before one of my mystery snails got too adventurous. We lost one in a very unpleasant way when he fell from the top of the tank to the hard floor. My 4 year old daughter was so heart broken, we had to have a service in the back yard with a small headstone made from a left over paver stone. (The most excruciating thing for a pet owner is burying your beloved pet, never thought in a million years i would be burying a snail. Prime example of how little daughters hold their dads emotionally hostage. You just cant say no to that sad face.)