# Your experience with Malaysian trumpet snails



## tiger15 (10 Nov 2021)

I want to introduce trumpet snails to my Walstad shrimp bowl and wonder if it is helpful or hurtful.  I know once introduced, they are permanent residents and can’t be removed.  Will they help plants by aerating the substrate or uproot plants.  Will they help reduce algae or not at all.  Will they multiple out of control adding to excessive bio load.


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## dw1305 (10 Nov 2021)

Hi all, 


tiger15 said:


> and wonder if it is helpful or hurtful


They are perfect tank residents. 

cheers Darrel


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## Hufsa (10 Nov 2021)

They will aerate but should not uproot, theyre not really big enough for that. They wont multiply out of control unless youre feeding way too much.


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## Garuf (10 Nov 2021)

In a walstead they likely will be totally fine however, I once added them into one of my aquasoil shrimp tanks and over the course of around 3months they turned it into silt.


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## zozo (10 Nov 2021)

They keep me awake at night... 

Something like this.


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## dw1305 (10 Nov 2021)

Hi all,


Garuf said:


> I once added them into one of my aquasoil shrimp tanks and over the course of around 3months they turned it into silt.


The only issue I've had with them is in the tanks where I started with a <"mixture of sand and gravel"> and ended up with <"all the gravel on top"> via <"granular convection">.

cheers Darrel


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## tiger15 (10 Nov 2021)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> The only issue I've had with them is in the tanks where I started with a <"mixture of sand and gravel"> and ended up with <"all the gravel on top"> via <"granular convection">.
> 
> cheers Darrel


Not an issue for me as my substrate is silty garden soil capped with gravel.  Over time, with repeated replanting, silt  is emerging on top of gravel and getting dusty when disturbed.  It will be helpful if the trumpet can restore the gradation.  I can see through the soil with what appears to be purple BGA, so it must be anaerobic.  Hopefully, the trumpet can aerate the soil enabling better rooting of DHG to carpet denser.


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## idris (10 Nov 2021)

tiger15 said:


> ... I know once introduced, they are permanent residents and can’t be removed ...


I suspect I've got some Assasin snails that might disagree. 🐌


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## tiger15 (10 Nov 2021)

idris said:


> I suspect I've got some Assasin snails that might disagree. 🐌


Assassin snails are beautiful that look like a cross between zebra nerite and trumpet.  But do they prey on shrimp when they are molting.  Also, do they burrow into the substrate to chase after MTS.


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## idris (10 Nov 2021)

They don't seem to be a big issue for my Cherries, and I've got more than when I introduced the shrimp to the tank.
I know the Assassins have eaten countless "pest snails" that have arrived on plants. I understand they'll eat snail eggs, so if you don't want MTS to be permanent, I'd say Assassins are worth a shot. 
And they look cool!


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## Driftless (11 Nov 2021)

I have them in all of my tanks, they are great if you keep your tank in balance.


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## NatalieHurrell (12 Nov 2021)

I've never had a tank/vase/bowl without them in 41 years of fishkeeping.  In my humble opinion they are essential to a mini eco system.  They aerate the substrate and help draw nutrients (fish poo) down towards the plant roots and help stop compaction.  They only get out of control if you overfeed .  Others more experienced than me may offer other advice, but I can only go on what I know.


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## Angus (16 Nov 2021)

I love my mts, i also feel like they are a key part of the natural decomposition and exchange of excess food and dead plant matter to nutrients but i'm not saying anything on the science of that!

They do a decent job on the algae, the mts seem to be good at hoovering up excess food, but more casual on algae eating side.


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## tiger15 (16 Nov 2021)

Thanks for all the inputs on MTS, all positive and not one negative.  As long as they won’t uproot my plants, I’ll definitely give them a trial for my first time.  A bonus is that in my set up I can see through the substrate to observe how MTS burrow as if I were keeping an earthworm farm.  Not being good algae eater is fine for me as I already have nerite, ramshorn and pond snails, in addition to Amano and cherry shrimp.   Hopefully the aeration activities will help my DHG to grow denser.


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