• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

COuld you recommend me a snail? Requirements in thread text

Thrills24

Member
Joined
25 Jul 2013
Messages
63
So far I've only had 3 types of snail in my tank. Apple, Zebra, and pests. Zebra\nerite Would leave long lasts eggs everywhere. The apple would eat my Pogostemon helferi and I'm pretty sure the pest snail was a-sexual.

I'm rebooting my planted 40 gallon and would really like to draw on the knowledge of you guys in purchasing my next snail(s) my ideal requirements are as follows...

Non A sexual
Colourful
Doesn't attack plants
Medium size (I consider apple snails as large)

Any help would be fantastic.

Cheers.
 
Get some carnivorous assassin snails 'clea helena'. They are the only ones that fid the description as far as I know. They require some type of protein food and they won't clean up algae.

Of course you should specify what type o snails you refer to as pests? Is it physa snails? mts? ramshorn maybe? IMHO ramshorn snails look great, do nota attack plants and they don't reproduce like rabbits unless you overfeed.
 
The pests were the little flat ramshorn snails (clear shell orange body) but esha gastroplex did a number on them and that was some time ago.

To be clear I no longer have any pest snails. I only mentioned them to show my inexperience with snails. Also, I know snails will attack certain plants if hungry some shrimp do that too. The main concern really is that they don't reproduce a-sexually.
 
Never kept them but I thought these looked quite nice ( someone told me what they were but unfortunately I've forgotten).
14409527269_4fc5d3c350_c_d.jpg
 
Tylo Snails are really nice. However, they will require hard water and high ph or else their shells will degrade quite easily compared to your average snails. There were also reports that some tylos will readily go after plants, there are some conflicting observations regarding this though.

A dedicated Sulawesi setup would be amazing.
 
I have two Tylomelania spp (the yellow Sulawesi snails), and it's hard to say if they actively eat the plants in my tank. They will simply plow through the substrate and anything that gets in their way is thrown to the side.They seemed to cause quite a bit of damage to my dwarf sag but I think this is simply mechanical damage as they climb on to the leaves and their weight breaks the leaf, the leaves will then break off mid growth. Great snails to have with lots of personality (for a snail) if you don't mind the carnage they cause.

When I'm not injecting CO2 my water sits at about ph8 which is perfect for these snails and keeps their shells nice and black. They also like quite a high temperature, I keep the tank they are in at 25-26 degree which is on the low side for them.

DSC_0021_zps751c7db1.jpg
 
Last edited:
Hey guys

Thanks for the info. Tylo\trumpet snails are not contenders I'm afraid. For me they are too large and as EnderUK mentioned they do a little damage. But still suggestions are welcomed here.
 
- I suppose you allready know, that the ramshorns come in a quite wide variety of colours......and don't eat (healthy) plants.
 
- I suppose you allready know, that the ramshorns come in a quite wide variety of colours......and don't eat (healthy) plants.

Aren't ramshors A-sexual and reproduce without the need of a mate?
 
Yes but as long as you don't overfeed, their population remains manageable.

A-Sexual snails are a no go for me but I do appreciate the help and suggestions

Why do you want snails ? If part of a clean up crew for algae Rams are great IMO they won't fare well in softwater or co2 injected tanks IMO, as stated they don't reproduce to fast if they aren't over fed.

Part of a clean up crew. Rams wouldn't be an option because of pressurized CO2 and softwater.
 
Neripteron snails are a species that fit your bill.
Most require brackish water for development of eggs/young and they are very strict on surfaces they live on. The pnly time mine touch the sand is when they move to another hard surface to feed. The only plants they will reat on will be ones with leaves larger than the shell as they anchor down when threatened, something they cannot do on sand or smaller leaves.

Brotia sp. are another interesting group of snails. They will eat uneaten food but rarely touch algae imo.

There are others but you are very unlikely to find them for sale anywhere.

We have a few natives from chalk streams (extremely calcium rich) and others from very soft, calcium poor water but be sure they are not protected.
 
Hey guys

Thanks for the info. Tylo\trumpet snails are not contenders I'm afraid. For me they are too large and as EnderUK mentioned they do a little damage. But still suggestions are welcomed here.

Brotia Pagodula? Nice ones, but not colorful
 
Back
Top