What snails??

[Mattant1984]

Hi all,
So im looking at adding a few snails to my fluval flex 34l, being such a small tank what would you recommend??
Never kept snails really apart from the odd nerite here and there however would like to try something different.

Many thanks

 

[Miniandy]

There's quiet a few types of ramshorn snails nowadays. Nerite are good and fairly long lived, but I find that the ramshorn's seem to self regulate and replenish when needed.

 

[Cazza]

Seconded for Ramshorns. Malaysian Trumpet Snails are also great and will really help with the substrate.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Seconded for Ramshorns. Malaysian Trumpet Snails are also great and will really help with the substrate.

I have <"those two"> and <"Tadpole Snails"> (Physella acuta). Tadpole Snails are small (and cute), but they aren't to every-ones taste <"Snails.">.

cheers Darrel

 

[Mattant1984]

Thanks for the ideas all,
I think i like the idea of ramshorns what would you say for a starting amount of ramshorns in a fairly new tank?
34 litres

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Thanks for the ideas all,
I think i like the idea of ramshorns what would you say for a starting amount of ramshorns in a fairly new tank?
34 litres

Technically only one, they are hermaphrodite, but five would definitely do

Cheers Darrel

 

[Miniandy]

It took 6 months for my one 'hitch hiker' to turn into a decent amount... most places on the web will sell you 5 or 10... a worthwhile investment. You could go for a mixed group of colours...

 

[Mattant1984]

Are they OK to order online? Is it a safe bet with what you are going to get?

 

[Miniandy]

I've done it a few times with nerite and I'd do it again. Its not a huge investment

 

[tam]

I second the tadpole snails and would add Planorbis arnoldi - miniture ramshorns as an option, would be great for scale in a tank that size. You could fit a lot in with no issues and they won't look like monsters in comparison to shrimp/fish.

... and some people consider them pests so not expensive 🙂

 

[FrozenShivers]

I've only tried Bladder snails and Malaysian Trumpet snails, I like the latter more, the help oxygenate the substrate as they burrow. They tend to be burrowed or hidden mostly when it's light and all come out in the dark.

 

[Mattant1984]

I second the tadpole snails and would add Planorbis arnoldi - miniture ramshorns as an option, would be great for scale in a tank that size. You could fit a lot in with no issues and they won't look like monsters in comparison to shrimp/fish.

... and some people consider them pests so not expensive 🙂

Ahh I didn't realise you could get miniature ramshorns that could work, also just had a look at the tadpole snails which are actually quite impressive.
Are they both types where you can regulate their numbers with feeding less??

 

[LMuhlen]

Planorbis arnoldi, so that's what they are called! They just magically appeared in my tanks, as snails usually do, and they became my favorites. They are small and keep their population well balanced, without exploding their numbers.

Being so small, I'm not sure if they make much of an impact on anything, but I like them.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

also just had a look at the tadpole snails which are actually quite impressive.

I really like Tadpole Snails, I don't think they have a downside.

Are they both types where you can regulate their numbers with feeding less??

I think you can do that with all snails. If you use botanicals in your tank, or feed your shrimps with lots of green vegetables, you are going to get more snails but those populations are always to some degree self-regulating.

Planorbis arnoldi, so that's what they are called!

I've just found out that Planorbis arnoldi isn't actually a valid scientific name. The aquarium snail known as "Dwarf Ramhorn" is probably a Gyraulus sp., possibly Gyraulus crista (Europe) or Gyraulus parvus (N. America & Caribbean).

Your snails are likely to be something different, purely because <"Gyraulus - Wikipedia"> is a N. Hemisphere (Holarctic) genus. There will be plenty of options in S. America <"Sampling collections and metadata of planorbidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in Brazil: a comprehensive analysis of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute's Mollusk Collection from 1948 to 2023 - PubMed">, but they aren't snails I'm familiar with.

cheers Darrel

 

[Mattant1984]

Hi all,

I really like Tadpole Snails, I don't think they have a downside.

I think you can do that with all snails. If you use botanicals in your tank, or feed your shrimps with lots of green vegetables, you are going to get more snails but those populations are always to some degree self-regulating.

I've just found out that Planorbis arnoldi isn't actually a valid scientific name. The aquarium snail known as "Dwarf Ramhorn" is probably a Gyraulus sp., possibly Gyraulus crista (Europe) or Gyraulus parvus (N. America & Caribbean).

Your snails are likely to be something different, purely because <"Gyraulus - Wikipedia"> is a N. Hemisphere (Holarctic) genus. There will be plenty of options in S. America <"Sampling collections and metadata of planorbidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in Brazil: a comprehensive analysis of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute's Mollusk Collection from 1948 to 2023 - PubMed">, but they aren't snails I'm familiar with.

cheers Darrel

Thanks Darrel,
I think I might give the tadpoles a go to start with and see how I get on. Thanks for all your help

 

[Miniandy]

Bladder snails = tadpole snails? Seem to be sold as such on the net?

 

[Mattant1984]

Bladder snails = tadpole snails? Seem to be sold as such on the net?

I've noticed that actually, I just don't want to get the larger pond version

 

[sparkyweasel]

Technically only one, they are hermaphrodite

But can they self-fertilise?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

But can they self-fertilise?

I think Ramshorn snails can, but I'll check. Edit: checked, they can.

cheers Darrel

 

[trent315]

Is this Ramshorn and will it eat my plants?? I don’t know where it came from. Never seen it before. Do I need to buy more??? Don’t want him to be a sad little snail.