Tony G.

just wondering if i can use any type of snails other than MTS to keep the sand moving. What do MTS look like? does anyone have any pics they can show me so i know what to look out for?

harpua2002

Stir the sand during water changes until you run across some MTS. Toxic gas bubbles in sand are a highly overrated phenomenon IMO. I've been using sand for over 5 years in several tanks and never a problem, and have only read a handful of accounts where it's actually happened. It's not something that's going to happen quickly by any means; proper aquarium maintenance will prevent it.

Tony G.

ok, so no other snails can do the job?

harpua2002

I haven't run across other snails that burrow the way that mts do. I'm just saying, don't worry too much about it.

Tony G.

ok thanks

rileyrk190

I know this wasnt your question, but i have found that my cories and my weather loach do a great job of stirring up the sand.

Tony G.

i would love to add corys! do you know if they get along with cons??
thats my only concern though

harpua2002

I would not add cories with cons.

Tony G.

thats what i thought
do CAE's move sand too?

jclee

Spixie snails also burrow into the sand. Since you weren't sure how to ID them, here's a link w/ a pic of a Malaysian Trumpet Snail: http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Bug,%20S...%20Trumpet.htm Your local petstore might even give them to you for free, if they have any, since they're prolific breeders. The Spixie Snail (Asolene spixi): http://www.applesnail.net/content/sp...lene_spixi.htm Is much larger and doesn't so much "flip" the sand as "burrow" in the day time. They'll get some substrate movement happening, but they aren't constantly rotating the substrate like MTS do. To my knowledge, MTS mostly eat debris they find in the substrate, whereas spixie snails eat plants and fish flakes, in addition to debris.

Slug

I totally agree. Especially doing regular water changes, i don't see how waste could get down to create toxic gas. If anything just run your fingers through it during a WC.

Tony G.

ok thanks slug, and jclee, i will check to see if my LFS have them