Best snails for sifting sand?

Yo!

I’m setting up a planted aquarium for my blue gourami with sand as the main substrate. I’ve been reading that sand can get anaerobic patches if not well sifted, so I’m planning to do that manually every week. However, I’ve also heard snails help.

• In your opinion, what’s the best species of snail to sift sand?
• Also, how many snails should be sufficient in a 20G long?

Thanks y’all

 

One of the best snails for this are rabbit snails but before you go down that line think of how much controlling they will need once they start to breed
Personally i would us your siphon on water changes to lift the sand and release it back into the aquarium before it gets sucked up,

 

One of the best snails for this are rabbit snails but before you go down that line think of how much controlling they will need once they start to breed
Personally i would us your siphon on water changes to lift the sand and release it back into the aquarium before it gets sucked up,

Ok, I’ll keep this in mind. May I ask exactly how one controls snail populations?

 

I assume you intend to plant where your sand layer is thickest; so this will take care of preventing anaerobic patches to occur in the first place.

In thinner areas, say below 2 inches, an anaerobic layer will not occur quickly, but it also depends on the uniformity and size of the grain. It the sand particles is larger than silt and varies a bit, then below 2 inches, it might not occur.

Not that anaerobic patches are a bad thing; on the contrary. I have them too as I mostly use epiphyte plants. And some people create them purposely.

 

I assume you intend to plant where your sand layer is thickest; so this will take care of preventing anaerobic patches to occur in the first place.

In thinner areas, say below 2 inches, an anaerobic layer will not occur quickly, but it also depends on the uniformity and size of the grain. It the sand particles is larger than silt and varies a bit, then below 2 inches, it might not occur.

Not that anaerobic patches are a bad thing; on the contrary. I have them too as I mostly use epiphyte plants. And some people create them purposely.

Yes about the plants. And as for grain size, I’m thinking of using pool sand which I have read has larger grains and does not compress as much. I probably won’t have extremely deep substrate anyway.

 

The way you control the population is entirely up to you, give them away,crush them and leave your fish eat them, or dispose humanly.

 

The way you control the population is entirely up to you, give them away,crush them and leave your fish eat them, or dispose humanly.

Ok. Makes sense. Thanks.

 

Rabit snails are a good choice, but they can get up to 6 inches which would eventually become too big and overpopulate in the tank

 

Rabit snails are a good choice, but they can get up to 6 inches which would eventually become too big and overpopulate in the tank

What if I only got 1? It wouldn’t reproduce, right? Or are you still thinking 1 snail would be too big for a 20L?

 

One of the best snails for this are rabbit snails but before you go down that line think of how much controlling they will need once they start to breed
Personally i would us your siphon on water changes to lift the sand and release it back into the aquarium before it gets sucked up,

Hello richiep,

I know you've been doing this much longer than I have, but I always thought rabbit snails reproduced slowly. Malaysian trumpet snails, which serve the same function and are similar shaped, but are much smaller, do breed prolifically.

 

Hello richiep,

I know you've been doing this much longer than I have, but I always thought rabbit snails reproduced slowly. Malaysian trumpet snails, which serve the same function and are similar shaped, but are much smaller, do breed prolifically.

You may well be right I've not bred bred them myself but as I found to my cost assissans breed slow but once the numbers are up they just seem to breed very fast
Trumpet snails may be a better option

 

You may well be right I've not bred bred them myself but as I found to my cost assissans breed slow but once the numbers are up they just seem to breed very fast
Trumpet snails may be a better option

In your opinion, if I only have one fish in the tank, is it better to get a big snail (rabbit snail) or many smaller snails (trumpet snails)?

 

Let put it this way i have 9 shrimp tanks with sand substrate and the substrate hasn't been touched in 5 years so do you need a snail
You can move the sand during water changes
If you want snails go with ProudPapa but remember you'll probably have to feed the snail as well

 

Let put it this way i have 9 shrimp tanks with sand substrate and the substrate hasn't been touched in 5 years so do you need a snail
You can move the sand during water changes
If you want snails go with ProudPapa but remember you'll probably have to feed the snail as well

Understood. Seems like snails aren't a necessity as long as I'm shuffling the sand regularly. Cool.
Maybe I will get a pretty snail instead, just for show instead. Thanks everyone!

 

You don't need to shuffle the sand either, but if you like to shuffle, shuffle
"everyday I'm shuffling"