I'm thinking of buying a snail as a tank cleaner

I'm thinking of buying a snail as a tank cleaner. I'd like to know about how to introduce snails to a tank, what to look for when buying them, what to feed them, that sort of thing. Since it is not a school tank I wanted to know as well if I will need to feed a snail regularly since the betta is being fed carefully pellet by pellet and rarely loses one.

 

A mystery snail will do very well in your tank. 1/2 veggie round about every three days will keep it happily cleaning your tank.
Carol

 

What's a good vegetable to feed a snail? Lettuce?

And how do you feed it? Just put a lettuce leaf on the bottom and let the little snail eat it?

Thanks.

 

Canned spinach according to what I read before I got my Mystery snails. But I feed mine Omega One Veggie Rounds or HikarI Algae Wafers. They like the Veggie Rounds better. I feed them to my Otos and the Snails like them too. Soon our garden will be up though and they will start to get some fresh food (spinach and zucchinI and maybe other veggies)

Hope that helped.

Rose

 

Hmmm...alright, thanks.

There's some algae around my tank, so whenever I get my snail he/she will be busy eating it for a while.

 

Thank you, but what I'd really like to know are some things about how people who successfully keep them introduce them to the tank, whether they need to be quarantined, how to introduce them in a relatively stress free way, that kind of thing.

 

apple snails or mystery snails will eat tons of veggies. The one main thing that is important is that they get enough calcium in there diets. If not there shell will become brittle and fall apart and they will die.

 

I just put mine in the tank.
as for for making sure they get enough calcium, you can also feed the crab bites with calcium(their pellets)
Carol

 

Thanks very much Carol

 

Welcome

 

Where do you get the crab pellets from Carol? I can order them if need be, but do you think I would need them with water hardness GH and KH of over 300 on each scale?

Rose

 

Most of the pet stores here have them. Don't think you would need them Rose but might be a good treat (If you can keep their tanks mates from sharing them )
Carol

 

I wouldn't mind the Otos having a little extra food but the other little gluttons .... ;D ..... they really do not need anything else. LOL

Thanks, Carol.

Rose

 

I knew I forgot something...so these crab pellets are the best, huh? I'll pick some up tomorrow...will the snail also eat the algae wafers?

 

So I went and picked up a blue mystery snail. For the first few days the little guy was shy, but now he is happily crawling around the tank.

I picked up a veggI clip as well, and I attatch some romaine (sp?) lettuce to it every couple days. The snail will climb right up onto the lettuce and start eating it from the top down and the fish nibble at it as well.

 

Carol: are shrimp pellets a good equivalent? I realized I might be being too literal but I got those for my corydoras, will they work equally well for the snail?

 

My Mystery snails are in with the skunk loaches(no the SL don't bother them) so they get a big variety of foods. Veggie wafers, shrimp pellets, flakes that the danios don't get, fresh veggies. Dark green veggies have calcium in them so unless you see problems with their shells you probably don't need to worry about pellets with calcium. I was just mentioning that their out there if you need them.
so to answer your question I think the shrimp pellets will work just as well as long as you feel fresh veggies of some kind about once a week.
Carol

 

Sorry to intrude but I found this topic very interesting, do you think a mystery snail would get along ok with a betta in a 2.5 galon tank?

 

yep sure do atm I believe that's what Rose has with her Bettas.
Carol

 

Although I do not recommend a 2.5 for a Betta or any fish...I believe Rose already said that in your post about it.

 

yes she did say that
Carol

 

My snail won't eat lettuce. Could it be that he had some before? I maybe should have asked at the pet shop.

 

What type of snail is it? Mystery right?

And have you given the snail a couple of days to try and eat it?

Because sometimes my snail isn't hungary and takes a little while to start eating.

 

I know we talked about it

 

Yes, it's a Mystery snail.
I was also told by Rose that sometimes the snails don't want completely fresh vegetables and are waiting for them to rot a little. She said she actually microwaves her veggies a bit and then puts them on the clip. And she said her snails don't seem to like lettuce.

So...what veggies are good? She recommended spinach. Any other recommendations? I want the critter to get that calcium it needs.

 

Yes, yes, yes. My bettas do like their snails and they treat them like puppies. They like to watch them and see what they are up to. They did the little bounce off the shell once or twice to see if they could nip them but the ladies did not even do that. They just are curious about them. I am so glad I have them. Mine are the Ivory (Albino) Mystery Snails but the Golden and Blue and any other colors are beautiful too.

Rose

 

Lovely pictures Rose! Your snails are a bit bolder than mine, mine only sticks out its eyestalks when none of the fish are around or are sleeping.

I don't know if you got my pm but I'm having a problem with Rusty trying to drive the snail away from the shrimp pellets.

 

Mine had been in the tank for a month before they put theirs out too. It takes a while for the shyness to wear off and them to get comfortable with their new environment. Give him time and I promise you will have quite a show. the eyestalks that mine are showing off now are about 3 times that long. They are beautiful! (if I do say so )

Rose

 

Well, my snail has revealed itself fully at last. It is as you said magnificent! Who could have thought?

Also I'm pleased to report that my snail is eating vegetables. It finally did tackle some lettuce and has been a couple of times to my knowledge perched there munching away.

 

They have to reach a stage of a certain "wilting" to be interesting to them I guess. I put out new spinach leaves and some zucchinI for the Otos and Snail today and they haven't touched them. They will probably have to be in there for a couple of days to get eaten, but the book says not to worry about it so I am not going to.

Aren't they marvelous when they bring themselves out and move around. I think they look so dainty and beautiful. I have a new hatching of Zebra Nerita Snails in the tanks too. I will probably have to little by little get rid of them as they are about 30 strong right now. Got to nip that in the bud.

Rose

 

What are nerita snails like?

BTW, my snail about once a day goes up around the surface and just hangs out there. What's it doing?

 

Zebra Nerita Snails are small about 1 cm at the most and they are black with a white spot or two on the shell. The shape is basically like that of a Mystery or Apple Snail. They are very fertile, let me tell you. I have them all over the place and am getting ready to get rid of them. I really would not mind having baby Mystery snails but the Zebras are coming on by the dozens. I paid $6.95 a piece for the two I bought but I did not intend to put them into the same tank, then I did when I got the Mystery snails BIG mistake. Even my patience is running thin.

Rose

 

Yes, yes, yes. My bettas do like their snails and they treat them like puppies.  They like to watch them and see what they are up to.  They did the little bounce off the shell once or twice to see if they could nip them but the ladies did not even do that.  They just are curious about them.  I am so glad I have them.  Mine are the Ivory (Albino) Mystery Snails but the Golden and Blue and any other colors are beautiful too.

Rose

Floyd was only a little curious about Elana when I first put her in the tank.  Of course, he'd already tried to nip a pond snail and didn't like it, so maybe he learns quickly.
I personally like the Black Mystery Snails.  With their orange eyes and speckles on their "feet," I think they are very beautiful and intriguing.  They almost look like little aliens............

  S.

 

As far as the snails hanging out at the top of the tank, I can only tell you what mine are doing. They are eating the calcium deposits off the waterline. I had a horrible build up before they got into the tanks and now it is almost all gone. They will probably see the calcium even before it builds up enough to be seen. They do a marvelous job of cleaning.

And ..... you do realize that having 2 snails in the same tank is inviting a snail explosion. ;D The Black ones do sound beautiful and we shall await pictures. It is just that it does not take long before they start to reproduce and there will be a LOT of them. They lay eggs all over the place. Although I believe the Mystery Snails lay eggs mostly at the water surface.

Have fun, they are fascinating and deserve a little attention. It is so much fun to watch them. Just don't overfeed as they won't do the cleaning if they have too much to eat and they need to clean up a little bit.

Rose
;D

 

Yes, I know that I can expect "a snail explosion" by having two snails in one tank............ but I really had no choice. I can't put one in the 20 gallon, because of the Dojo Loach. Maybe now I can get my third tank? Mmmwaaahahahahaaaa!!! (evil laugh) My anniversary is coming up....... we'll see what happens then. ;D

S.

 

The Black ones do sound beautiful and we shall await pictures. 
Rose
;D

You've never seen a Black Mystery Snail?? And here I thought they were the most common ones!! If I can get a decent pic, I'll be sure to post it. Unfortunately, the colors only show up really well under direct light (like a flashlight...), and holding a camera and a light steady at the same time may prove difficult.
I've only had Schultz and Elana since this afternoon, and I am already facinated by them and attached to them. They are so cute, and yet so..... Mysterious.

S.

 

Mystery snails lay their eggs above the water line

 

Ah, now I know why you call yourself Boxermom.

BTW, my snail has drawn in the lid and is just sort of sitting there. Is that good or bad? I think it did that before as well but then eventually came out...

And yes, I'm only getting one. One is enough.

 

Mine do that during the day. I think that is when they sleep. They always come back out in a few hours and are okay so I guess it is an okay thing.

Rose

 

I was just curious, the mystery snails cannot reproduce when alone right, because Ive heard that some snails can reproduce without the opposite sex present.

I was hoping to add a snail to my tank and the Mystery seem to be pretty cool and should be a good fit.