I've Been Thinking About Getting A Snail?

hey guys I just signed up for this website today and I have a question should I get a snail for algae control? I have a heavily stocked tank you can say I one glow fish, fancy red tail guppy, neon tetra, two African dwarf frogs, endler live-bear, sunburst platy, blue tail wag, red tail wag, sunburst wag, two red cherry barbs, panda corydoras catfish, Siamese algae eater, dwarf powder blue gourami, I have a penn pax cascade canister filter 1200 and I'm having some alage frow not a lot just a bit enough to irritate me because I love having everything in the tank spotless do you guys recommend any snails for my freshwater community tank

 

What size tank is this? I’m sensing stocking issues, however I know that’s not your question...snails can help but your maintenance will work the best. Also, is this a planted tank? How long you leave the lights on plays a role in algae control as well.

Also....WELCOME TO FL!

 

Is you aquarium near any windows that have lots of natural light flow?
If so I'd suggest moving it IF Possible away from the window or at least put a darker curtain up to minimize the lights penetration.
But if that's not the case snails do help but research the snails before buying as many can reproduce rapidly and quickly overrun the tank.
And Welcome!

 

What size tank is this? I’m sensing stocking issues, however I know that’s not your question...snails can help but your maintenance will work the best. Also, is this a planted tank? How long you leave the lights on plays a role in algae control as well.

Also....WELCOME TO FL!

thank you for the welcome it is a 40 gallon tank fish have plenty of room to swim I have one gallon for every inch of fish I do not turn the lights off no plants I have been thinking about getting them I do a 25 percent water change every Sunday and maintenance of the filters monthly

Is you aquarium near any windows that have lots of natural light flow?
If so I'd suggest moving it IF Possible away from the window or at least put a darker curtain up to minimize the lights penetration.
But if that's not the case snails do help but research the snails before buying as many can reproduce rapidly and quickly overrun the tank.
And Welcome!

the room the tank is in has no windows or lights just the one on in the aquarium and do snails reproduce if they have a mate or do they just do by themselves?

 

thank you for the welcome it is a 40 gallon tank fish have plenty of room to swim I have one gallon for every inch of fish I do not turn the lights off no plants I have been thinking about getting them I do a 25 percent water change every Sunday and maintenance of the filters monthly

IME I would clean the filters every other week just be sure it's with neutral water like spring water no tap

 

IME I would clean the filters every other week just be sure it's with neutral water like spring water no tap

okay thanks !

 

the room the tank is in has no windows or lights just the one on in the aquarium and do snails reproduce if they have a mate or do they just do by themselves?

I'm not too knowledgeable on the reproductivity of snails but lot of the time people buy one snail and it ends up being pregnant and laying eggs.
But I've had luck with mystery snails I bought one a few months back and I haven't seen a single baby snail

 

You have some stocking issues, if you’d like to discuss them

 

Ok, there are still issues with stocking but I will leave that alone. You do not turn the lights off, well that could very well be the problem for your algae, not to mention fish need a darkness period like they get from nature. If you have low lights I’d say no more than 12 hours a day and only 6-7 hours if they are high, bright lights. And by maintaining your filters monthly, do you just squeeze them clean in dirty tank water or completely replace? I know the instructions say to replace but you don’t want to do that, just clean, this will prevent any cycling crashes while keeping your beneficial bacteria. And once you get all that down I recommend a nerite snail or two. They help as a clean up crew and will not breed in freshwater (you will get eggs though). Good luck.

 

You have some stocking issues, if you’d like to discuss them

lets discuss

Ok, there are still issues with stocking but I will leave that alone. You do not turn the lights off, well that could very well be the problem for your algae, not to mention fish need a darkness period like they get from nature. If you have low lights I’d say no more than 12 hours a day and only 6-7 hours if they are high, bright lights. And by maintaining your filters monthly, do you just squeeze them clean in dirty tank water or completely replace? I know the instructions say to replace but you don’t want to do that, just clean, this will prevent any cycling crashes while keeping your beneficial bacteria. And once you get all that down I recommend a nerite snail or two. They help as a clean up crew and will not breed in freshwater (you will get eggs though). Good luck.

I replace are you sure I can just squeeze?

 

lets discuss


I replace are you sure I can just squeeze?

Yes, it should be years before you need to replace and only if it’s deteriorating. In that case you’d run a new filter in with the old for at least a month.

 

lets discuss

Ok, here goes:
1. The GloFish needs at least 5 more friends. Can you post a picture so we can ID it?
2. How many neon tetras? They also need at least 6 total.
3. Are the wags platies?
4. The cherry barbs need at least 6 too.
5. How many panda cories? Again, they need at least 6.
6. ADF's aren't really good for community tanks but if they are getting enough food they're alright.
7. The SAE may need a larger tank, I'm not sure.
8. How many endlers?
Are you willing to rehome any fish?

 

Ok, here goes:
1. The GloFish needs at least 5 more friends. Can you post a picture so we can ID it?
2. How many neon tetras? They also need at least 6 total.
3. Are the wags platies?
4. The cherry barbs need at least 6 too.
5. How many panda cories? Again, they need at least 6.
6. ADF's aren't really good for community tanks but if they are getting enough food they're alright.
7. The SAE may need a larger tank, I'm not sure.
8. How many endlers?
Are you willing to rehome any fish?

the endler likes to swim with the guppy
and yes all the wags are indeed plats
the adfs have a plate which I place there food off of also trained to respond to taps on the glass
the neon tetra and glo fish are very active swimmers but I'm going to be getting a 50 gallon by next week so ill get more tetras and glo fish also corydoras has been fine on his home he likes playing in air stones or with his reflection and I think you're thinking about the CAE they very big but the SAE stay pretty small

 

Yes, it should be years before you need to replace and only if it’s deteriorating. In that case you’d run a new filter in with the old for at least a month.

well I have two filters a tetra whisper 45 with a regular carbon filter with a bio scrub and a canister filter with a spray bar to break the water surface for more air but thank you for that!

 

How many neons, cories and Endlers?

 

just one neon but that will chsnge very soon and just one corie and one endler but he likes swimming with my guppy

 

Cories absolutely need at least 6 especially panda cories. When you have enough they love to have fun as a group and are entertaining. At least get one more because having one living by itself will be very stressful.

 

Cories absolutely need at least 6 especially panda cories. When you have enough they love to have fun as a group and are entertaining. At least get one more because having one living by itself will be very stressful.

I will more for the tank this coming week