55 Gallon Tank What snails would suffice?!

First of all, I would like to say that FishLore has become my main obesession since starting my aquarium back up. I have always had aquariums since I was a little kid spanning through into my pre-teen age. I am now 22 and a senior in college, for criminal justice in case any one was wondering, and have started my 55 gallon tropical comminity tank back up. I will begin putting in the sand substrate tonight, after I cleanse it thoroughly of course, which is pool filter sand. The main concern of mine is the sand compacting and making those troublesome toxic gas pockets. My question is: What snails would flourish in a 55 Gallon tropical community tank with a sand substrate bottom? And if anyone knows where to find them? I was browsing in Petsmart and saw that they only have hermit crabs, which is NOT what I'm looking for haha.
Thank you very much and two thumbs way up to the very helpful and knowledgable people at FishLore. Your website has exceeded any competitor sites that are on the internet. I look forward to my many more years with you!!

P.S.- This is my first post so I am sorry if I put this in the wrong thread. Be patient with me I am open to all constructive criticism!
Also I am aware of the Nitrogen Cycle.. I will be using the Tetra Safe Start.

 

Malaysian trumpet snails, I've heard, are very good at that. You might look for them on aquabid.

 

Ok, Thanks for the advice. I have always been skeptical of ordering fish/marine life off of the internet, probably due to my unfamiliarity with it, but would the snails be able to withstand shipping?

Also how many of the snails would be sufficient for my 55 Gallon tank?

 

Malaysian Trumpet Snails will keep from those toxin pockets because they will dig under the substrate. I would get around 10-15 then they will breed like crazy. You can get them at a LFS but you might have to ask them to order them for you.

 

Malysian trumpet snails are often recommended on here for sand turning habits. As far as amount, I'll let someone else answer. Welcome!

 

Welcome! You're right up the road from me, I'm in ****. I've got plenty of MTS for a starter colony, and lots of other species as well. Let me know when you get your tank going!

 

Thanks for all of the helpful replies. I believe with help from you guys and some research I have done I am going to go with with the MTS.

Harpua2002- Glad to hear of another fish hobbiest around me! Also do you know of any LFS around the Dawsonville, **** area? I have been doing most of my browsing in PetsMart in Gainesville but plan to visit the PetCo in **** soon.

Thanks again guys!

 

LOL... I have my own little "shop" going.

I tend to avoid chain stores whenever possible. The selection of fish at the chains around here is average at best, and chain store fish often aren't very healthy.

 

harpua2002- Awesome! I am so envious of you! haha.
Is your shop listed or just for your own personal matters?
Trying to view some of your pictures of your shop this very moment..

 

We are a fledgling business, and sell mostly on forums and Aquabid, although we do have folks stop by from time to time.

Are you a member of the local club? I highly suggest joining up!!!

 

Not at the moment. I just began starting my 55 Gallon back up from when I was a child but I am in more understanding with the hobby now and plan to get deeper and deeper into it. I also have a 29 and 10 Gallon that are in storage at the moment due to sheer shortage of space for them. I am very interested in your shop, btw the pictures from your thread from start to finish is amazing, maybe when I get my tank up and running I can come give you a visit. Looking forward to staying in touch with you!

 

if heat packs are included, they SHOULD survive shipping. Check the reputation of the seller, if possible. as for the number of snails, order a few and with feeding they will breed like rabbits. Don't put them in before the tank is cycled, though.

 

I get my trumpet snails for free at my LFS. so I wouldn't order them online. but I just want to say, buying live animals online is fine. I ship my baby snails out....and have bought stuff as well.

breeding like rabbits.....sure they can. but don't overfeed the tank, and make sure to do gravel vacs (sand still gets surface vacs) and things should be ok. good luck!

 

Thanks for all of your help! After my tank is cycled I more than likely will check with my LFS for the MTS. Again, thank everyone for your advice!

 

Look for snails that need salt water to successfully breed. I have both a zebra nerite and a rabbit snail (as well as pesky pond snails I'm struggling to get rid of.) Ive bought things off aquabid and never had an issue though research the seller before bidding.

Editted: Dont put snails in immediately. Tank needs to age some or you'll need to heavily feed so snails don't starve.

 

Editted: Dont put snails in immediately. Tank needs to age some or you'll need to heavily feed so snails don't starve.

I actually don't agree. you can put snails in whenever you want. and you dn't have to "heavily" feed them either. just a normal diet is fine. of course you don't want to feed MTS on purpose really.....but you could put half a wafer in a couple times a week just to make sure they don't starve in the new tank.

 

Ok! Thanks guys! Not 100% yet but I am pretty sure I am going with the MTS. The half wafer a week sounds like a good idea until the tank gets a little age on it. Thanks again for all of the advice!

 

you are very welcome, and good luck so what types of fish do you want to keep?

 

that's weird that petsmart didn't have any, any time I go in there they're loaded with Mystery snails

 

Maybe I wasn't exactly sure when I went in petsmart what I was looking for. I am going to go back tomorrow to look further into it. I still have a few days until I get to start my full aquarium experience all over again! Needless to say I am EXCITED for the next few weeks.. Even though it is going to be monitoring the Nitrogen Cycle :\

As for fish: I am probably going to start off with a few zebras, a few snails, and maybe a Cory until I have fully cycled and get appropriate readings to extend my fish family! Does anyone have any other suggestions on hardy fish to have during the Nitrogen Cycle?

 

LOL, don't buy MTS, people are just trying to make money off of their infestation. Just go into your LFS and ask the person who helps customers get the fish. That's how I got mine. I also had a couple come in on live plants, so if you're thinking of getting some live plants, just check if they have any snails, double whammy. It might be better to go in the morning (since the snails hide in the day in the substrate) to have a better chance of getting one.

 

Good Idea! I will get there early in the AM then. I plan on getting some live plants just not right away, I need to research the care for them a little more, I have never owned any personally. I will also see if they have any for free, actually that's my main objective now! haha

 

HI everyone,
I have a desire to get a snail of some kind. I have heard from this forum, and other sources online that snails make a wonderful addition to an aquarium. I've heard funny stories ranging from snails surfing on filter waves; crawling up a heater and when it turns on and gets too hot they jump off and fall all the way back to the bottom of the tank. I am in need of some entertainment like that! My question is what snail should I get? Mystery snail? Golden Apple snail? Nerite Snail?

What snails do you have? What funny story do you have about your snail?

 

HI everyone,
I have a desire to get a snail of some kind. I have heard from this forum, and other sources online that snails make a wonderful addition to an aquarium. I've heard funny stories ranging from snails surfing on filter waves; crawling up a heater and when it turns on and gets too hot they jump off and fall all the way back to the bottom of the tank. I am in need of some entertainment like that! My question is what snail should I get? Mystery snail? Golden Apple snail? Nerite Snail?

What snails do you have? What funny story do you have about your snail?

I personally recommend nerite snails. They are great cleaners and are unable to reproduce in fresh water, so you won't be overrun with snails.
I had two nerites and the little one liked to get on the back of the big one and ride him around for a few hours! It was adorable!!
Something to note though, they are escape artists. I made sure to have a glass cover on my tank at all times, but they escaped my climbing out through the small space (like 2x2 inches) in between the filter and the glass top. They both died because of this. They died about 3 months apart.

 

Look at this thread I posted a couple of days ago...
Funny - Ninja Snail

 

I also have nerites. They are very fun and good cleaners. So far mine have not tried to escape. I have had one do the heater thing twice, where they fall off. You’d be surprised how fast they are for being snails.

 

MTS move around a lot. They also bury under the substrate clearing anaerobic areas.

 

For entetainment value, I think it is hard to surpass mystery snails if you get one, it's not gonna multiply, and in any event, their egg clutches are very big and obviouus, and they lay them above water level, so they are very easy to get rid of

 

The cheapest route is pest snails. Some people like them(me) and some people don't.

 

Apple snails are illegal in a lot of places. I have a bunch of various nerites, and I love that they have cool patterns and do a great job cleaning the tank, but I have to say my mystery snail is my favorite. They're just so silly looking. My two year old once watched it climb up the driftwood and once it got to the top it promptly let go and divebombed back to the substrate, and she thought it was the funniest thing she had seen in her life.

 

Apple snails are illegal in a lot of places. I have a bunch of various nerites, and I love that they have cool patterns and do a great job cleaning the tank, but I have to say my mystery snail is my favorite. They're just so silly looking. My two year old once watched it climb up the driftwood and once it got to the top it promptly let go and divebombed back to the substrate, and she thought it was the funniest thing she had seen in her life.

I love the zebra nerite snails. It depends on the snail's personality. SOme like to climb around everywhere and some just stay in one general area.

 

I love the zebra nerite snails. It depends on the snail's personality. SOme like to climb around everywhere and some just stay in one general area.

All of my snails (MTS, Mystery snail, assassin snails, and zebra, horned and tiger nerites) climb all over my tanks. I love them all! They add another layer of interest to the tank beyond fish. Same with my shrimp! It would be really hard to pick just one type of tank inhabitant if I were forced to.

 

I also have nerites. They are very fun and good cleaners. So far mine have not tried to escape. I have had one do the heater thing twice, where they fall off. You’d be surprised how fast they are for being snails.

My nerite is very fast, he immediately adapts to his surroundings after being picked up, or moved.

My mom’s nerite is very speedy!
I found him on the outside of the glass the other week, he’d been out for a few days.

While I changed the water, it just walked across the rI'm like nothing was happening.

 

My nerite is very fast, he immediately adapts to his surroundings after being picked up, or moved.

Your comment made me think of another benefit of nerites... they don't constantly make you wonder if they've died like Mystery snails do! For better or worse, mystery snails are just weird little guys. I've had them lie on their side or stay in one place for days without moving, float on top of the water, hang out of their shells, et .

 

Your comment made me think of another benefit of nerites... they don't constantly make you wonder if they've died like Mystery snails do! For better or worse, mystery snails are just weird little guys. I've had them lie on their side or stay in one place for days without moving, float on top of the water, hang out of their shells, et .

Now, that’s one different thing I have noticed. My nerites never floated like my mysteries did. It always makes me annoyed whenever they decided to float.

I’m about to buy a big bunch of nerites, about 8 and put them in my 31 gallon. I also need more for my 10 gallon.

 

My mom’s nerite is very speedy!
I found him on the outside of the glass the other week, he’d been out for a few days.

While I changed the water, it just walked across the rI'm like nothing was happening.

So far mine have wanted to stay in the water when I do a water change. They will turn around and make a beeline back into it.

 

My mysteries and ramshorns are my favorite to watch. My mysteries just climb everywhere and will even munch on my hand on the odd occasion. My ramshorns (even the adults!) can stick to the surface of the water and float upside down.

 

Here’s my biggest MTS.
CricketKeeper, I didn’t know you lived in Houston too!

 

I'm in East Houston. I just recently checked out ADG, and they have so much driftwood and rocks!

 

I'm in East Houston. I just recently checked out ADG, and they have so much driftwood and rocks!

ADG is the best!
I live in west Houston.