# To clean or not to clean



## cdarminio (Mar 29, 2015)

This may seem like a stupid question but I promise I'm serious. Over the past few months the escargot shells have become covered with a green algae. I'm wondering if there is any benefit to letting the algae stay. I know that the fish aren't eating it since their carnivores, but still I was wondering if it would be a good idea to leave the algae. Thanks in adv


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Well algae will absorb nitrate and ammonia if it's growing, and if it's really algae. Cyanobacteria can look green but are bacteria rather than a real plant. Some algae types can also etch holes in shells and limestone rock. They often look like hair or string if they do this.

So if you like the look, if it is really algae, it won't hurt anything other than maybe some rocks or shells.


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

I leave most of the algae alone on my rocks and other decoration in the tanks. I think it helps blend the differences in the rocks together and looks more natural. There are many who have the opposite viewpoint, and want no algae on their rocks and decor.


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## plug (Nov 10, 2013)

I have the same issue in my Multi tank where all the shells have algae growing on them

I just leave it as I do not think I would be able to pull out over 100 shells and clean them off

I once tried putting in some Siamese algae eaters in my multi tank to clean the algae up

That did not work out too well, as my my Multis ended up killing all 5 of them, so now I just leave it as is

It does add a natural look to the tank, and I do have a snail in there which does eat some algae (I Think), but overall the algae on the shells is there and I just leave it


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

My snails do clean the shells. I clean rarely and never if fry are present.


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## BratmanXj (Feb 11, 2013)

DJRansome said:


> My snails do clean the shells. I clean rarely and never if fry are present.


I've asked this before on a planted tank forum and was told snails never work out in a cichlid tank. I wanted something to "sift" my sand bottom while also taking care of algae. What kind do you keep?


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## cdarminio (Mar 29, 2015)

I know many ppl keep nerite snails. I've even seen some keep Apple snails but IMO this depends on ur pH, cichlids, etc.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Nerites. They will not sift sand though.


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

Malaysian trumpet snails have invaded several of my tanks. They do a decent job of burrowing all over the substrate, though I don't know how much algae they eat.

Another thing you might try is to flip the shells over, to bury the algae in the substrate. That can help.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

MTS just clog my filters...


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## cdarminio (Mar 29, 2015)

...unless you use sponge filters.


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## Vino (Feb 25, 2014)

What about assasin snails? Right now I have 3 in my multie tank and I see no issue with the multies (other than being picked up and relocated often). I know they bury themselves at times too.

I also have a separate 2 gallon assasin tank, that I was thinking of moving all 30 assasin inhabitants into the 20 gal multie tank. Does anyone this this would be a bad idea? I cant really see a reason why. Unless they could interfere with the multies breeding..or eating eggs?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Do they eat algae? I would have thought they were carnivore snails?


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Assassin snails are carnivores and won't eat algae.

I had some in with various shell dwellers and had no problem raising fry but that doesn't mean the snails didn't snack on eggs. I have no way of knowing if they did. However, snails do seem to bother the shellies and they were always moving them away from their shells.


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