# Snails??



## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

Evening all,

I'm not sure what to do when it comes to snails.

Let me explain (hopefully  )

I have a 6' long and its gets algea quickly. My lights are on for 6 hours. Fed every day sparingly, once a day. WC weekly about 50% - 60%. I clean the algea everytime I do a WC and more if I see it.

What I would like to know is does anyone have snails in their tank to help with algea? Don't like the idea of having a BN as it's not really from Lake Tang (I know nither are the snails, not as easy to see as the BN). And would they cause a problem with my tank inhabitants?

Thanks in advance

Charlene :thumb:


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The small, inconspicuous ones become a nuisance by multiplying into the 100s and clogging your filter and python.

Nerite snails do not multiply but they are larger. Try looking up olive nerites on an aquatic plant website. My nerites were not too happy with my Tangs and crawled over the background. But there are still some living in the tank.

Personally my best experience with eliminating algae is a planted tank.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

Ok. I'll look that up.

From my understanding, with a planted tank you need more equipment? In the videos I've seen, Lake Tang doesn't really have plants or is it just a personal reference to having plants?

EDIT; I have some snails in my other tank but don't know what they are called. Light in colour and don't grow big, well not that I have seen. They keep it fairly clean from algea.


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## chrispyweld (Dec 20, 2005)

I have apple/mystery snails in all my tanks including my tang. tank. Love them.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

Don't like the idea of having apple snails in my tank, they are called apple snails for a reason. They get BIG!!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Lake Tanganyika has lots of algae. You are right, plants are usually not accurate to use in a biotope tank. I think if there were the perfect snail you seek we would all have them, LOL.


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## chrispyweld (Dec 20, 2005)

I have never had one get over golf ball size and I have never had an issue with them. My multies are breeding and rearing fry as normal. When they kick off I add their shells to the multies shell bed.


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## spyder-CT (Nov 16, 2004)

DJRansome said:


> The small, inconspicuous ones become a nuisance by multiplying into the 100s and clogging your filter and python.
> 
> Nerite snails do not multiply but they are larger. Try looking up olive nerites on an aquatic plant website. My nerites were not too happy with my Tangs and crawled over the background. But there are still some living in the tank.
> 
> Personally my best experience with eliminating algae is a planted tank.


I agree with this entirely. I have planted tanks and the Nerites are amazing. I have a 300 gallon Tang tank and I have MTS's all over, can't get rid of the, hate them. I would never add a snail unless it was a Nerite. I also have a Bristlenose pleco in my tank. She hides when the lights are on and you don't see her so adding a BN would be a hidden secret to helping your situation.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

When I happen to see any nerites around I may get some.

Didn't think about the shells afterwards from the apple snails, nice thinking chrispyweld :thumb:


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

Just a warning, some of my Tangs actually kill and eat my nerites. Keep an eye on your julies!


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## redblufffishguy (Jul 16, 2009)

You can get nerites from: http://www.azgardens.com/

Reasonable price and great quality.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

redblufffishguy said:


> You can get nerites from: http://www.azgardens.com/
> 
> Reasonable price and great quality.


Nice idea but I'm in the UK and they don't seem to ship to anywhere but the USA  Plus it would be more then buying them here (if I can find any).


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

Darkside said:


> Just a warning, some of my Tangs actually kill and eat my nerites. Keep an eye on your julies!


I'll keep that in mind.


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## Tshethar (Jul 20, 2009)

This isn't the place to discuss vendors, but... I couldn't resist saying that anyone reading this should check the vendor feedback section here (or on google) before ordering from azgardens. I tried ordering zebra nerites from them before thinking to do so and, needless to say, regretted it. After months of waiting for correspondence or shipment, I eventually got my credit card company to issue a refund. Still, it does seem there are others (including on this forum) who do a good job of providing nerites here on this side of the pond. (Search old threads for more...)


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## aquariam (Feb 11, 2010)

I tried assassin snails in my tang tank. Surprisingly, of all things, the Eretmodus beat the sh*t out of them trying to eat them.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

I'm slowly giving up on the idea as no where over here seem to be selling any nerites only assassin's. Don't want them.


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## BioG (Oct 12, 2008)

My assassins get beat up by my eretmodus too but they stay buried all day anyway so it's never too bad.

Also "Bigcats", I don't know where Colchester is but if you're anywhere near the ocean or, better yet a canal or freshwater drainage into the ocean you should be able to find nerites which will acclimate to freshwater. Again I don't know where you are exactly but I have never been to a beach or canal that didn't have some type of nerite abundantly.

My eretmodus scrub ALL the algae they can which doesn't quite clear the back wall but it does npt allow it to grow as much as if it were just building up. There is not a spot of srubbable algae in any of my tanks with Eretmodus

Lighting could also be the culprit. Maybe try using less light or even lifting or raising the lights up away from the tank, although they'd have to be pretty intense to cause weekly problems in 6 hours a day!


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

Colchester is in England, UK.

I do live near the beach but I can't say I have heard anyone collect nerites from the beach.

I'm just cleaning the front, sides and back of the tank which I don't mind doing.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Note that there are freshwater and marine nerites. The freshwater ones are found in tidal areas (of rainforest streams I believe) but not solely saltwater. Neritina natalensis is the freshwater species. PM me if you want a mail order source in the US.

When I was first searching for them, I found a bunch of suppliers in the UK via google.


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## BioG (Oct 12, 2008)

Not sure which snails "pipipi" (I'm from Hawaii and that's what we call them but I think they're called "Black Nerites" otherwise) are but I brought home a water bottle full of them last time I was there and acclimated them to fresh just fine.

True some died but I have 10 or so left that have been eating algae in my tanks for 3 years now. That's not to say ALL nerites can be acclimated but I'm assuming (I know what assuming does  ) that if you can get to some kind of tidal canal you may find a species of nerite which can be easily acclimated.

The only reason I tried it was because I remember seeing "Pipipi" in the canals when I was a boy, in freshwater canals along with Barracuda if you can believe that.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

As aand when I see them in a LFS then I'll grab some but no where seem to sell them.


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## tony111 (Jan 25, 2009)

I often see nerites for sale in London aquarium shops. Next time you're in town you could try the Aquatic Design Centre on Great Portland Street, they've always got a few varieties of nerites and other snails. Alternatively this looks like an answer! http://www.snailshop.co.uk/

Nerites are very nice looking but a word of warning. They will cover the glass and every surface in your tank in hard white eggs. These eggs won't hatch in fresh water but they will remain for years without dissolving. You can get them off the glass with a credit card but its pretty much impossible to get them off any other surface. I got pissed off and evicted them from my tank a long time ago. Also while they look great I don't think they would make much of a dent in the sort of algae problem you seem to have.

You say you're cleaning this stuff out weekly or even more often? I think something is amiss here. What does this algae look like? Are you sure its algae and not cyanobacteria? Cyanobacteria is a dark blue-green colour and has a sludgy feel and a slight odour when you pull it out. It can be syphoned out but regenerates in a couple of days. It can be tricky to get rid of but if you think that's what you've got I can offer a few pointers.

All best Tony


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

Hi Tony,

I'll check that site out. Don't go to London if I can at all avoid it. Don't get me wrong interesting city but I'm a country bumpkin, like quiteness, lol.

Its not blue in any way, just light green algea. I hear about this blue green algea but never seen it. Certainly no sludgy feel. It is literally a very thin layer that you can run your finger through and it comes off.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

Just checked out that site. There are no snails! And you have to sign in to see other sections of the site.


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## tony111 (Jan 25, 2009)

Ok bumpkin, I'm still wondering if you've got algae or cyanobacteria. When I had an outbreak of this stuff it was a bluey green colour but a little online research suggests it can be other colours too. Some questions to help try and pin this down:

Is this stuff on the glass? On the the substrate? Everywhere?
When you rub it off with your fingers is it removed only at the spot you rub or does it peel off like a film and float about in slimy blobs?
Has algae always been a problem in this tank or did it start suddenly?
Does direct sunlight fall on your tank?
Do you have high nitrate levels?

Tony


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

I know its algea.

There is sunlight on the tank but thats for an hour, two at most. Hard to explain but its not direct. As the tank is in the kitchen the window that faces it has another room outside of the window, its like a sun room. It has an opaque roof.

When I rub it off with my finger it's just where I have rubbed nothing slimy goes floating off in the water and its just on the glass. Some on the wood but I don't mind that. Trophs love it.

I wouldn't say it started suddenly. I'ts been a steady process. I clean the glass, couple days later its not as bad but there.

No no high nitrates.


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## MordSith696 (Jun 9, 2015)

I agree with Tshethar, I have been a customer of theirs for years. It was always a problem. Check the reviews before you buy. Save yourself some serious frustration at best, and worse than that on the flip side.. I had t learn the hard way to research the companies I buy from.. Good luck.


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## Southcoaster (Jul 14, 2003)

I have a BN Pleco in my Tang Tank, I was originally with you as I did not want a non Tang in my aquarium but they are highly efficient algae eaters and I wouldn't be without one now. As already said they hide away during the day and do their work at night. Mine got a hard time when they went in but are then ignored.


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