# snails



## Cognition (Oct 14, 2009)

Is there a species of snails prolific enough to outbreed mbunas appetite? I personally thank it'd be entertaining to watch the mbuna search through the rocks for em. i plan to redo my rocks to have an insain amount of caves and such. any thoughts?


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

Malaysian Trumpet Snails...

I've had several species of fish over the hears who munched on them thoroughly but have net to find any fish that can eradicate them...

The best way to get them is to buy any plant from Pet Smart (or most other sources) and put it in your tankâ€¦ a few days later you see one or twoâ€¦ next you see this milk white clear gooâ€¦ then you have a gazillion snails.

And wow, I didnâ€™t know gazillion was a real number until spell check corrected a kazillion which apparently isnâ€™t a real numberâ€¦


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Overfeed a little and you will have WAY more snails than the mbuna can eat. This was true for me with pond snails and ramshorn.

The problem is they clog the filter and the python. You can't do a water change any more without stopping several times to remove snail shells from the valves. It got so bad that I used a regular siphon first (no valves) and a bucket to remove the first layer of snail shells, and then was able to use the python on the remainder of my gravel.

They also decimated my plants. I had to tear down and start over using hydrogen peroxide on background and decor. I removed the substrate, let it dry in batches, and sifted out the snails and shells. Now I only see an occasional one which is fine.


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## esparzar1 (Jun 14, 2009)

I agree with Toby. I have Malaysian Trumpet snails and they are awsome!!!!!!! They do a great job of cleaning up poop! :thumb:


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## mithesaint (Oct 31, 2006)

esparzar1 said:


> I agree with Toby. I have Malaysian Trumpet snails and they are awsome!!!!!!! They do a great job of cleaning up poop! :thumb:


Negative. Nothing "cleans up poop". If it doesn't get swept into the filter or siphoned out, it simply breaks down to the point where you can't visually see it anymore. If anything, the MTS only help bury the poop in the substrate which is actually worse for the tank, unless you're trying to grow plants and want lots of mulm.

My africans keep the MTS down no problem. Always find a few in the filter during my water changes, but never see them in the tank. My SA tanks on the other hand... :x Stupid snails.


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## Cognition (Oct 14, 2009)

see i wanted malyasian snails.... but they are illegal in ky as half the ppl around here dump unwated aquatic life in nearby streams and lakes... i know its horrible but they dont. plus i live in a small town and dont feel like ridin an hour to get a plant i dont want for snails that might not be there... so my next question, can anybody mail me some? i'll gladly pay shipping of course.


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## sisonek (Sep 8, 2009)

Are you asking us to send you something that is illegal? :lol:


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## Cognition (Oct 14, 2009)

technacally yes... but... but... ok yes thats exactally what it is. but its not like im askin for a snakehead(altho whould be if i had room) its just a snail, its not like im gonna attack our environment... i just want some malaysian snails, thats all, is that so much to ask?


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## Cognition (Oct 14, 2009)

correction, a couple of snails... enough to start a colony in my 75, but they need to be enough of em to dodge my mbuna


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## Cognition (Oct 14, 2009)

ok... scratch the malayasian snails... will ramshorn snails work for what i want(less for cleaning, more for food)???


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

As long as you never want plants...they eat the plants. When mbuna eat the snails, they leave the shells which are very light weight. They will clog your python endlessly. Maybe try this in your quarantine tank to see if you really like it before you infest your show tank?


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