How many snails for 110g?

**mrgoodkat** · 08-21-2012, 02:46 AM

Hi,

I'm planning on getting some snails for my 110g tank to keep the sand clean from algae and leftover food. Any ideas on how many snails I should get?

Which snails will do the job best?

MTS - virtually impossible to get here
Ramshorn
Apple snail
Mystery Snail
Nerite Snails

Others?

Thanks

**ekfishlover2011** · 08-25-2012, 09:07 PM

Apple snail = mystery snail

Ramshorn are good, but they breed a lot. Apples are great, but they die IME alot. Nerites are wonderful, and can not breed in freshwater. They come in the tiger, zebra, and olive, where i am, and ive seen baseball caps online. MTS are much better suited for keeping gravel and sand aerated than for algae.

I vote nerites. Best all around!

**~firefly~** · 08-25-2012, 09:46 PM

Mystery Snail is just a stupid name the pet shop gives them when they have no idea what they are...they're not a species.

I have assassin snails which burrow and feed on scraps. The advantage is they kill and eat pest pond snails that might enter your tank as hitch-hikers. I really like them as they don't touch my plants and look really attractive.

**Aeonflame** · 08-25-2012, 09:50 PM

Actually thats how they originally got the name. mystery snails are just apple snails.

**Lady Hobbs** · 08-25-2012, 09:51 PM

Only thing I think assassins eat is other snails.

Introducing snails to a tank is a bigger problem than never having them.

**Brhino** · 08-25-2012, 09:58 PM

assassins will eat leftover food but not algae. Nerites and apple snails eat algae. From my personal experience nerites seem to do a better job. But... no snail "cleans" the aquarium. They just convert whatever they eat to snail poop. My 5.5g tank with a betta and two nerites is algae free but I have to do a complete gravel vacuum every time I change the water because the substrate is COVERED in snail poop.

**~firefly~** · 08-25-2012, 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by Lady Hobbs

Only thing I think assassins eat is other snails.

Introducing snails to a tank is a bigger problem than never having them.

Mine push my cories off the sinking wafers! They hoover up any leftovers if there are no pest snails to eat.

Agreed, they won't touch algae though.

**Tolite** · 08-28-2012, 12:16 AM

I breed apples they dont die. I have some of my brown apples for well over a year now they will eat anything babies seem to eat algae up to a certain size but after that they want your plants and fish food and fresh veggies

Also will breed like no ones business if over fed in a warm tank