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i have 50-60 african cichlid fry at aptox 1 cm

i also have heaps of alge

which snail wold be suitalbe for this setup?

If all you want is a very effective algae eater look into shrimp or algae eating fish that your fry won't bother not snails. Snails are more scavengers that would prefer to eat fish food or fresh plants over algae. They will eat some algae but most species starve on algae alone. The small applesnails you buy at stores are actually carnivorous but Marisa applesnails might work. They aren't like most applesnails and have a flattened spiral shell. Marisas are also called the giant or columbian ramshorn, are one of the more herbivorous snails, and lay their eggs underwater. They would still prefer a leaf of lettuce or kale, a chunk of cucumber, or other veggie once a week but will eat some algae. Applesnails are also useful in fry tanks because they eat leftover food that would spoil the water and produce alot of infusoria for small fry to feed on. Remember all snails will eat fish eggs and many species including the marisa applesnail can multiply out of control if fed alot.

Last edited by sham at 18-Oct-2005 16:45

I think that Apple Snails will do the job for you, but if there's alot of Algae, i don't think that they'll eat it all. Algae eating fish will do a great job, but the fry will be at risk.


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