FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Diane, I actually like my MTS and they do keep even the gravel looser. I had one tank that didn't ever have snails (why I don't know) but the gravel did become packed...and they do help some with the waste (ie, leftover food and algae)...

If you want some let me know, I'll pull some from my 29 gallon tank, and send them to you...Heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

miracle grow

I have heard others say that they balance out proportionately to the food available. It makes sense.

I just keep thinking that it would be great to have something to stir my Eco-Complete, which is likely to be my substrate of choice. I plan on having microsword in there, pretty much covering most of it, but I plan on leaving some bare spots. I thought the burrowing of these things would do well to help oxygenate that soil in places that may be hard to get.

If I got that 100g long tank I'm hoping for, I should consider yoyo's in the mix, either way.

Last edited by Cory_Di at 04-Feb-2005 11:06

malaysian trumpet snails are controlable. they may explode in numbers at first but eventually they even out with the algae and left over food. the more you over feed or the more left over food you have the more there are. it also helps to have a snail eater in the tank.

few months back i placed MTS into my 3 tanks. 75g - 29g -10g.

10g has nothing in it that will eat snails and there was alot of algae in it. the algae is gone but the snail numbers skyrocketed. well now adays things have balanced out its really not all that bad.

29g has yellow labs in it and they have figured out how to out smart the snails. few snails left between the rock work or hideing somehwre. only time i see them is late at night.

75g had a massive explosion. so much i had pictures posted on the site about these things. my black moon sand would turn into white shells around 11pm at night.i had lots of algae and had to over feed so the cories and pleco would get food.i dropped in 3 yoyo loaches and the population has dropped down to mainly smaller snails. there are still hundreads of them but i hardly ever see them in comparison to before. ill see maybe 20-30 at a time but the yoyos constently hunt for them.

anyway it really depends on situations and whats in the tank. if you have onyx or black/dark colored sand/gravel i wouldnt do it. just because of the fact your gona see them. if you have fish that will eat them and its a heavily planted tank...i would get them. just because they are very benificial to the algae control and not to mention a few hundread snails poop plant food constently. its like living miracle grow.

Personally, although I used to hate snails in the past, I've found that they serve a purpose in the tank, and do not become a problem unless overfed. In fact, I keep my 20 gallon and 10 gallon cycled with snails. And, I'm terribly bothered by the fact that I can't keep snails in my 55 gallon because my loaches hunt them down (yes, even the Malaysian Trumpet Snails; in fact, it appears they like to eat them the best).

Nerite snails, in addition, are said to be great cleaners of green spot algaes and Anubias' leaves. I haven't got any right now, but plan to get them. If only my loaches wouldn't eat them!!!!

Do the roots keep the gravel from compacting and creating hydrogen sulfide or anaerobic bacteria?

My thought is that I would like a heavily planted tank some day and know that some areas just won't be able to be gravel vac'd to the glass. This is undesireable as it robs the roots, but it also may not be practical given the density in which I wish to plant. So how is the soil aerated? Even in land gardening we aerate the soil by teasing it with a rake and the plants do best.

Depends on the type of substrate you are using. If it's sand, there may be some benefits. The timy grains of sand tend to compact making it difficult for the roots to spread and extract nutrients.

For other substrates I would say no. Can't think of any benefits of stirring up the substrate. Personally I think it's better to leave it be. All the gunk and mulm that slips between the substrate, while it maybe unsightly, is going to loved by your plants. It's a source of nutrients and carbon.

Personally I wouldn't bother with the snails, messy little buggers.

---

Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.