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I have a low-light 55g tank (60W of fluorescents), so I've never had many plants -- really just Egeria and Java moss, and one sword that was a freebie (accidentally included in a wad of Java moss!).

Since my tank gets 1-2 hours of direct sunlight, I have a mild algae problem. I added 2 mystery snails, which helped somewhat. But within a week, all my Java moss was gone! They constantly "uproot" my Egeria, and I'm now noticing that I have fewer stalks than I used to.

Are these snails (suppose to not be plant eaters) eating my plants? Since they aren't really doing their job as algae eaters (and I've subsequently added 2 plecos, which are FABULOUS!), I think their days are numbered! I'd really like to have some easy-care, low-light plants as part of my aquarium.

I do notice my Bala shark gently nuzzling the leaves as well, but I've never seen it actually EAT a plant.

Many thanks!


Oops -- should have included my tank's contents!
7 zebra danios; 7 neon tetras; 1 bala shark; 1 black neon tetra; 4 bronze corys; 2 blue gouramis; 2 common plecos; 3 glassfish; 3 hatchet fish


Last edited by Wizard at 05-May-2005 13:50

The mystery snails could be the culprits. Many species of snails are plant-safe but many aren't, and they're often mislabelled.
The plecos are very likely to be taking a bit of a munch - commons can be plant safe but aren't always, especially if you're not supplementing their diet with some good roughage (I recommend canned spinach).
The Bala is a possibility.

Your other fish are very unlikely to be involved

Last edited by LittleMousling at 05-May-2005 13:52

-Molly
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Myster snails (if they are Pomacea bridgesii) should not eat plants and will only do so if they are hungry. They aren't big algae eaters either. If you want to keep them but don't want them to eat the plants, just feed them with something that they actually prefer to plants and they will stop eating the plants. Probably. They love algae wafers and vegetables -- preferably cooked -- and also spinach leaves. Once they're not hungry they will only eat dead plant matter, which is good.

On the other hand, they are big poop machines and as such a bit of a headache, if you ask me.

If you have bridgessi applesnails(the small ones that only get around 2" ) then they won't eat plants unless starving. They also won't eat algea unless starving. They prefer meaty foods such as shrimp pellets, fish flakes, and the occasional algae wafer or spirulina pellet mostly because they are easy to eat. They will clean up dead or dying plant parts such as old leaves or broken stems but won't touch healthy plants.
Now if you have the big applesnails usually sold as gold mystery snails then you have problems. These snails are usually Canas and will munch their way through the heaviest planted tank as well as getting around the size of a baseball. They also aren't great algae eaters preferring any plant matter they can get.

Last edited by sham at 05-May-2005 14:13

Thanks for the replies!

I agree -- I think my snails are to blame. I should have mentioned that I do feed algae wafers (for the plecos and snails), and occasionally toss in a veggie (but probably not as often as I should).