Aquarium snails are often cited as a nuisance that can take over the tank seemingly overnight, covering live plants and clogging the intake valves of aquarium filters. Besides, aquarium snails are actually a benefit in some situations. Certain species of snails can act as scavengers in the tank, cleaning up excess detritus that might have a negative effect on the water quality in your tank. The key to preventing a problem with aquarium snails is to educate yourselves in regards to what species are good for the freshwater aquarium and which species are best to avoid.
Role of snails in the aquarium:
Most snails are scavengers and they feed on the detritus in the aquarium. Snails typically feed on decaying plant matter as well as algae, dead fish and uneaten fish food that accumulates along the bottom of the tank. Certain species of snail are carnivorous feeding on tiny aquatic animals such as gastropods. Snails that act as scavengers serve the benefit of helping to maintain high water quality in you tank by removing organic debris and other detritus from the tank, snails help to prevent the accumulation of harmful toxins like ammonia and nitrites.
Snails can also be a nuisance at times. Snails can be harm for the live plants in the aquarium. Some snails feed on healthy plants but most feed only on decaying plant matter. Another thing to keep in mind is that snails are likely to feed on fish eggs so it is not advised to introduce snails to a breeding tank. Snails also have the potential to cause the aesthetic problem. Certain species of snails reproduce quickly, covering tank walls and objects in a way that detracts from the appearance of the tank.
Good snails to keep:
One of the most common snail species kept in the freshwater aquarium hobby is the apple snail. These snails come in a variety of colors including blue, gold and zebra. The apple snail can breed prolifically if overfed so they are only recommended for large tanks and tanks that are not planted. Another good snail for the aquarium is the trumpet snail. Trumpet snails are available in a variety of patterns and colors and they are generally very attractive. This species does not tend to feed on plants but it will feed on detritus. Trumpet snails tend to burrow through the substrate, feeding on accumulated debris below the surface of the substrate. These snails tend to be active only at night and they do not generally disturb other tank inhabitants.
Nerite snails like the zebra nerite snails are very popular in the freshwater aquarium hobby. They are highly appreciated by aquarium hobbyists because they are both attractive and beneficial in the freshwater tank. Nerite snails range in size from ½ inch to a full inch and they are available in a variety of colors. They breed quickly but some species, like zebra nerite snail breed only in brackish conditions. The main benefit of these snails is their penchant for eating algae. They clean algae growth off the tank walls and even plant leaves. They tend to escape from tanks as they are able to live out of water as well.
Snails to avoid:
One of the most commonly cited pest snail is the pond snail. These snails can be great scavengers in the freshwater aquarium but unfortunately many aquarium hobbyists make the mistake of overfeeding them and thus they result in uninhibited reproduction. Pond snails typically remain small, grow up to ¼ inch in size which enables them to hide in gravel and in the cervices of aquarium decorations. The ramshorn snail is another species which has earned a bad name. It is named for the hornlike shape of its shell which comes in a variety of colors including red, pink, blue and brown. They also reproduce quickly on overfeeding, laying clutches of eggs in a layer of hard mucus on any available surface in the aquarium.
If you are looking for a simple way to control aquarium algae, introducing a freshwater snail might be a good solution.
