2007-02-12 02:40:34 · 6 answers · asked by Helen 1 in Pets ➔ Fish
well I have 3 'mystery' snails (yeah, that's comforting... mystery, like they don't even know what it is? lol but mystery snails are apple snails) in my tanks, each in a different tank because right now I'd rather not have snail babies. while you can easily stop them from having babies by scooping the eggs off the rim of the tank when you see them, I don't think I could bring myself to do it.
anyway, some eat plants, some don't. the first female I got, I named her Pete because I didn't know she was a girl lol, will eat every stinking plant I put in that tank. two big bushy plants were gone in 2 days. and Pete is only the size of a golf ball. however, the one in my parent's tank hasn't eaten a single plant. I have found that the more food you provide them with the less likely they'll be to eat your plants. give them a fresh slice of cucumber 3 times a week, and they left my plants alone completely.
if you do get snails I HIGHLY recommend getting liquid calcium for marine tanks and adding that to your water. snails need a lot of calcium and if you don't give them enough their shells disintegrate. ouch.
people seem to be afraid of adding snails, but as long as you pick the right kind (some will breed even if there is only one snail in the tank, not a good ting) and monitor them they're a great addition to any tank. I have one of my tanks in indirect sunlight (a huge cause of algae) and I've never had an algae problem.
2007-02-12 08:29:26 · answer #1 · answered by Kylie Anne 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Apple snails will eat some very soft plants(like Anacharis) but generally will only eat the algae that grows on your plant's leaves. They should be a benefit to your tank and the plants.
2007-02-12 10:51:19 · answer #2 · answered by PeeTee 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are more then 1 type of apple snails. If you have pomacea bridgessii (brigs) then you don't have to worry about them eating your plants. But if you have pomacea canaliculata (canas) then you do have to worry because they do eat plants. They also get 2 completely different sizes, brigs only get to the size of golf balls but canas get like the size of tennis balls. Here is a site all about apple snails, so if you don't know which type you have I'm sure you can find out how to figure that out on this site. http://www.applesnail.net/
2007-02-12 12:08:30 · answer #3 · answered by Nunya Biznis 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
some people say apples don't eat plants, but the ones i have do!!
i've only had spixi apple snails. if you want them to not eat plants get java fern, apparently it's not so tasty to snails! he's put some nice holes in my vallis though. and ignored the algae in the tank too.
2007-02-12 10:44:35 · answer #4 · answered by catx 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They shouldn't. Their job is to clean the tank. They get their food by eating the algae that dirties up your tank.
2007-02-12 10:43:38 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
HAHAHA! You're cute. Really!
2007-02-12 10:42:42 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 5⤋