Snails! Am i still ok?

Question

the other week i brought gravel that has been dug out from a river for my new fishtank which i am preparing for gold fish . i washed and washed it repeatedly to get the soil off. i even rinsed it with very hot water to avoid any bacteria or whatever.but the other day i found a few baby snails attached to the walls of the container.is it still ok to use the gravel with its potential to grow some snails?

Answer 1

You should be fine.

You might have an overpopulation of snails in your tank though.

If you do, you can crush their shells against the glass, and the fish will eat them.


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Answer 2

Well, if the snails managed to survive, probably some bacteria, fungal spores, and other things did too. More than likely, the snails are a type that will take over your tank from fast reproduction. You might want to get them out while you can. If you put in a lettuce leaf at night and weight it down with gravel, the snails will crawl onto it overnight and you can take the leaf and snails out first thing in the morning.

The only thing I can say about the gravel, is that you probably don't know the type of rock it can from, so you don't know how it might affect the water in the tank. If there's a lot of limestone, it can raise the pH of your tank, but some kinds of sandstone will lower it. That may not be good for your fish, even if the rock was perfectly clean. It's always better to go with something you buy for an aquarium, because you'll know it's cleaned and safe for your fish.

Answer 3

I wouldn't use any of it. RIvers are dirty and polluted. Even if you've washed the rocks, there is still a possibility of disease or bacteria. Don't be such a penny pincher and go to the pet store and buy some rocks. A 5 lb. bag of gravel is like $3. A bag of rocks is $2.50. If you can't afford $3 you shouldn't be a pet owner. You didn't buy the snails either, so you don't know if they are sick. If they are, your entire aquarium is doomed. Not only will the diseased snails make your fish sick, but goldfish have a tendency of eating snails, so they will ALL die.

Throw the rocks and snails back in the river, wash your tank COMPLETELY with warm water, and start over.

Answer 4

Sure, I have snails with my goldfish in a 60gallon tank, also using river gravel. at first, I began to worry a bit, but my nitrate levels stayed good, amonia was up a little, but still acceptable. I do a 35% water change every 5-6 days vaccumming the gravel every time, have java fern and some silk plants and bogwood. the snails actually add to the lifescape. so don't worry and enjoy.

Answer 5

Yeah you're fine. Just keep an eye on the snails that they dont start to over run the tank! I had some appear in my tank but they just kept multiplying! I removed the ones I didn't want every month or so but then my efforts were swarted when my loaches developed a taste for snails!

Answer 6

Well, as far as I know, snails can't breathe underwater. So it should be okay to use.
Even if they can breathe underwater, they shouldn't cause any harm to your fish. I've never heard of a snail eating a fish. And with no food, they'll most likely die anyway.

Answer 7

Snails will keep your tank clean...they eat scum. If you think you have an abundance of snails then remove some of the population...maybe your pet store will take them. So far as I know, they are OK. I used to keep mystery snails in my tanks.

Answer 8

i don't think gravel can grow snails, but snails are perfectly ok for a fish tank...i actually think they clean the sides of it

Answer 9

Yes, it is ok to use river gravel for raising snails. They should be fine.

~ZTM

Answer 10

yea, they wont do anything but clean up after the gold fish a little :)