Snails, bad as there reputation?

Question

I have Ramshorn Snails and I really want to release them into my Betta tank, but all this negative talk about them is around, so I'm sketchy on doing it.

Are they really as bad as they seem?

Another question of mine is, should I put extra food in there? Lettuce, cucumber?

I have European Ramshorn, these will only get to the size of a pea.

Answer 1

ramshorn snails are actually vegetarians and they are great tank cleaners of algea. most hobbiestss just hate them because they will eat your live plants. they also love squash. here is a very nice ramshorn snail website>>>
http://www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Bug,%20Snails,%20Colombian%20Ramshorns.htm

Answer 2

It depends on how you look at it. Snails do eat junk and help clean the tank, however, you need to keep the tank clean or else they will reproduce like crazy. (the dirtier the tank, the more food; the more food, the more quickly the population will grow) They also won't reproduce if there isn't enough room.
I personally have about 4 or 5 small snails in my 55 gal. aquarium. They aren't really as bad as most people say, but your situation may be different. I don't think I would put more than 1 or 2 snails in a small betta tank.

Answer 3

well i tell you the good side of them they will eat all excess food, clear algae the bad side is they eat live plants and multiply like crazy due they have both male and female genitals and both at once get pregnant but if you dont over feed it they wont multiply that much, i have a mystery snail what you think as a replacement ? grows larger and is more attractive to see. but dont mix bot species otherwise the apple snail will eat the ramshorns.

if you like the ramshorns you can put a few it will never hurt :) good things may come out of them

goodluck

Edit, no extra food. extra food more baby snails :) let them scrap off the algea and excess food that the betta misses, they will be more than fine

Answer 4

Do it, the worst thing that could happen is that you would have hundreds of snails, but that would keep the tank very clean. As long as you do adequate water changes, you will be able to keep the numbers under control, there won't be enough for all the snails to eat, so the weaker ones will die. Natural selection at its finest... thank you Mr. Darwin. It will be fine.

Nosoop4u

Answer 5

Some friends of mine at school actually put a small, brackish water pufferfish in their aquarium to eat the snails. Apparently, they have little teeth that will crack the snail shells.

Answer 6

No, you dont have to put extra food in there, maybe a one or two extra betta pellets they should be find, unless your betta gets hungry and likes the taste of snails.....