my algae eater ate my snails?

Question

i saw the algae eater went on top of the snails but i didn't think it would eat the snail. i thought algae eater only eats algaes

i have plecos

Answer 1

You don't specify the type of algae eater you have, but they will eat things other than algae. If what you have is a plecostomous (pleco), most eat crustaceans (shrimp and small crabs) as part of their normal diet. These can reach 18" if what you have is a common pleco, although there are varieties that only grow to around 5". If you only expect them to eat algae in the tank, they probably won't do well for you - they will eat some of the algae, but should have algae wafers, shrimp pellets, and other fresh veggies (cucumber, zucchini, dark leaf lettuce) to supplement their diet. Most also like driftwood in the tank so they can scrape the surface of the wood.

If it's a Chinese algae eater, these only eat algae as juveniles, then begin to eat the slime coat of their tankmates as they mature. These will get to around 10" and become territorial and aggressive as adults. These shouldn't be kept in community tanks.

Answer 2

The Chinese Algae Eater will eat snails. They aren't a true algae eater, they only eat algae as juveniles. Adults are aggressive and carnivorous.

What kind of algae eater do you have?

Answer 3

Get a Nerite snail. It won't be able to breed in clean water, so which you do not could worry a pair of inhabitants explosion of snails. One could do a dandy pastime in a 10 gallon tank. BTW, a 10 gallon is quite too small for 4 Platies, a 20 gallon long could be lots better for them. I quite have an all-male college of Platies in a fifty 5 gallon. After staring at how they swim all over the tank, i does not dream of protecting them cooped up in something smaller!

Answer 4

maybe the snail had algae on its shell?but that's really weird that dosent usually happen