The primary reason aquarium enthusiasts choose the Nerite snail is their love of algae. Couple this with green algae and film algae, and you will find it surprising, they can achieve this in two days. Although many other snails can help with this, there is no other that can eliminate it. It is even more surprising; they can remove algae that are suffocating plant leaves. This allows your aquarium plants to photosynthesize as they are supposed to. If you get the number right, there is a good chance you can say goodbye to scrubbing the algae from the inside of your aquarium.
Ideal conditions for these are temperatures in the range of degrees fahrenheit with a pH of 6. Although you can use 1 snail per gallon, this is just as an example of how they cope with algae. One snail per every 2 gallons is the ideal ratio. You can find Nerites in a plethora of patterns. The second-best option for a snail to any aquarium is the Mystery Snail. If you opt for this kind, you are better choosing one from a reputable snail dealer rather than a pet store.
Another good thing with these snails is they are not asexual. Because of this, you do need male and female. Additionally, these snails lay their eggs above the waterline. Like the Nerite snail, the Mystery snail loves algae, although it may not eat as much, or as fast. However, you can see their progress via the tracks they leave in the algae that form on the tank glass. In the beginning, these snails may face the goldfish trying to eat them, yet all they do is tuck themselves into their shell and sit it out.
Fish quickly give up because of the shell size, and there is no way to fit it into their mouths. Mystery snails also come in a wide range of patterns and colors. If you do not wish to add to your snail family, you can scoop out the eggs to keep them from hatching, and overpopulate your aquarium. Thankfully, one of the easiest ways to tell them apart is by their shells. While there are other differences, the Japanese have a spiral shell that can be brown, green, golden, or white.
Chinese Mystery, however, has dark brown shells. Both of the Trapdoors are docile and good-natured tank mates that are kept with many other freshwater inhabitants. Trapdoors are also larger snails ranging from one to three inches. They are hardy and can live to be four to five years old. Trapdoors will reproduce in freshwater if there is a male and female present.
You will have to be careful of overpopulation with this breed, as the eggs are not as easy to remove as the Mystery snails above. The best way to keep your snail population inline is by only having one. The good part is they have large appetites, so one Trapdoor will easily be able to take care of all the algae in your tank. Rabbit snails, otherwise known as Tylomelania, is another great goldfish friend.
While there are many different types of Rabbit snails, they all have the customary conical shell that is twisted on the end. Many of them also have vibrant colored bodies with similar colored shells that allow them to stand out in your aquarium.
They are the biggest of our four gastropods growing up to four inches in diameter. Like other snails in this category, they are non-aggressive and can be kept with other non-aggressive species. They are also not prone to eating live plants. In fact, they often like to drudge through substrate making it a great place for live tanks as the substrate is being aerated.
Keep in mind, however, they will eat Java Fern. Rabbit snails will reproduce in your tank if allowed. That being said, they only lay an egg once every four to six weeks, so keeping the population under control is not as difficult. If you want to steer clear over reproduction, we recommend sticking with only one, however. As they are a bigger breed, they will not have an issue keeping your aquarium tidy. To make life easier, we wanted to share a snail chart you can glance at. Plus, we added a few more details that are important to know!
Luckily, caring for freshwater snails is not difficult. For the most part, they are a hardy species, and will mostly take care of themselves. That being said, there are some you should be aware of to keep them happy and healthy. These are the most basic requirements for your algae eating snails, but as mentioned, different species can have different needs, so be sure to read any materials that are given.
This is especially important for acclimating your new snails to their new home. Keep in mind, some varieties can live upwards of five years, so fluctuations in water temperatures, changes in water quality or pH balance, and new items added to your aquarium can have ill effects. Also, one of the biggest contributors to snail disease is an overcrowded environment, so take care to keep the population to a healthy level.
Take a look at these signs of trouble. If you notice any signs of stress when you have more than one snail, it is best to separate them from the rest. You can also increase their food. Keep in mind, some of these signs of distress come with older age, and simply means they are nearing the end of their life. On a final note, we wanted to touch base on snail home delivery.
As the mail service takes longer now than it once did, you want to be cognizant of a few factors before placing your order. First, be aware of the weather in your area.
Most snails can only survive in specific water temperatures, so freezing conditions can often put them at risk. Make sure you will be home and available to accept the package, so you can start to acclimate your new goldfish friends right away.
We hope you have enjoyed our reviews on the best snails to keep with goldfish. If you are new to the world of algae-eating Gastropods, choosing the right species can be tough. Not only are they beautiful to look at, but they are docile plant lovers, and great cleaners. If you want to start with something more affordable, we recommend you try the Toledo Goldfish Live Trapdoor Snails. This hardy variety will leave your live plants alone while taking care of the rest of the debris in your tank!
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This can spark a mutual relationship between the two and add character and personality into your tank. Since goldfish are poor tank mates for other fish, a mystery snail will be right for them. We hope this article has helped inform you on the best way to get your goldfish and mystery snails to co-habit peacefully.
She has a strong love for all animals of all shapes and sizes and particularly loves a good interspecies friendship and wants to share her animal knowledge and other experts' knowledge with pet lovers across the globe.
Skip to content. Nicole Cosgrove. Jul 14 Choose a large rectangular tank with a hood or canopy. Some ideal size guidelines are 20 gallons for every four goldfish and mystery snails and an additional 5 gallons for every goldfish or mystery snail you add. This will not only save you money in the long run by not having to upgrade, but it will also help keep the water parameters under control.
Bowls, bio-orbs, and vases and not ideal housing for these creatures and will only cause stress from the lack of space and unstable water conditions.
Place a good quality filter and aeration system inside of the tank. This will help aid the water conditions and keep the amount of waste and debris under control. Set up a pre-set heater. The majority of the species prefers lentic water and only a few species, such as the spike top apple snail, have adapted to conditions provided in captivity.
Though apple snails are commonly recommended as the perfect tankmate for a goldfish, the website Aqua Puppies warns that a goldfish can mistake an apple snail for food. In general, however, the apple snail, with his hard, occasionally spiky shell, is much too difficult for a goldfish to digest. Your goldfish will most likely only harass an apple snail, if he has not been raised with him in the tank.
So from this perspective, it is best to introduce an apple snail to the tank when your goldfish is still very young. With the ability to adapt to a new environment, apple snails can be kept with most fish.
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