Top 4 snail species to avoid
- Dec 29, 2024
- Anshika Mishra
- 28 0 0
In this article, we are covering the top 4 snail species that you should avoid introducing in your community aquariums. With thousands of these taking over your tank, it can be scary, and they can burden your biological filtration and clog filters and intake tubes. That's why you should avoid introducing pest snails to your fish tank.
The species in this list will be snails that aquarists try to eliminate. But they also have their positive sides. Instead, you should be careful about adding them to your tank and try out some other snails.
Bladder Snails
these are the first snail species you should avoid adding to your fish tanks. Bladder snails are freshwater snail species that many aquarists have in their tanks. However, these snails aren't usually added to fish tanks by choice. They sneak into the tank, and they can breed fast.
Since they are hermaphroditic, you only need one to start a colony. These snails don't dig; they breathe air from the surface, although they spend most of their time cruising around on surfaces in your tank. They feed on algae, waste, and uneaten food.
But they will feed on damaged or dead plant matter.
Ramshorn Snails
Ramshorn snails often fish their way into aquariums accidentally by on new plants. They are one of the most common snail pests in the aquarium trade.
Ramshorn snails are very peaceful but breed freely, which can be pretty annoying if you never plan on having them in the first place. However, Ramshorn snails snails are hard workers in freshwater aquariums and have excellent multi-colored spiraled shells.
They are not fuzzy about food and are happy to scavenge and feed on uneaten fish food. They'll also eat algae but not feed on live plants. They are known for eating black beard algae.
Assassin Snails
Assassin snails are the cannibals in the snail world. These carnivorous mollusks feed on other snails, so most aquarists keep them to help control the population of pest snails in their tank. For that purpose, they are great.
However, if you like your snails, avoid introducing Assassin to your tank. Although rare, they can even feed on freshwater shrimps in the aquarium. Usually, they'll feed on dead and dying shrimps and fish.
If you don't have another snail, you can keep the species if you provide them with a high-protein sinking food.
Apple Snails
Apple snails have crawled onto this list of things to avoid for two reasons: They are invasive and have a habit of eating live plants. While they can make fascinating pets in tanks without live plants, they should be kept far away from your aquascape.
Apple snails have escaped captivity and become invasive in Asia and the USA. They'll also invade other parts of the world if they can. So please be responsible and never release them into the wild.
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