Simply put, aquarium snails can eat algae growths off of live corals without damaging the coral itself. Whether your tank is 4 months old or 4 years old, one of the best suggestions we can make is to not go crazy on the numbers of each species of snail you put in. You need enough snails to start servicing your reef tank or saltwater aquarium to keep algaes and detritus blooms under control, but not so many snails that there won't be enough food and often starve to death.
Since you never really know how much food does each snail need to thrive in your aquarium we always suggest supplementing their diet. Saltwater snails will feed on tiny pieces of meaty foods such as brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, fish, scallop, and there are many available foods that contain what's necessary. Since your snails feed off of the surfaces of the tank such as the substrate, rock, etc. Another suggestion we like and use is the dried algae sheets such as sold by To Little Fishes under the name "Sea Veggies" Or go to your local Chinese grocery-store and purchase a package of Nori sheets in packages.
Just because there's algae growing in your aquarium, its natural and part of the normal mini ocean you have created. But just like any ocean as long as its not polluted and your water parameter's are like it should be the algae shouldn't be taking over but still needs to be kept under control.
So there's the answer to one of the most frequent questions asked. Do I still need snails and critters if my algae is under control? Yes you do because it won't stay under control without their help. Keeping the algae under control means that algae will grow and algae will become food. Your aquarium will never be clear of algae and it would not be a healthy tank if it were, instead it's in a good balance.
Your algae helpers are being fed and are keeping your system in a good balance. Orange Spot Butterscotch Nassarius Snail Description: These are one of the most beautiful of all the saltwater snails. A member of the Nassarius falmily, the Orange Spotted Butterscotch Nassarius Snail will bury themselves in the sand with only their siphon out. They have quite well developed olfactory sense. As soon as they can smell food, they will rush towards it in groups. An aquarium with a thick layer of sand is recommended.
Owing to their scavenging nature, the Orange Spotted Butterscotch Nassarius Snail will eat perishable organic matter, detritus, any uneaten food in your marine aquarium thereby preventing your tank water from being contaminated.
The Orange Spotted Butterscotch species will sift through the sand in the search of food, thereby aerating the substrate. The ploughing of sand in your marine aquarium also helps curb the growth of Red Slime Algae, called Cyanobacteria, on the sand.
Tank Recomendations: The Orange Spot Butterscotch Nassarius Snails are moderately easy to keep as long as they have a live sand bed to live in.
Refrain from using copper based medications and keep an eye on the levels of soluble waste since all saltwater snails are sensitive to nitrates. Can they Right Themselves if they Get Upside-down? These snails prefer deep sand-beds in the aquarium. They do not like rocky substrate.
Conch snails are very difficult to breed within an aquarium. Nassarius Snail Nassarius sp. Pros Nassarius snails are amazing sand sifters. They are able to clean and keep the sand well aerated by burying themselves in it. They will consume any organic waste leftover. Nassarius snails are very resilient and can tolerate a wide range of water parameters. They can be quite the showman by sticking their tube-like siphon out of the sand like a periscope.
Nassarius snails will also help to aerate the sandy substrate in your aquarium as they sift through the substrate while searching for food. Their small size lets them penetrate even the narrowest crevice to clean it out.
Cons There are also reports of attacking other snails. They are carnivores opportunistic eaters of the dead organic matter who do not eat any type of algae. Their large appetite might need to be supplemented depending on how clean your tank is.
Nassarius snails prefer a well-established aquarium with deep sands. They are very difficult to breed within an aquarium. Bumble Bee Snail Engina mendicaria Bumble Bee snails are distinctive in appearance and thus easy to recognize. They have beautiful black and yellow stripes enveloping their pointed shells. These snails will aerate the sand by burying themselves in it. They keep your sand clean of detritus and other organisms.
Cons Bumble Bee snails can be also aggressive towards other species of snails of their size or smaller. They are carnivorous and therefore serve little purpose in cleaning out any excess algae.
They thrive best in well-established tanks. Their attractive shells are subject to algae contamination. When hungry they will feed on reef polychaetes including Bristle worms and other microfauna that can be beneficial to a marine aquarium and your corals.
Additional feeding may be required to keep them from consuming other organisms in the tank. Bumble Bee snails do not move a lot. Despite their beautiful coloration, they are pretty boring to watch. It is almost impossible to breed them if you are planting to do that. Trochus Snail Trochus spp. Pros They have a large appetite for various types of algae.
Trochus snails are very friendly and will not bother any other aquarium. Their average size makes them reef safe because they usually do not knock over rocks and corals. They are fully able to flip themselves over and back if they happen to fall off from somewhere. They tend to be quite durable with comparatively longer lifespans. Trochus snails are hardy creatures and can withstand higher temperatures in saltwater tanks.
Trochus species are peaceful and reef safe. These snails can shake their shells to defend themselves from hermit crabs. Cons They may knock over smaller rocks and corals. Trochus snails are not able to burrow. Their large appetite could leave your tank depleted of algae and they can starve. Turbo Snail Turbo fluctuosus Pros They have a varied appetite for most forms of algae, cyanobacteria, diatoms, and detritus.
They will clean off your algae very quickly and efficiently. Turbo snails do not eat or munch on corals. Cons They may cause damage to corals and rocks due to their strength and larger size. Their numbers should be kept low to avoid them consuming all the available algae. They are more suited for larger tanks, which provide an extensive area for them to feed on.
Turbo snails do not tolerate well high temperatures in the saltwater tanks. Some snails can have problems to right themselves. Dead turbo snails should be cleaned out immediately to avoid polluting your tank.
Cerith Snails Cerithium sp. Cerith Snail Cerithium sp. Pros Being omnivorous, Cerith snails will eat anything from algae and cyanobacteria to organic waste and keep your tank sparkling clean of any unwanted detritus.
They also have the ability to bury themselves in the sand and help sift it. If they happen to flip on their shell, they will be able to turn themselves back on their own. Cerith snails have a protected underpart operculum or trapdoor , which gives them some defense against crabs and fish. These snails are peaceful and absolutely reef safe.
In addition, the female must be able to leave the water to deposit her eggs, which appear as a honeycomb-like cluster on the tank wall above the water line or attached to the underside of the lid. Babies hatch out in 2 to 3 weeks, depending on temperature, and drop into the water. Nerites Neritina spp. They come in different colors and patterns, including one with horns! They are among the most beautiful of all aquarium snails.
They are relatively small, they don't eat plants and their waste contains bacteria that is beneficial to the digestive tracts of shrimp, making them perfect for planted aquariums and shrimp tanks. Nerite snails are not difficult to breed, but the larvae require brackish or saltwater to develop, so there is little risk of them overrunning an aquarium. They are thought to live at least 3 years, but there are reports of 5 years from hobbyists.
They love to crawl out of the water, so make sure you have a secure lid on your tank! A relatively recent addition to the hobby, Rabbit snails Tylomelania spp. Native to Sulawesi, Indonesia, some species can grow up to 4 inches in length, and they are thought to live up to 3 years. Some aquarists mix crushed coral into the gravel or place coral in their filters to achieve the correct water chemistry. Rabbit snails feed on soft algae, dead plant matter and other detritus, but they will also eat sinking pellets, algae wafers and other fish foods that fall to the bottom.
They do not bother plants, however, there are anecdotal reports of them nibbling on Java Fern. Rabbit snails are gonochoristic and give birth to live, fully developed young, that are enclosed in a milky white egg pod. Babies are usually born one at a time, although occasionally two or even three are encased. Egg pods are produced once every 4 to 6 weeks, so their reproductive rate is very slow, even if you have several of them. Assassin snails Clea helena are native to southeast Asia.
They have become popular in the. They grow to about 1 inch in length and have alternating yellow and dark brown "bumble bee" stripes. They like to burrow in the substrate but quickly come out for food.
Unlike most aquarium snails, which are largely herbivorous or at least omnivorous, Assassin snails are carnivores, feeding largely on other snails or carrion. However, they will not eat their own kind even when other food is in short supply. A few shrimp breeders have reported seeing Assassin snails eating their valuable shrimp, but experts believe that this happens very rarely, and the victims are most likely weak or sickly. Assassin snails are known to breed in captivity.
They are gonochoristic, so if you want to breed them, you should start with at least 5 or 6 to make sure you have males and females.
Reproduction is slow because females only lay 1 to 4 eggs at a time. Eggs are transparent and difficult to see, hatching out in 8 to 9 weeks, depending on temperature. Ramshorn snails have been in the aquarium hobby longer than almost any other type of snail.
Some aquarists use them to help keep fry-rearing or shrimp tanks clean, while others consider them a pest that should be eliminated at any cost. They are great at eating soft algae, dead plant matter and leftover food, but they can multiply quickly, especially in aquariums that have a lot of organic debris.
They are also known to eat soft-leafed plants when food is scarce. The two most common species in the aquarium trade are , the Red Ramshorn and Planorbarius corneus , a larger species known as the Great Ramshorn. Red Ramshorns are red, as their name suggests, while Great Ramshorns are typically olive-yellow to brown, with stripes on the shell.
Other variants, such as pink, yellow or blue are also available. Turbo Snails may also require calcium in order to continue to expand and make up their defensive shell. It is advised that the snail be acclimatized using the drip approach as it could be susceptible to changes in water parameters.
Nerite Snails Nerita sp. Nerite Snails will even scavenge on diatoms and cyanobacteria, so they're a great all-rounder. They're also one of the hardest snails around, making them a common aquarium snail. Nerita comes from Caribbean waters, with striking shells, making them a lovely and versatile addition to your aquarium. Nerite Snails can be described as being docile, peaceful and quiet in nature, and able to walk comfortably around the tank.
If you've just started keeping saltwater aquariums, Nassarius Vibex Snails Nassarius vibex are a perfect addition to your first aquarium. Next, it's because they're not that large, so you don't need a huge rig to hold them content. They grow to about half an inch in height, with a shell about the size of an olive pit.
They can be kept comfortable in smaller aquariums because of this. The Nassarius Vibex Snail is a scavenger type snail and will consume all the dead fish that might exist in your tank.
This is a brilliant snail to keep the saltwater tank free of debris. As they reduce the volume of waste in your tank, the nitrate levels would be easier to manage. They're never eating something that's alive, so that means you're not going to worry about them unexpectedly chomping down on your precious fish! The Bumble Bee Snail is another great snail choice Engina sp. Heralded for their compact size and lovely coloring, Engina sp. You may get into small crevices and tight spots between rockwork.
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