[marshallsea]

I have a 20g with enough plants that I have to trim 1/3 of the plants out of the tank every 3 or 4 weeks. There is also a big population of ramshorn and pond snails, 2 large Black Mystery snails, and 1 lone Betta. My wife loves the snails and insists that they be fed. To maintain the snail population do they need to be fed? If so, what should the snails be fed?

 

[GwenInNM]

I have a 20g with enough plants that I have to trim 1/3 of the plants out of the tank every 3 or 4 weeks. There is also a big population of ramshorn and pond snails, 2 large Black Mystery snails, and 1 lone Betta. My wife loves the snails and insists that they be fed. To maintain the snail population do they need to be fed? If so, what should the snails be fed?

Snails don't need to be fed, but as long as it doesn't effect your water quality (and it probably won't) you could put a slice of cucumber or a sinking algae wafer once a week. The more you feed them, the more you'll have ;-):lol:

 

[djembekah]

I'm with Gwen Snails will find food with the plants and anything the betta forgets.

 

[NewFishFiend]

I have a 10 gallon snail tank where I raise ramshorn and pond snails for my puffer fish. I feed them lettuce and a lil tiny bit of fish food every once in awhile. I had the algae wafers that I tried, but i don't like the way it does in my water.

 

[jaysee]

Under normal circumstances I agree that snails generally don't need to be fed. However, there really ought not be much leftover food in a tank that has one betta in it. I read how most of the betta people feed one pellet at a time, so I fail to see how the larger mystery snails are going to get enough to eat.

I would most certainly feed your snails. I would put a large pellet/wafer in there too big for the betta to eat - the snails will pile on and consume it. Do you need to feed them every day? Probably not, but I do think it would be a good idea to feed them.

Now, since the OP has large populations of pest snails, it's clear that they are getting enough to eat....but I am concerned about the mystery snails getting their share.

 

[GwenInNM]

Under normal circumstances I agree that snails generally don't need to be fed. However, there really ought not be much leftover food in a tank that has one betta in it. I read how most of the betta people feed one pellet at a time, so I fail to see how the larger mystery snails are going to get enough to eat.

I would most certainly feed your snails. I would put a large pellet/wafer in there too big for the betta to eat - the snails will pile on and consume it. Do you need to feed them every day? Probably not, but I do think it would be a good idea to feed them.

Now, since the OP has large populations of pest snails, it's clear that they are getting enough to eat....but I am concerned about the mystery snails getting their share.

You bring up a good point. Many snails do like lettuce, the the other poster mentioned. I'm not sure what mystery snails like. I too had a puffer and raised pest snails, and I had no substrate in their tank, and just sprinkled fish food in the tank every so often.

Gwen

 

[NewFishFiend]

You bring up a good point. Many snails do like lettuce, the the other poster mentioned. I'm not sure what mystery snails like. I too had a puffer and raised pest snails, and I had no substrate in their tank, and just sprinkled fish food in the tank every so often.

Gwen

It's a tough job raising enough snails to feed 2 puffers. I started giving them shellon shrimp once a week too because my snail population was being depleted.

 

[marshallsea]

Under normal circumstances I agree that snails generally don't need to be fed. However, there really ought not be much leftover food in a tank that has one betta in it. I read how most of the betta people feed one pellet at a time, so I fail to see how the larger mystery snails are going to get enough to eat.

I would most certainly feed your snails. I would put a large pellet/wafer in there too big for the betta to eat - the snails will pile on and consume it. Do you need to feed them every day? Probably not, but I do think it would be a good idea to feed them.

Now, since the OP has large populations of pest snails, it's clear that they are getting enough to eat....but I am concerned about the mystery snails getting their share.

I've started feeding the large mystery snails an algae wafer each and they get right on it and eat it in less than 30 mins. I wonder how often I should give them a wafer? I've been feeding the pest snails a sprinkling of powdered flakes every other day. With 0 left over Betta food I knew they were getting minimal food and my wife won't let them go without.

 

[marshallsea]

Snails don't need to be fed, but as long as it doesn't effect your water quality (and it probably won't) you could put a slice of cucumber or a sinking algae wafer once a week. The more you feed them, the more you'll have ;-):lol:

We have started feeding the pest snails crushed flakes and they really come out of the substrate to get it. There's more snails than we thought.

 

[jaysee]

We have started feeding the pest snails crushed flakes and they really come out of the substrate to get it. There's more snails than we thought.

Hmmm, then maybe not worry so much about feeding them I think feeding the mysteries will be sufficient.

 

[GwenInNM]

It's a tough job raising enough snails to feed 2 puffers. I started giving them shellon shrimp once a week too because my snail population was being depleted.

Variety is key. There are so many things to feed puffers. Silversides, clams, raw shrimp, squid (mine didn't like this as much), red wiggler worms (PetCo carries these), and peas aren't a bad idea once in awhile

Snails are important to keep their teeth trimmed.

 

[NewFishFiend]

Variety is key. There are so many things to feed puffers. Silversides, clams, raw shrimp, squid (mine didn't like this as much), red wiggler worms (PetCo carries these), and peas aren't a bad idea once in awhile

Snails are important to keep their teeth trimmed.

yeah with SAPs their diet has to be 90-95% snails. But they get shell-on shrimp and whatever other mollusk I find in the grocery store that's cheap lol. They are small lil guys so I have to be careful with what they get.