[Consp]

Hello,

I have a 25g tank with a number of fish and 3 snails.

1 Male Fancy Guppy
1 Black Molly
1 Mickey Mouse Platy
3 Glowlight Tetra
1 Orange Molly
1 Gold Barb
1 Red Tailed Black Variatas
1 Gold Twin-barred Platy
1 Blue Wag Platy

2 Inca Snails
1 Mystery Snail

The snails were doing well for 3 weeks or so and then I noticed them staying in their shells more and more. We were feeding them an Algae tablet 1 time per week.

They eventually died. I noticed the Orange and black molly nipping at them once in a while.

The water is as follows:

76 - 78 degrees
0 Nitrates
0 Nitrites
82 PH
0 ammonia

These readings were from a few weeks ago... getting new readings either tonight or tomorrow. The tank was setup new on July 20, 2013.

I am looking to get either snails or even Red Cherry shrimp to keep the tank clean. Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,

Consp

 

[marshallsea]

How often and how much are your water changes? Do you have a test kit? If so, what kind? Do you have live plants? It's odd to have 0- ammonia,0-nitrites and 0- nitrates in a 1 month old tank. How big are the snails? Don't add any fish,snails or shrimp for at least 4-6 weeks as it's too easy to overload a new tank.

 

[Consp]

Water changes are at 25% once per month. It is a fluval accent tank that when setting up, comes with a bottle of bio enhancer and a bottle of conditioner. During each monthly water change, i change the filter, and add a bottle of each. I have the API Freshwater Master Test Kit. There are no live plants in the tank.

The inca snails were less than an inch and the mystery snail was a little bigger than the incas.

I did another test this morning... Here are the current levels.

Ammonia = .25 ppm
Nitrite = 0 ppm
Nitrate = 5 ppm
PH = 82

Thanks,

Consp
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[marshallsea]

Water changes are at 25% once per month. It is a fluval accent tank that when setting up, comes with a bottle of bio enhancer and a bottle of conditioner. During each monthly water change, i change the filter, and add a bottle of each. I have the API Freshwater Master Test Kit. There are no live plants in the tank.

The inca snails were less than an inch and the mystery snail was a little bigger than the incas.

I did another test this morning... Here are the current levels.

Ammonia = .25 ppm
Nitrite = 0 ppm
Nitrate = 5 ppm
PH = 82

Thanks,

Consp
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According to your testing it looks like your tank water is in good shape, except for the .25 ammonia which may be due to the way the API test shows 0- ammonia. I suggest weekly water changes in a new tank. Also bacteria that grows on the filter is what keeps ammonia at 0 so I suggest using a filter sponge that you can rinse in tank water at water changes to keep the bacteria alive and you can stop paying for filters. Each time you replace the filter you're losing beneficial bacteria and your ability to instantly remove ammonia.
All that being said, sometimes newly bought snails just die. My first 2 snails were Gold Incas and they were dead in 10 days. IMO, if there was a problem in your tank it would show on your fish well before your snails. When you buy your next snails , look for ones that are active. I think because snails can live in bad conditions, growers take advantage and snails at the store may be less than healthy.

P.S. Adding bottles of stuff is adding chemicals. Your tank will be healthier without them. Use the minimum amount of water conditioner only.

 

[moghedan]

Livebearers bother mystery snails til they die.

 

[marshallsea]

Livebearers bother mystery snails til they die.

Good info

 

[Consp]

Thanks for all the info. I suspected the fish livebearers were bothering the snails. Would it be the same experience with red cherry shrimp? Would they get bothered till they die?

Thanks,

Consp
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[moghedan]

They would be eaten.

 

[Consp]

What about japanese algae eaters or anything else that would help keep the tank clean?? Ay suggestions? Thanks again.
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[moghedan]

For Algae
You can try Otocinclus. They are smallish fish that get along fine with your livebearers.

I am told they like groups, but mine have never seemed to even notice the others exist.

When you first buy them, they scarf down algae like they are starving... because they were... they are shipped that way. Once they finish eating all your algae, you have to start feeding them some extra... like zucchinni.

After a few months, you have a tank full of fat Otocinclus that eat zero algae and LOVE zucchini.

Seriously, they are cute little buggers, but they aren't much for working.




For bottom duty,
You can try one of the Cory species... they are about 2" and like big groups.

They are good workers, sucking up everything that gets missed.

But then they just poop it all back out.




;-)





Unfortunately, no, I am afraid Handfish and Hosefish still have to do all the cleaning.

 

[Consp]

Thank you all.
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[candymancan]

Those otocinculus or however you spell them are great fish... I decided to buy 2 of them since my like... 9 nerite snails in my 27G hexagon constantly ignored cleaning the brown algae (diatoms) off my plants.. (They did scrub the walls really good though) and tose oto's really do a good job cleaning my live plants.. even the ones with tiny thin leaves.. I might 1-2 more.. but no more then that... I read Oto's can be picky to take care of.. If there is no more algae to eat the die.. and in my experience snails and other fish never eat algae wafers... They just sit on my tank floor and rot...