The Benefits of Aquatic Snails & Caring For Them in Aquariums

While aquariums are generally known as homes for fish there are other creatures suitable to live along side them. Aquatic snails are sometimes kept for their ability to clean the tank and also just as a pet. There are a number of different varieties kept which have differing properties for fish enthusiasts to consider. All varieties are relatively simple to care for in a community tank.

A snail will generally cause no disturbance to fish species. They will eat any fish eggs they find but this is the only physical threat they pose. Disease and parasites can potentially be spread which is why it is best to source them from other aquariums rather than in the wild.

Snails can themselves be predated upon by fish however. While most fish will not bother them some larger species may try and eat them. Clown and skunk loaches are examples of such fish. Some cichlids will also pick at the odd snail when hungry.

The ability of these creatures to clean is well known by experienced fish keepers. Both algae and stray food will be consumed by aquatic snails as they would in a natural pond. These feeding habitats can save time on maintenance by relieving you of these chores.

There are quite a few varieties available for consideration. The large yellow snails often seen in pet stores are golden mystery snails. They will eat both algae and food scraps making them useful all round. Malaysian trumpet snails are also omnivorous but can be especially useful for attacking filamentous hair algae. For marine tanks there are the cerith and vibex species. Many marine tanks use a combination of both as a snail cleaner crew.

Of course some aquarium snails are kept for their value as a pet. Many are decorative and pleasing to observe. Spixi snails are an interesting species with a spiral of color twining around the shell. Red ramshorn snails are also eye catching with their bright crimson bodies.

With a shell made of calcium snails can be affected by acidic water. It can literally etch away at the shell resulting in a hole. For this reason the aquarium water should be kept above neutral and perhaps hardened using calcium carbonate.

Supplemental feeding in addition to the food found in the tank may not be required. It can in fact be a symptom of overfeeding if the snail numbers multiply to plague proportions.

Andrew Fuller spends much of his free time writing about aquarium related topics on a range of websites. He believes in free information for fish keepers who want to learn about their pass time. You may find aquarium snails to be a useful resource from aquarium fish shop.