# Snails



## SchefflerC (Jan 17, 2017)

Today I went to the pet store in my local area ( a private reputable pet store not a national chain) and told them I have a male betta and that he is in a 2.5 gallon aquarium (not a bowl) and that I was wondering if there was anything that could live in this tank with him as a community. They suggested snails. I got a zebra nerite and another snail that they weren't sure of the type (white shell same size as nerite) but they thought was maybe a mystery snail. ANYWAY, when I brought my snails home and set them in my tank, my betta didn't notice or care for them really, but I think it was around the time that I put the algae wafers in the tank near the snails that my betta took interest in the snails. He took one of the wafers right as I put it into the water and swam around with it in his mouth and then spit it out after a while, then he would constantly swim right up next to the snails and just lay beside or on top of them. I haven't seen him flare or nip at them yet though however my snails have not moved or come out of their shells at all since they have been placed in the tank. I left the room for less than an hour and came back to my betta bloated and the wafer gone. He must've ate it so I know from now on I need to feed the snails separately. But my question is... is the behavior for the snails and betta fish normal? Are the snails safe in the tank or will my betta attack them? Any advice would be greatly appreciated :grin2:


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## fernielou (May 19, 2015)

They won't have problems with the betta really but 2.5 is pretty small for all that. The mystery snail can get golf ball size and they can poop a pretty impressive amount 


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## sabrinah (Jan 2, 2015)

Nerites will starve to death without enough algae. They rarely ever eat algae wafers (crawling over a wafer does not mean it's eating) and must be given a good supply of real algae. If you don't have a fair amount of algae in your tank you can put a couple rocks in a bowl of water by a window and let algae grow on them. Then just place the rocks in the tank and replace them as the nerite eats the algae.


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## DianeA7X (Feb 13, 2014)

The rock in a bowl near window for algae is a good idea. Gonna do that myself. BUT I do live on a 3rd floor apartment and do have a porch like most apartments do. Do you think putting it outside is fine even though the weather is cold?


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## sabrinah (Jan 2, 2015)

You could, the only concern would be contaminating the water so it would be best to cover the container


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## CollegeBettas (Feb 23, 2016)

I have tried it before outside with plastic wrap covering it so it wouldn't get contaminated and no algae ever grew. I feed cucumber slices every week as well as leave my lights on for longer than normally suggested so some algae can grow for the nerites. Most snails won't actually eat algae wafers. The only ones that have for me are pond and ramshorn (I have not tried it with my new mystery snails yet). When I feed cucumber, the bettas eat it too, so I just don't feed them that day.


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## DianeA7X (Feb 13, 2014)

Alright I'll try it. =)


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

DianeA7X said:


> The rock in a bowl near window for algae is a good idea. Gonna do that myself. BUT I do live on a 3rd floor apartment and do have a porch like most apartments do. Do you think putting it outside is fine even though the weather is cold?


You need to cultivate them inside where it is warm.


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