# Ramshorn snails?



## silverphoenix69 (Mar 11, 2016)

I posted this on another part of the form, but figured here would be more help (the other parts of my post were about cycling)

A week after I got my tank (March 11th) I got a live plant, and put it in my tank. I'm still cycling and everyone had so many different opinions on live plants and when to put them in/when not to.... I decided since I didn't have a betta yet, I would put my plant in now...

Well yesterday I found three baby snails, someone identified them as ramshorn snails

I don't want to kill them, the thought of it is horrible (even with me being kinda scared of snails)... And they are pretty cute!

I don't really know what to do with them or is there are more, are they going to over run the tank? How do I feed them while I don't have a fish yet?

My tank is still cycling, and I'm doing the fish food method (in a mesh bag, at the moment don't have any food in there)

And suggestions? 











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## silverphoenix69 (Mar 11, 2016)

New count is 5 this morning that I've found 


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

With enough food (decaying plant matter and algae count as food for these guys), they could overrun the tank. The big problem is when 30 of then hatch all at once and cause spikes in the parameters.

That said, if you keep the numbers under control, they are beneficial to the tank. They eat decaying plant matter and some algae/biofilm. I've read that they can reproduce with just one snail, but I have one by itself that doesn't appear to have reproduced. There's a chance that the betta in that tank is eating eggs and babies and managing the numbers on her own.

You could probably use the snails as an ammonia source right now.


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## silverphoenix69 (Mar 11, 2016)

How do I keep them under control? And how big do they get? I tried looking it up and it said quarter of an inch? How many snails is to much? I'm assuming since I keep finding more, I have more then the 5 I counted today?


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

There are 3 easy ways to take care of population control if there are already a lot in a tank:

1) squish them and feed them to a fish (once you have fish in there),

2) assassin snails would love to eat ramshorn snails, and they'll also eat leftover food that gets to the bottom of the tank,

3) place a piece of vegetable in the tank over night. In the morning, the snails should be all over it. You can seal it up and throw it away.

The one I have is almost as big as a quarter now. I've had it since it hatched on a plant I ordered online.

There might be more in your tank than the 5 you can see.


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## silverphoenix69 (Mar 11, 2016)

Damn so they get big... I don't like the idea of killing them, so an assassin snail might be the way to go? Do assassin snails multiply like ramshorn snails?

And will the ammonia I have in the tank hurt the snails? It's at 4ppm


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

I'm not sure how snails handle ammonia. If nitrates get high, some kinds climb above the water line.

I think it takes two assassin snails to breed. The downside of having one is that they stick out a lot of their soft bits while hunting, and the fish might pick at those parts when they get added.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

You're photo looks like you have a tan/brown leopard ramshorn, nice!
I've found you don't need to feed ramshorns, they'll find decaying plant matter and algae (diatoms) to eat (they'll eat fish food too). Feeding them specifically will increase population. 
By snail standards ramshorns are not a big snail, and there is a sub species of mini ramshorns that stay very very small (had these in one of my tanks for a while until I gutted and put in new plants). But when comparing the 'large' ramshorns to nerite, apple, and mystery snails the ramshorn is still a small snail. Largest I've had was smaller than a very short thumb nail.


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## silverphoenix69 (Mar 11, 2016)

I think they are very cute!! But I can now count 7 at a time, and I'm worried about them getting out of control 

I got an assassin snail last night  I feel horrible but I didn't want the tank over run with snails before I even get a betta 


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## ashleynicol3 (Feb 23, 2016)

For the vegetable trick, if you put a piece of lettuce in there, do you have to make sure it sinks or will they find their way to it if it's floating? Found 1 snail on an anacharis and immediately pulled it from the tank, but just in case there are more...


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

They might find it more easily if you weigh it down. My small snails are all over in the tank, including eating biofilm upside down on the surface.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Sadist said:


> They might find it more easily if you weigh it down. My small snails are all over in the tank, including eating biofilm upside down on the surface.


I always find that so cute to watch you can see their little mouths *nom nom nom*


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## Olivia27 (Nov 26, 2015)

*gasp* I thought I'm the only one who's afraid of snails!

I have the exact same ramshorn. Courtesy of an assorted Anubias order. I don't know if I'm expecting too much but I never saw mine eat decaying plant matter. Each time there's a rotting leaf I keep a close eye looking for bite marks, but never saw any. I'm actually planning to grow green algae so the poor thing won't starve. It's looking more and more lethargic unfortunately. That said, I also don't want an entire Ramshorn family. I only have one and it never multiplied. Would be great if it stays that way. How do you guys notice that your snails get the nutrients they need?


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

I look at the shell. I noticed my ramshorn's shell looked uneven, so I put some cuttle bone in there for it to get more calcium for the shell. I was kicking myself for not thinking of that when I'd already put some in with the nerite snail that I bought on purpose.

My ramshorn seemed to like brown algae quite a bit as it was growing up. I have green algae in there now, and it doesn't seem to be eating it as much.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Diatoms aka brown algae is the common food for algae eaters. Most won't eat other forms of algae.


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## Olivia27 (Nov 26, 2015)

Thanks! I need to start a question thread on how to grow different kinds of algae. Green is easy, but not too sure about brown. I had a diatom infestation once, but I'm not too sure what caused it.


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

A small container of tank water in the window usually grows brown algae for me pretty easily. You can toggle different rocks in there.


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## silverphoenix69 (Mar 11, 2016)

Soooo does anyone want some snails from Toronto?? I have at least a hundred I can count. So small my macro camera can't take pictures.... Should I be getting another assassin snail

Ps they are super cute!! (And I still don't have any fish - just one assassin snail and hundreds of these ramshorns)










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