# 5 Gallon tank



## TripleChrome (Jun 5, 2014)

So I have a 5 gallon tank just sitting up in my closet that I used for a nerite snail before. Would the tank be big enough for a single mystery snail?


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## ymavroidis (Jun 8, 2014)

yes definitely
i don't believe snails need much room i used to keep 3 in a 7 liter


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## JadeSparrow (Nov 9, 2012)

I believe it would. From experience I have kept a decent sized mystery snail in a 5 gal with a female betta, though the tank was an npt. But as long as you keep up with the water changes it should be fine. If you give him/her plenty of leaves (fake or real, real plants would be better but either is fine) and some decor you might get to witness parasnailing lol. Mystery snails are a lot of fun and have more personality than you would think coming from a snail.


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## TripleChrome (Jun 5, 2014)

Okay, thanks. Only reason I was asking is because my sister keeps saying that they need a ten gallon for one. I want to strangle my sister so bad, but I already slapped her for calling her betta a 'decoration'. 


How many water changes should I be doing on one if and when I get one in the five gallon without a filter? I have read on websites that they don't usually like filter currents, and that is what the guy at PetSmart (who has kept bettas, all kinds of fish, Mystery and Nerite Snails for over 20 years) has also said. And what do they usually eat? Would gravel be a good substrate, and if I can't afford live plants, can I use any plastic plant with bigger leaves for them to be on? 

Sorry for all the questions. I have only owned the nerite snail when I was 10 (5 years ago), and somehow he escaped with the hood on the tank. (I guess he somehow got the feeding lid open).

Also, on a YouTube channel called PinkPets, she had a Mystery Snail in a 2.5 gallon, and when her ma!e betta died, the snail loved to hangout on the betta bed. Is a betta bed safe for them, the ones with the wire? Because that is the only kind my PetSmart and Petco sells.


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## CrazedHoosier (Mar 18, 2014)

I think they'd probably would be fine with a filter. In a 5 gallon with no filter you'd need to do at least 50% water changes every other day. Gravel will be fine, but sand is usually better for most things. As for the plants, I think plastic would be fine; mine never had live. Live plants would, once again, probably be better for them, though.


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## JadeSparrow (Nov 9, 2012)

I've gone both ways with a filter and live vs fake plants. I enjoy live plants more and i think the snail did but he lived for a year or so with fake plants and did just fine. In one of his tanks (yes he got transfered through a few tanks as they got upgraded or moved around) he tended to enjoy knocking over the sponge filter that was in there. They do tend to have a larger bio load for a snail so you will want to stay on top of the water changes just like you would for a fish. I don't know if I would do 50% every other day but I would do at least two partial water changes a week especially if you go with fake plants. 
As for food, I fed algae wafers, blanched cucumber, and I'm pretty sure he ate left over fish food as well. I haven't heard of any issues with gravel versus sand with these guys and never encountered any so I would say that is up to you. 
The only issue i can think of with the betta bed is that the wire tends to rust and cause water issues but any fish safe decor would be fine with the snail. It just might decided to rearrange some things for you as it explores them lol.


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## 2muttz (Aug 16, 2013)

Mystery snails are such fun! I have a mystery snail, 2 tiny nerites and a betta in a filtered (and cycled) 5.5 gallon and the water parameters stay perfect with only one 30% water change a week. Only one live plant and some moss balls in there also.

I also have a mystery snail by herself in a 2 gallon filtered tank in my bathroom. The tank is a Spec II. It actually cycled quite quickly with the help of some Safestart and has stayed totally stable with 2 very small water changes a week. The snail seems very happy in there ~ she is constantly laying eggs!

I find snailwatching to be very "Zen".....


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## TripleChrome (Jun 5, 2014)

So, I am getting the snail in a few weeks. Whatkind of water conditioner should they have? I have Top Fin Freshwater/Saltwater water conditioner for my frogs. Can I use that on the snails?


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

I had a mystery snail in a 5 gallon tank once, Turbo, and he was a lot of fun and he actually loved currents and bubbles. He would continually snail on over to the bubble tube, let his shell fill with bubbles, and eventually he would take off spinning through the tank. He'd repeat this all day long sometimes.


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## Flint (Oct 22, 2013)

Mystery Snails require 2 gallons per snail so it's a perfect size. You could have two.


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## TripleChrome (Jun 5, 2014)

So, would just basic freshwater fish water conditioner be fine?


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## 2muttz (Aug 16, 2013)

TripleChrome said:


> So, would just basic freshwater fish water conditioner be fine?


Yes a regular tropical freshwater fish water conditioner would be fine - just make sure it removes chlorine, chloramines (sp?), and heavy metals.


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## Flint (Oct 22, 2013)

Prime is still the recommendation.


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## kjg1029 (Jun 14, 2014)

I don't think they mind the current at all...i actually have one who use to ride in the bubbles from my bar shaped bubbler it was so cute! but now I have a little one for my betta so he doesn't really do it anymore.....so id say in some cases they like it...but not all just mu experience...goodluck! maybe you'll find a really cool one!


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## TripleChrome (Jun 5, 2014)

So, I just got the snail today. Not sue if it is a male or female, so does anybody have name suggestions that can go either way?


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## TripleChrome (Jun 5, 2014)

TripleChrome said:


> So, I just got the snail today. Not sue if it is a male or female, so does anybody have name suggestions that can go either way?



I ment sure, if anybody is still reading this. But, no need to worry about the names. He died during the night, and neither me or the guy who has kept fish for over twenty years from PetSmart know what happened. He was cleaning the tank in PetSmart and was active, and the same with mine, and then he passed during the night.

I have literally given up all hope with keeping these guys, so I ended up trading him for a Corry Catfish. He is a single one right now, but will soon have a school of at least six or more in a bigger tank.


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## kjg1029 (Jun 14, 2014)

are you sure he was dead? Dud he fall apart? Did he stink?


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## TripleChrome (Jun 5, 2014)

kjg1029 said:


> are you sure he was dead? Dud he fall apart? Did he stink?




He was in my room and I could smell that he stunk without even taking him out. And he even had a crack in his shell that I didn't notice until today.


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