# Snail uprooting plants



## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

:frustrated: my crazy mystery snails have been uprooting my plants. About ready for snail timeout. Is this typical?


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## AquaPlayz (Aug 14, 2015)

Have you seen them do it?
What other fish/inverts do you have?


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## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

No not directly but digging around at base of hairgrass and cabomba. Giant betta only fish. He swims around through plants but way more interested in watching for food to fall from sky lol. My anubias have more established roots so they have been ok


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## AquaPlayz (Aug 14, 2015)

Are the plants new?
They are probably looking for food at the base of plants because it naturally settles there.


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## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

Those plants are newer but been in that tank about a month. Changing tank water today so may see if I can anchor the cabomba better and scoot the driftwood more over the roots. Crazy snails! They were in a duo over a algae wafer last night. Of course Goliath had to get his nose right in middle of it to see the action. Lots of entertainment here


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## AquaPlayz (Aug 14, 2015)

Ok, they are probably not getting to root in well before the snails accidentally uproot them, if you have another tank you could move the snails to it and wait a month or two with the plants planted before adding back.
Also cut like 1/8" off the end of the roots, it helps them grow faster, well the plant focuses growth on the roots then not growing leaves or whatever


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## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

Great idea on roots. I didn't know that


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## vliscony (Sep 19, 2014)

Interesting... I have the same problem with my 5 gallon tank with a massive MTS population. One betta, 7 pygmy corydoras... the microswords are constantly being uprooted by the snails, plants with good root systems don't have a problem, nor do Java Moss or Marimo balls, for obvious reasons. The tanks is the cleanest I have ever seen, so I am OK with he snail situation, it cuts down on my maintenance chores, and I can accept that the microswords won't make it.


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## AquaPlayz (Aug 14, 2015)

You could try and get a plant pot and cut it to your substrate height then plant them in the middle and do a few of those, should cut down on how many snails are near the plant roots


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## vliscony (Sep 19, 2014)

*Malaysian Trumpet Snails uprooting Microswords*

Interesting... I have the same problem with my 5 gallon tank with a massive MTS population. One betta, 7 pygmy corydoras... the microswords are constantly being uprooted by the snails, plants with good root systems don't have a problem, nor do Java Moss or Marimo balls, for obvious reasons. The tanks is the cleanest I have ever seen, so I am OK with he snail situation, it cuts down on my maintenance chores, and I can accept that the microswords won't make it.


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## aselvarial (Feb 21, 2014)

I have 1 mystery snail that does this. Only one out of 8. She just likes to dig up the plants. No idea why.


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## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

Thanks for ideas. I just started a 10 gallon planted. Will see how snails do in that. Do cories bother plants at all? Did u add them all at one time in your 5 ga?


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