# Betta and mystery snail?



## StarlaThornhill (Feb 15, 2013)

I've got a 10 gallon cycled tank with a betta, 4 corys and 6 rasbora in it. I recently added a mystery snail and i have noticed my betta hovering around him a lot, the snail is even afraid to come out of his shell. Why is my betta doing this? I know they can be bullies but my betta is normally more laid back, he's lived with the corys and rasbora for months and hasn't bullied any of them. Is there there anything I can do to make him back off the snail? 

(and before you yell at me about overstocking, my ammonia and nitrites are zero, and my nitrates barely observed a color change all using liquid tests so I'm fine until the mystery snail grows bigger)


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## shellieca (Jul 12, 2012)

How long has the snail been in the tank? More often than not anything new in a Bettas environment will cause curiosity or aggression plus the antennae on a snail can look like a tasty snack to a Betta. IME, they will calm down & leave the snail alone. Keep an eye on the snail to ensure he/she is not getting hurt too badly, nipped antennae are normal in the beginning, they will grow back.


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## StarlaThornhill (Feb 15, 2013)

Only a couple of days. Is there anything I can do to get the snail to at least be able to eat? He hasn't eaten anything I've given him since I got him and I don't want him to starve because my Bettas a big fat bully


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## bniebetta (Feb 26, 2013)

He will probably eat when your betta goes to sleep. My girls often observe my two nerties with interest, and one of my males actually killed his snail. I think they are more okay with fish sometimes because they are more familiar.... I often wonder if they think that snails are magic rocks or something. If you're worried about the snail eating, maybe you could put your betta in a breeder's net for a day and let the snail figure out all the best hiding places in the tank and have him eat some food.


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## shellieca (Jul 12, 2012)

StarlaThornhill said:


> Only a couple of days. Is there anything I can do to get the snail to at least be able to eat? He hasn't eaten anything I've given him since I got him and I don't want him to starve because my Bettas a big fat bully


You don't need to feed the snail daily, I only drop wafers or veggies once or twice a week, some weeks I don't even do that, they do after all eat algae, plant matter, left over food, etc. & I want to make sure they continue to do so. Not sure what you're feeding your snail but you can feed right before you go to bed after lights out in the tank. Is your snail always in the same place or does he tend to move? Snails like anything else, sometimes need a few days or so to adjust a new environment. I've had Mystery Snails start exploring within a few minutes & others took a day or two, some are more active after lights out. I wouldn't stress about it, your Betta will most likely calm down about the snail.


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## StarlaThornhill (Feb 15, 2013)

I put blanched zucchini in there and he hasn't even shown an interest in it. He just stays up at the waterline. My first thought was water quality but everything is in params so it's not that. I guess I'll give him another day or two to see how he does


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## Raincloud (Apr 10, 2013)

I just added a Black Mystery Snail to my 5.5 gallon Betta tank today. I find myself worrying about my snail too, I already saw my betta 'taste' the snails antenna! I understand that my Betta is curious but I hope the excitement of a new tank mate wears off soon.


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