Random snails

[Katie045]

So I have a 20 gallon tank I'm currently cycling. Today I bought live plans to add. When I took the plants out of the bags, I found two tiny snails. They're currently in the tank (no fish in there yet) but i don't know what to do with them.  They're both less than 1/4 an inch and i cant find one at the moment.  I can see one of them but it's a large enough tank with gravel and plants. Theyre both definitely in there but hard to find. I have my tank set at 78 degrees and it has a filter.  With the filter effect them? It's currently off because i didn't know what to do.  Do I need to give them any food? Are they going to be ok in there with tiger barbs? I have a 5 gallon tank that's also cycling so if they would do better with a betta I can put them in there.  I'm adding fish probably in a week.  Will they survive since the tank has only been cycling for a week? I have no idea how to take care of snails but I'd like to keep them. 

[snaileyhammy]

Hello, if you what to keep these snails you could put them in a smaller tank separately. These snails could be “pest” snails and take over your tank. I love all snails and hate calling any snail a pest, but they could multiply really quickly. The best solution is putting time in there own area. You can put algae tablets in the tank but it will make your tank smell bad so I would suggest putting some fish food in there. I hope all goes well! You could keep them where they are but they will eat your plants and could lay eggs and take over your tank. I would figure out what kind of snails they are first.

[snaileyhammy]

Also, fish may eat them it just depends on how big the fish is. If you put them in a separate tank you don’t have to have a filter. Many snails get stick in filters anyways, if you do have one be sure to snail proof it lol.

[littlegoldsnail]

Generally, the only types of fish that eat pest snails (I’m imagining these are ramshorns or bladder snails?) are certain types of loaches and puffers. Most community fish (i.e. rasboras, tetras, gouramis, angels, corys, etc) will leave small snails like this alone.

I had one baby betta once who loved to hunt bladder snails. He would stalk them and wait till they came out of their shell, then he would pounce and grab the snail’s foot and bash it against the wall till the shell broke, then eat it. He grew out of the habit though, and the only snails he was big enough to eat were the baby bladder snails, which were overpopulated anyway in that tank anyway.

Just be really careful not to over feed these guys or they will overpopulate and make your tank a mess. Pest snails are a very touchy subject. Some people hate them, others think they are good for the environment and you should always have a little colony of them. It’s really just up to personal preference.