They do but personally not as good as a snail does. My snail is a cleaning machine. He cleans like a madman 24/7 unless he's suicide falling from the top of the glass xD
Anyone who thinks snails are slow has never seen them zip over to an algae wafer or attack a dead plant leaf!
In the various guides I've read, they all say to "remove any dead plant material immediately or it will be a mess"- well, it's hard to get it away from a good-sized snail who has decided it's dinner!
From what I've seen, if you drop a brine shrimp pellet & algae wafer side by side, they'll go for shrimp every time. In their natural environment, they would consume any food the top & mid dwelling fish miss that falls to the bottom..
Cories definitely like worms, amphipoda, crustaceans, insects, other bits of decaying fish/animals that make way to the bottom of the water. The only reason they would bother with algae is because the other small & microscopic critters that feed on it.
I would guess plant matter is LAST on their list of foods they would want to EAT if they had a choice.
Snails serve a vital purpose in the water. They clean up dead/decaying things. I don't mind them at all.
An interesting note- I pulled my male betta's snail from his 2.5 gal b/c I felt the snail was too large. (The water in his tank is cloudy, an I'm trying to figure out why.)
After I yanked the snail, Butch has been spending a lot of time behind the filter outtake-the one spot I can't see him. This morning, I lifted the lid to see what he's been up to back there- he's been building a huge bubble nest!!!! I'm so proud! He's never, ever built one before! Maybe he saw the snail as a predator. I still don't know the source of the cloudiness (I've done everything).
If I were to estimate, 1 would say that a full grow Mystery Snail easily has a bioload of 1 gallon. It never hurts to understock though. Space wise, they need 2 gallons. Posted via Mobile Device
In planning my 29 gallon, I've allocated 2 gallons per snail (3 snails); one gallon each for albino cory cats (6 cats); the rest is for a female betta sorority: 12 gallons, which should probably be 6 bettas (and A LOT of plants to hide in!)
Does my math work out?
(These huge snails are heros at keeping the bottom of the tank clean. I've cyled the tank; added plants, snails, then the corys. I'm going to add a few more plants (some floating), and then plan on getting the bettas Wed.)
Anyway, I love my snails. They are low care and good little cleaners. I always get a giggle when they decide to go Para-snailing! So cute
I alternate between pellets and algae wafers for my little ones. I feed them enough to give them good nutrition, but not what they need to be satisfied so they will be good little cleaners. They keep my plants looking lovely by cleaning up dead leaves and keeping algae from growing on the leaves. They are also great about snatching up little bits of food that make it to the bottom of the tank.
If I was to estimate, my largest one eats 1/4th-1/3rd a wafer or 2 Omega One Sinking Shrimp Pellets per day 6 days a week. Posted via Mobile Device
In planning my 29 gallon, I've allocated 2 gallons per snail (3 snails); one gallon each for albino cory cats (6 cats); the rest is for a female betta sorority: 12 gallons, which should probably be 6 bettas (and A LOT of plants to hide in!)
Does my math work out?
(These huge snails are heros at keeping the bottom of the tank clean. I've cyled the tank; added plants, snails, then the corys. I'm going to add a few more plants (some floating), and then plan on getting the bettas Wed.)
What kind of snail? They come in different sizes and many have different bioloads even when they are the same size!
Either way, as long as you have a well planted tank (plants on all levels, proper lighting, and ferts to keep them healthy once they deplete their food reserve), that mix should be fine. What kind of females are you getting? Posted via Mobile Device
1 apple snail, diffusa species, has a bioload of 2.5G. This means one diffusa apple snail and 1 betta needs a 5 gal tank.
1 apple snail, cana complex, has a bioload of closer to 4G or so.
Not sure with a nerite. I have just added one to my 10L (2.65 G tank). I plan to up it to 1 100% change and 3 siphonings in between to get the snail poo. Already the bottom is covered and it's been 24 hours. Have plans to try and convert to a NPT
Mystery Snails are minature Apple Snails. How is their bioload Silver?
I have heard that Nerite have a higher bioload than Apple Snails of the same size. Multiple sites have said this. That's why I didn't get them and went with Mystery Snails. Posted via Mobile Device
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