Saltwater snails
Revealed – Why You Will Need Saltwater Snails In Your Aquarium
Saltwater fish tanks, more appropriately called sea water aquariums can provide you endless entertainment. The
gaily colored angelfishes displays heavenly charm while the ever warring fighter fish chase each other for a real
duel in the saltwater live rocks of the aquarium. However, all the fun is lost if the aquarium is not kept
thoroughly cleaned. Even though there are many devices that can keep the aquarium in perfect condition, you will
still need natural scavengers because they can do the job efficiently. And this is best done by saltwater
snails.
Why You Will Need Snails In The Aquarium
An aquarium probably is the only place under the sun where the ‘snail’s pace’ is fully appreciated. A snail will
usually take hours to move from one corner of the aquarium to another, and during this sluggish journey will feed
on the unwanted algae and other microorganisms that tend to soil the aquarium.
Although snails belonging to the Phylum Mollusca are invertebrate and herbivore in nature, but the fact is that,
quite a lot of marine snails are omnivores. And so they are ideally suited to aquariums that become perpetually
littered with fish waste or bits of fish food settling that settle down at the bottom. Needless to say, such
abundance of food will keep both you and the snail happy since the snail will keep the aquarium clean by feeding.
Put some mud or sand at the bottom and the snails will plough the bottom of the aquarium in search of food, thereby
cleaning and aerating the surface.
Snails are pretty sensitive fellows that thrive in water, whose specific gravity ranges from 1.018 to 1.028, and
when the pH value hovers from 8.10 to 8.40 and the temperature reaches 72 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Non-fluctuating
temperature levels, steady pH count and the least percentages of copper and nitrate in the tank water will ensure
long life of saltwater snails in the aquarium environment. Corals, caves and live rocks in the aquarium make the
snail clean better.
In other words, make the snail feel comfortable by including whatever is expected to be there in its natural
environment, and you can be sure that the animal will do a great job for you.
Saltwater Snails Come In Several Varieties – Here Are Some Of Them
1. Asterea snails (Astraea tectum) – Also called Astrea, these are herbivores that consume the algae very
well. They move slowly and are unable to turn over when they flip over.
2. Trochus snails (Trochus sp.) – They are also algae eaters, and they eat a wide variety of algae in the
saltwater aquarium. They are smaller in size and are able to turn over when they flip over.
3. Cerith snails (Cerithium sp) – They work very well when you have sand on the bed of the aquarium. This
snail is rarely larger than an inch. Put five gallons of salt water for one snail – double the water and you need
two of them.
4. Nerite snails (Nerita sp.) – They are also small snails that are about 1 inch in size, and they feed on
film algae from the sides of the aquarium. One such snail is enough for every gallon of water.
There Are Some Other Types Of Snails Too Such As
1. Turbo snails
2. Margarita snails
3. Nassarius snails
4. Bumble Bee snails
5. Abalone snails
6. Cowrie, Tiger snails
7. Turban snails
8. Fighting Conch snails
9. Zebra Turbo snails
Your aquarium needs to be a miniature ecosystem because only then will the fish you have feel most comfortable.
You need water in the right temperature, corals and plants, mud and sand, colorful fish, crabs and saltwater
snails.
|