Using sand as substrate

[dw1305]

Hi all,

All I know about ramshorn snails is that I hate them. The first plant I got, came with a bonus. Ramshorn snails, it was an odyssey to get rid of them.

I think a lot of people don't like snails. I've always looked on snails as an asset, and have them (and Asellus aquaticus etc (http://www.nanfa.org/ac/water-louse-live-food.pdf)) in all the tanks.

My suspicion is that, as well as their role in mopping up algae, dead plants and organic debris, there are a lot of intangible assets from keeping snails. That is one of the problems with aquariums and "ecology", there are a lot of variables that aren't easily quantifiable.

There is scientific research to show that snails are really efficient at mopping up biofilms, this is from "A trial on the use of biological aerated filter (BAF) technology for combating the ‘snail problem’" (https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... l_problem')

Since the late 1990s Thames Water UK has experienced snail infestations within a handful of its secondary plastic mineral trickling filters (PMTFs), i.e., filters whose prime purpose is to remove ammonia. At these sites, snails consume biofilm at such a rate as to completely wipe out any autotrophy nitrifying bacteria populations living within the filters.

This is using a "Tadpole Snail" Physa sp.:
"Evaluating the microbial effects of stocking freshwater snails (Physa gyrina) in water reuse systems culturing rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss" (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10 ... 18.1541771)

cheers Darrel

[Reindas]

I know the are great at eating algae but they had overrun my tanks and I ended removing over 80 snails daily. Hunting them like a mad man. Finally I relocated the fishes and give the tanks a nice dosis of chlorine. Then I had t re-stablished all the invaded tanks. I’ll just stick with a nerite snails they are far more beautiful and as long as you keep them all males, they are perfect!

Thanks for the information about the louse, I didn’t about them and they are an alternative to be explore.

[dw1305]

Hi all,

........Thanks for the information about the louse, I didn’t about them and they are an alternative to be explore.

I'm not sure what species (if any) you are likely to available to you in Puerto Rico (or N. America).

Asellus aquaticus is a really common species in W. Europe, and any weedy pond etc. is likely to have them.

I collected mine form a pond without any fish in it, but they are one of the type organisms used for in the bioassay of polluted water so you could get ones that were guaranteed to be parasite free, although that is an expensive route to obtain them.

They offer some advantages of Cherry Shrimps (and do the same job), the only disadvantage is they they aren't very aesthetically pleasing.

Over the years I've given away plenty of Asellus, (and Crangonyx pseudogracilis & Lumbriculus) cultures and you can now find all of them available from sellers in the UK on ebay (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Asellus-aqua ... 3107231826) etc.

cheers Darrel

[Reindas]

Hi Darrel,

You are right they are not found here at all. That doesn’t mean that someone may have them. But cherry, ghost, amano and some others shrimps are everywhere for purchase for just cents. And are much prettier too.

Thaks

[MarcW]

Thanks for the information on the Asellus aquaticus Darrel, been reading up about them and just ordered some to see how they get on, I'm hoping they will pick away at the debris buildup on my matten filters to extend the intervals between cleaning.

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Thanks for the information on the Asellus aquaticus Darrel, been reading up about them and just ordered some to see how they get on, I'm hoping they will pick away at the debris buildup on my matten filters to extend the intervals between cleaning.

They certainly should help clean your Matten filter. There is a bit of research on using them in constructed wetlands. It was inconclusive (https://lib.ugent.be/fulltxt/RUG01/002/ ... 001_AC.pdf), but it is quite an interesting read.

If any-one else, in the UK, wants any, I have a bottomless supply (from fish-free conditions). They post really well in damp moss, (in a restaurant "take-way" type container). I use this method to post Asellus, Crangonyx & Lumbriculus, it works much better than posting them in water. I arrived at it serendipitously, because people were finding Asellus in their tanks after I'd sent them some moss.

..... But cherry, ghost, amano and some others shrimps are everywhere for purchase for just cents. And are much prettier too......

Asellus are pretty ugly, but they survive much better than Cherry Shrimps with predatory fish, and perform much the same role.

They will also breed in very soft water, which Cherry shrimps can't do.

cheers Darrel

[MarcW]

I've not had much luck with cherry shrimp, I have one lone survivor from an original group of 10 I was hoping to breed. Good to hear you say that Asellus will breed in soft water, I'm hoping they will for me!

[Reindas]

The problem with the cherry shrimps is the tank you keep them has to be well established and have very, very stable parameters also no predators specially if you intent to breed them. I have killed my share too.