snails

Bob · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 3

Does anyone put apple snails or other snails in a Malawi tank? Also what
is the opinion of putting an air curtain in the tank with a air pump running
it. I have a lot of current in my 75 but little surface agitation.

Bob

Archived from group: rec>aquaria>freshwater>cichlids

NetMax · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 614

"Bob" wrote in message @suscom.com...
> Does anyone put apple snails or other snails in a Malawi tank? Also
> what is the opinion of putting an air curtain in the tank with a air
> pump running it. I have a lot of current in my 75 but little surface
> agitation.
>
> Bob

Neritina natalensis goes by different common names (ie: zebra snail).
They come from a hard water environment (their cousins are from brackish
water), they are true algae eaters, and they move around hunkered down
inside their shell, exposing very little of themselves to hungry fish.
Quite complimentary to mbuna tanks, though some mbuna tanks are worst
than others ;~).
http://perso.infonie.be/pomacea/neritina_natalensis_uk.htm
http://members.aol.com/Mkohl2/Neritidae.html

An air current in a mbuna tank has an interesting effect. It raises the
O2 level slightly, so you should see an increased level of activity (of
course, in a mbuna tank, is more activity desirable ?!? ;~). It'll also
break up that protein skim on the surface, causing it to revert to DOCs
(dissolved organic compounds). Just don't do less water changes because
you don't see that skim. It's still all in there with everything else,
and needs to be diluted (jmo).
--
www.NetMax.tk