https://www.chewy.com/education/fish/general/aquarium-snails-what-to-keep-and-what-to-avoid
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An unexpected explosion of snails in a home aquarium can be a startling experience for any aquarist. Often, these tiny intruders - especially Malaysian Trumpet Snails - appear seemingly overnight, hitching rides on live plants or decorations.
These nocturnal snails reproduce rapidly, often hiding in the substrate where they are rarely seen until their numbers are overwhelming.
While many turn to chemical treatments or even bleach to remove them, these hardy creatures are notoriously resilient - able to survive extreme conditions, including bleach baths.
Preventative steps, like quarantining new plants or using mild alum or bleach solutions, can help, but care must be taken to avoid harming plants or other tank life.
Alternatives such as snail traps or introducing snail-eating loaches or assassin snails can help manage populations, though even these come with their own risks and ethical considerations.
While pest snails can become a nuisance, not all snails are bad for your aquarium. Some, like nerite snails, offer algae control without the risk of overbreeding in freshwater tanks.
However, aquarists should be cautious and responsible with their snail choices, especially with species like assassin snails, which pose ecological risks if they escape into local waterways.
Experts recommend keeping such species in isolated tanks and only feeding them pest snails from your main aquarium. Ultimately, successful snail control lies in understanding their cause - often overfeeding or poor maintenance - and addressing it at the source. With the right approach, snails can be managed or even appreciated for their role in a healthy aquatic ecosystem.
Chewy editorial team offers helpful insight on which types of snails make great tankmates and which ones to avoid to help you maintain a healthy, balanced aquarium.
