Malaysian Trumpet Snails In A Community Tank

[r.w.girard]

The ARGUMENT:

10 gallon low-tech/carbonless planted tank with small gravel substrate and adequate but not too strong HOB filtration [see below]
1 male crowntail betta [see comment about filtration just above]
13 green neon tetras [still juveniles]
3 otocinclus
1 ghost shrimp [plan to add two more to replace recent loses]
1 ivory mystery snail

The PLOT:

I am considering introducing malaysian trumpet snails into my tank to aerate the gravel and consume organic matter.

The DRAMA:

The PH is low and the water is pretty soft because of the green neon tetras, which is not ideal. But I keep it as high as possible for the inverts and as low as possible for the tetras: 6.5. I also keep a holey rock in the tank to keep some calcium in the water.

Also, the bioload is pretty full and that is something to take into account. I wonder about them in terms of the bioload; if they will consume organic matter and increase plant health, they should, by consequence, reduce ammonia levels, which it seems is the main bioload question, no?

There is also the question of oxygen in the water, I suppose. I don't know how that works, to be perfectly honest. I understand that plants consume CO2 during the day and produce O2 and consume O2 at night to produce CO2. In a carbonless tank [with monthly water changes], the plants adapt and grow slowly but healthily, without risk of algae. People recommend not using air-stones in planted tanks because it takes CO2 out of the water, or at least that it the reason I believe they give. But if that is not a problem, because there is little to no CO2 anyway, what does it matter?

The other problem, though, is the snail population. As it grows, so does its foot-print. They could then out-compete the shrimp and other snails in the tank. Controlling them then becomes a problem. Which can be a problem, I understand, and which is why they are often considered as pests. Assassin snails could also be introduced but that increases the bioload [and in ways not like that of the malaysian trumpet snail]. And it puts my ivory mystery snail at risk, no?

The DENOUEMENT:

So, what do you think? Should I? Should I not? Any advice, comments or criticism is welcome [assuming that it is not personal]. I have been reading for the past few days all over the forum but the information I have found has done nothing but make the choice more complicated.

 

[fluttermoth]

I'd consider your tank pretty overstocked. I wouldn't want to risk pushing it over the edge by adding snails to it as well. Stir the gravel up yourself as you'll be doing plenty of water changes to keep those fish healthy anyway

 

[r.w.girard]

I'd consider your tank pretty overstocked. I wouldn't want to risk pushing it over the edge by adding snails to it as well.

Very good point. That of, course, is the real "con" of the list.

I ended up with with more green neon tetras than I was counting on, to begin with, but, then again, I must admit that my otocinclus are being active for the first time since I bought them almost two months ago. Usually they are very shy. Since the green neon tetras moved it, they have been swimming around, all over the place really. They were even sucking on the betta when it tried to eat their zucchini ... Only the betta doesn't seem particularly happy about it but he had been the master of an almost empty tank until now.