Too Many Mts?

[Prey]

Im sure this will be a repost - but the search doesn't appear to be working for me.

Can the MTS population in a tank get to the stage where it is actually a bad thing?

I seem to have thousands (at times it looks like the sand is alive!) - should i remove some?

 

[saz326]

Im sure this will be a repost - but the search doesn't appear to be working for me.

Can the MTS population in a tank get to the stage where it is actually a bad thing?

I seem to have thousands (at times it looks like the sand is alive!) - should i remove some?

This may make me feel dumb, but I have to ask. Whats an MTS? I assume a shrimp of some kind.

 

[Jazzzz]

no malyasian trumpet snail

 

[three-fingers]

Yep, they multiply fast!

As long as your water readings are fine, you wont have too much .
If you think you have loads by day, just take a torch to the tank by night!

The population of snails can only be as big as there is enough food to support for, so if you have lots of snails, that means theres lots for them to eat. Removing snails would just mean that organic matter goes uneaten, so bacteria would take their place in consuming it. Really no difference except you cant see the bacteria, and it may happen slower, I'm not sure.

So basically, apart from complete extremes where you have like a 4 inch thick layer of the snails in a small awkward shaped aquarium there could be oxygen problems, don't worry about it.

Any snails you remove will be replaced as others grow anyway. I think I remember reading somewhere that the snails breed slower when the population is more dense. The only reason to move snails would be if you don't like the look of them.

I like the snails. do a good job moving fish/shrimp waste under the sand so it doesn't look unsightly and the plant roots/bacteria in the substrate can get at the nutrients .

 

[flash22]

your never win the battle at 1 point i was pulling out 200+ a night, leave them and there control them selfs with any luck or move in a few clown loach there soon clear them

 

[Syphoniera]

I know nothing myself, but I've heard even loaches have a hard time eating the bigger ones, unless the shells can be munched as well, due to their shape and hardness.
But I suppose if the young ones were consumed as born, a population reduction would be made.

 

[watkins101]

I had the same problem , hundreds of the blighter's in my 190 corner tank, I was going to transfer a couple of my smaller Clowns from my main tank but my LFS recommended a couple of Spotted Talking Catfish, They only get to 5 " or so and I have to empty its Coconut cave hidey hole when I do a water change as there is a pile of old shells in it. I dont think it could take on a fully grown one but it demolishes the smaller ones.

 

[Prey]

I don't mind them at all- far from it ha ha.

I have noticed that since the population has got noticably bigger i dont seem to have any debris at all to hoover out of the tank!

Water stats are always spot on, so nothing to worry about then - thanks for the replies.