Snails, shrimp and plant compatibility?

tiki19

tiki19

AC Members
Sep 22, 2006
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Elkton, Maryland
Hi, recently started a 10g planted tank, seeded from my established tank. I have Java fern, Java moss, Aponogetons, Ludwigia Repens and Rotala Wallichii.

The Ludwigia was sold to me as a low light plant (ha) and the Rotala was free, but low and behold they are both growing great. My java fern actually has plantlets, my apono's are sending up flower stalks all over the place and my moss is that nice bright green I've never managed before.

My intention was a planted invert tank which I've wanted for forever, BUT, if I do, am I correct that I cannot use any ferts? Once again, didn't research enough to learn that the metals in ferts can be harmful :wall:

I'm torn... I love the pics of all of your cherry shrimp and I've always loved snails, but I've never had anything grow before like this :( My aquascaping probably isn't up to the standards of most of what I've seen on here - you plant people are artists - mine's more like a forest, but it's still the nicest job I've ever done (wish I had pics!!). I'm using seachem root tabs, FloraPride for my reds, and Nutrafin Co2.

So, does it have to be one or the other, or are there any invert safe ferts?

Also, if I do manage to make the tank safe, can you order snails/shrimp in the winter months? Don't remember the name, but someone on here has the most beautiful magenta mystery snails I'm dying to move in.

Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!! :)
 
I have both cherry shrimp and red ramshorn snails. Do not use fert's if you intent on getting shrimp, the fert's will kill them. I was unaware of this myself until I got some cherry shrimp and put them in a tank with java moss that I had been using fert's on, I lost a couple within a day or two. I have since moved them to a different tank, that is also planted but I do not use fert's in this tank and they are doing just fine. I have red ramshorn snails and they do not seem to be affected by the fert's.
 
I use API Leaf Zone in my tanks with shrimp and snails and have never had a problem. I don't know much about ferts so I don't know if this a good fertilizer or not, I just use it for my java moss and java fern. Could it be it is because there is not much fertilizer in it? My plants grow well but they are low light plants anyway so maybe that is why. I don't want to steer anyone in the wrong direction and have their plants die or their shrimp, snails, or whatever they get but was just wondering. I also use fert root tabs (Flourish maybe?) that I got at Petsmart for my sword plant in my bowfront and that has brig snails and baby brig snails in it and they seem to be fine. I have used it for at least 6 months. Am I just lucky so far and pretty soon I am going to run into a disaster? If so, I am going to quit using them now to prevent anything bad happening to my shrimp and snails down the road.
 
I guess I'll yank the two red plants - they're the ones I bought the ferts for anyway and just let the java's grow for a month or two to let the tank clear out. God, every single time I think I know what I'm doing, I find out I have no idea what I'm doing... lol.

Dakotagirl, I just happened to notice there was copper in my root tabs, and then googled it. Maybe yours doesn't contain it? The info on some of the other ferts seems divided; since this will be my first invert tank, I'm going to err on the side of caution and scrap them altogether after reading the above. Are those pics of your snails? If so whatever you are doing must be working, they look great :)

Wish I could replant them in my bigger tank, but that's where plants go to die.

Thank you all for the info!!
 
Lol - thank you msjinkzd! I've been looking up so much stuff it's hard to keep it straight.
Thought the snail pic looked familiar... I think you have the moss wall I'm trying to copy - I remember the mohawk :) BTW, thanks for posting that, awesome idea and the mesh was cheap.
 
so lets say you have an established planted tank that you were using ferts in that contained copper. your plan until reading this thread was to add cherry shrimp....

how would you do away with the ferts? would taking them out be sufficient? maybe a few water changes afterwards?
 
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