Ramshorn = moss eater?

[grey_fox]

Ever since getting rid of my puffer, due to its apparent aggressive behavior my moss balls have been filled with ramshorn snails and I do see strands of 'botak' moss. I know they are avid algae eaters but do they favor mosses over their algae diet?

I do not want to add a puffer as, no. 1 they'll end up nipping on my dicus' fins, no. 2, they're not the easiest of fishes to remove/catch should they eventually serve the snail removal purpose.

Comments anyone?

[XnSdVd]

Aren't "moss balls" actually balls of hair algae?

And no my snails leave my plants alone unless it's melthing

[grey_fox]

it's not those Cladophora aegagropila balls, it's literally moss that's shaped into a ball.

[benny]

Strange... I used to have Ramshorn snails and Java moss in my tank and they co existed without much problem. In fact, the moss was more like a weed.

Cheers,

[grey_fox]

Hmm or it could be my 2 SAE's that getting a go at the moss. Anyways, its ok, the moss is growing really fast.

[benny]

I would think that they are more likely to be the real culprits. Like Anostomus spp. they love new plant growth too.

Cheers,

[kemp]

yup. That is also why i prefer OTOs over SAEs. The otos hardly disturb my moss

[XnSdVd]

Well i have had Ramshorns munching on new E. tenellus shoots... But then again i'm snail friendly which means a good 200-300 snails in my 20cm cube.

[kemp]

XnSdvd, and you're not disturbed by the fact that you've so much snails in your tank? Well i must suppose you're a snail breeder

[XnSdVd]

Look at my sig...

[stereo]

Where to get those snails?

I only saw LFS sell apple snails

[kemp]

stereo, you can try asking for them at the Marketplace thread

[zhiz22]

they seem to eat even java fern