Planted Tank Care and Aquarium Problem Fixes

Quick answer: Bladder snails (Physella acuta, also called Physa acuta) are tiny freshwater snails with a thin, see-through, teardrop-shaped shell that opens on the left side. They grow to about 0.4 to 0.6 inches (1 to 1.5 cm), live a few months to about a year, and lay small, clear jelly egg clutches on glass and plants. Each snail is both male and female and can even fertilize itself, so one hitchhiker on a new Read more

Quick answer: Cherry shrimp (Neocaridina davidi, also called red cherry shrimp or RCS) are small, hardy freshwater shrimp that grow to about 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 4 cm) and live 1 to 2 years. They do best in a cycled, planted tank of 5 gallons or more, at 68 to 78 F with pH 6.5 to 8.0, GH 4 to 10 and KH 1 to 8. They eat biofilm, soft algae and leftovers, Read more

Quick answer: Malaysian trumpet snails (Melanoides tuberculata, also called red-rimmed melania or MTS) are small, cone-shaped freshwater snails that grow to about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in aquariums and live roughly 1 to 2 years. They spend the day buried in the substrate, eat leftover food, detritus and algae, and keep sand from compacting. They’re harmless to fish, shrimp and healthy plants. Most Malaysian trumpet snails reproduce without a mate and give birth to live Read more

Quick answer: Cherry barbs (Rohanella titteya, formerly Puntius titteya) are small, peaceful barbs from Sri Lanka that grow to about 2 inches (5 cm) and live 4 to 6 years. Keep a group of at least 6 in a planted tank of 20 gallons or more, at 73 to 81 F with pH 6.0 to 7.5. Males turn deep cherry red, while females are tan with a dark side stripe. They’re hardy, easy to feed Read more

Quick answer: Assassin snails (Anentome helena, often sold as Clea helena) are small, striped freshwater snails that hunt and eat other snails. They grow to about 0.75 to 1 inch (2 to 2.5 cm), live 2 to 3 years, and do best at 72 to 82 F with pH 7 to 8 and hard water. They’re a natural way to control pest snails like ramshorn, bladder and Malaysian trumpet snails, and they breed slowly, so Read more

Quick answer: Shrimp molting is when a shrimp sheds its old hard shell (exoskeleton) so it can grow. Yes, all shrimp molt, and it’s a good sign. Young cherry shrimp molt about every 1 to 2 weeks and adults every 3 to 6 weeks, while Amano and ghost shrimp molt roughly every 4 to 6 weeks. A molt is a clear, empty, shrimp-shaped shell, while a dead shrimp is solid, turns pink, orange or white, Read more

Quick answer: Mystery snails (Pomacea diffusa) are peaceful freshwater apple snails that grow to about 2 inches (5 cm), live around 1 to 2 years, and do best at 68 to 82 F with pH 7.5 or higher and hard water for a strong shell. One snail needs about 5 gallons, they eat algae, leftovers and dead plant matter, and they’re safe with shrimp, most fish and healthy plants. Unlike ramshorns, they have separate sexes Read more

Quick answer: Ramshorn snails are small, flat-coiled freshwater snails, usually under 1 inch (2.5 cm), that eat algae, leftover food and dying plant leaves. They live about 1 to 2 years, handle 64 to 80 F, need hard water with pH 7 to 8 for healthy shells, and come in red, pink, blue, leopard and brown. They’re safe with fish, shrimp and healthy plants. Most people get two things wrong. First, “ramshorn” is a group Read more