Quantity of Snails???

[lil_delta]

How many snails can I have in an 8 gallon tank? As of right now I think I have about 20, most are really small about a 1/4in or so but I have several types which a few are a little larger at about 3/4in or so. Is there a rule of thumb # of snails /gallon or something.
Thanks!

[Ron Reefman]

Most of the 'rule of thumb' info in this hobby is ancient history so don't believe it when you here it. BTW, the rule of thumb about snails is 1 per gallon! Oops! That many snails in a tank that size will struggle to get enough food over the long run. If this is a new start up tank, you'll have some algae blooms over the first 2-4 months and the snails should be OK. You may/probably will lose some eventually, but that means you are getting algae and nutrients (the stuff that makes algae grow) under control. The key to doing this right is to take your time and read everything you can and ask questions... OH, you've already started... good job and welcome to RC.

[thegrun]

20 seems high in an 8 gallon tank, you are likely to see some die-off of the snails as they struggle to find food. 10-12 small snails seems like a better number, but if you currently have a lot of algae they will be okay until it diminishes.

[Zappo]

It depends on the snails, but I agree that 20 is probably too many. Normally I'd say start with a few and add more as needed. Since you already have them, you can either give a few away or just let some die off. Your cleanup crew size will shrink until their numbers are small enough for the food supply to sustain them.