Species mixing question...

[Raiden]

I have a very specific question regarding C. orientalis.

I recently constructed a 10 gallon tank with the intent of putting two C. orientalis in it; the tank is very nearly complete; the only things that still need to be done pertain chiefly to aesthetic taste and not overall function.

The tank has sand; approximately 1 to 1.5 or 2 inches in the deeper spots. I have always wanted to try out using Nerite snails as a sand-stirring crew (to help keep anoxic spots from forming) in a tank with some sand.

The snails seem to get large enough that they will not be selected as a prey item, and I don't see a newt being able to do much damage to snail with a shell 1 inch in diameter.

Has anyone tried this? I have a couple of fish tanks that I could easily relocate the snails to if it doesn't work, and somehow I can't imagine a largely-herbivorous snail suddenly growing fangs and going after newts. They also seem to have fairly broad temperature requirements.

What do you guys think? I know about all the species mixing issues (and I made some mistakes with them as a child -.-), but this seems like it might work out, so long as I monitor things well.

 

[Tappers]

I think most people have a more relaxed attitude to mixing invertebrate clean-up crew with newts.

Having kept Nerites, I don't think they're the snail for the job though. Mine always prefered hard surface algae grazing and didn't seem adapted to move over sand, let alone burrow in it. For this task you'd be better with the Malaysian Trumpet Snail Melanoides or one of the less prolific Tylomelania species. I'd go with the more attractive Sulawesi Tylomelania personally as they're less likely to out-breed their welcome. Unless one of your fish tanks is home to a hungry pufferfish?