# Can snails live in an uncycled tank?



## Grimmjow (Jul 22, 2009)

Out of nowhere Ive got like 6 little snails in this tank that Ive just been adding flake food to get somewhat of a cycle going, have no filter on it as the rena I had leaked and the eheim I ordered is STILL on backorder and only half expecting it to actually come.

Anyway point of the post is since the snails are living in there fine does it mean its cycled at least somewhat?


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## loachlover (Dec 24, 2010)

what all have you added. Any plants or decor that was in another tank? They are most likely bladder snails or ramshorn. Both are particularly hardy and dont care so much about the perameters of a tank. Their presence is not an indicator of a cycle. How big is the tank? Most people will remove them to prevent an outbreak(caused by overfeeding fish). Being that there are no fish in the tank the flakes are theirs(snails) for the taking. I would put a leaf of lettuce in the tank for either a few hours or over night and then remove it in the morning, they should be on it. Its up to you though.


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## Grimmjow (Jul 22, 2009)

75g tank, about 15 plants, like 4 plants came from other tanks. I really dont mind the snails, except for the fact that they crap like crazy. I want to get some kind of julidochromis and I read they like to eat snails so its really no big deal.

I just figured by now with them living in there and with all the poo there should enough of a cycle going.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Grimmjow said:


> 75g tank, about 15 plants, like 4 plants came from other tanks. I really dont mind the snails, except for the fact that they crap like crazy. I want to get some kind of julidochromis and I read they like to eat snails so its really no big deal.
> 
> I just figured by now with them living in there and with all the poo there should enough of a cycle going.


Enough of a cycle for what? The snails would represent a VERY small bio-load and as such,,it would not take much in the way of fishes to create levels of ammonia or nitrites that could become dangerous to any fishes added in excess of what the snails have been contributing in the way of waste, and too much food fed to the tank can create toxic conditions from the get go.
You really need a filter ,for this area (filter)is where the majority of bacteria colonize.
When you get your new filter..borrowing some filter material from another tank? would speed the (cycling) of the 75 gal.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

In a 75g tank with some plants you can safely add a few fish with no cycling issues. Just don't overdo it. The plants need nitrogen and they prefer it as ammonium (which they change from ammonia) and they use quite a lot of it.


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