07 Best Snail For Betta Tank (How Can They Live Together)

Do you want to add a snail to your betta tank? Not sure which one is best? This article will discuss the seven best snails for betta tanks.

I’ll talk about each type of snail and why they make good tank mates for bettas. Then, I’ll give you some tips on caring for your betta and snails together.

I will also cover what type of snails you should avoid. So, read on whether you’re looking to add a new pet to your tank or just do some research before deciding!

Can Bettas Live With Snails?

Bettas can live with a number of different types of snails, but there are some you should avoid.

Snails do not generally bother bettas or make them aggressive. Some bettas will ignore snails, others will nibble them, and those who are exceptionally hostile will eat them.

In general, any item added to betta tanks will be eaten, including snails. That being said, you shouldn’t assume that snails will be consumed immediately by bettas. Quite the contrary, many aquarium owners, found no adverse effects from adding snails to their betta tanks.

A combination of live food and fresh pallets, i.e., a balanced diet, will prevent your betta from going after the snail.

Introducing the right types of snails is also crucial. For example, larger snails can protect themselves from betta attacks by hiding under their shells or under the substrate, which smaller snails can’t do.

Below, I have mentioned some of the best snails for betta tanks that you can keep in your aquarium.

Best Snail for Betta Tank

Many different types of snails can live in a betta tank. This article will discuss seven of the best snails for a betta tank. These include:

– Malaysian trumpet snails

– Nerite snails

– Mystery snail

– Assassin snail

– Ramshorn snail

– Japanese Trapdoor Snails

– Turret Snails

Nerite Snails

Nerite Snails are best for a betta tank because they are good at keeping the substrate clean and eating algae. They can eat any type of algae, even that which is growing on plants or rocks in your aquarium. They make a massive difference in tanks where algae are persistent.

They are also compatible living with betta fish. They don’t come out of their shells very far while move around. So it’s tough for a betta fish to be able to attack them or get to them.

Another significant aspect of nerite snails is they don’t breed in freshwater and captivity. Instead, they need brackish water to reproduce successfully. So they won’t take over your tank like many other snails.

Even though they have apparent gender differences, it can be difficult to distinguish between male and female nerite. The female nerite snail is hard to identify until you see it lay eggs.

Female nerites are a type of mollusk that can lay eggs but never hatch them. You need to use razor blades to remove snail eggs from your aquarium surface.

There are some varieties of nerite snails; Zebra Nerite, Tiger Nerite, and Horned Nerite. You can add all of them to your tank to add colors to your aquarium. 

Make sure you’re giving your snails enough food! They need calcium to grow their shells, so feed them foods rich in calcium.

Mystery snails

Another species of snail you can have in your tank is a Mystery Snail. They don’t require special care and can be introduced to your betta with no issues. Just make sure they get enough food.

Mystery snails come in all sorts of colors, from jade to gold to black. However, the two most common are yellow-gold or dark brownish ones. That can be found on the market under the name “Inca” for their native country Peru where they originated!

Mystery snails, which are primarily carnivorous, require calcium and protein supplements to thrive. They grow up to the size of golf balls. Because of that, cuttlebone and shrimp pallets are often used as calcium and protein supplements.

In addition, they eat algae and plants and any leftover food that your betta doesn’t finish. When they get hungry, you will see a snail crawling around looking for food in the tank.

They can also attach themselves to walls or substrate to feed on algae growing there! You can also supplement their diet with algae wafers or blanched vegetables.

Ramshorn snails

Ramshorn snails are another great snail to have in a betta tank. Ramshorn snails are excellent snails for a beginner. They’re very hardy and can tolerate a wide range of water conditions.

They’re easy to take care of and can reproduce quickly, therefore, help control the population of other snails in your tank. They’re also one of the most colorful types of snail, making them an attractive addition to your aquarium.

These beautiful snails require the same pH level as bettas, so you don’t have to worry about changing any parameter!

While Ramshorn snails can survive on algae and old food, they will also consume live plants in aquariums. So, they are not recommended in a tank containing live plants.

Ramshorn snails can multiply like crazy if overfed, resulting in problematic conditions for your betta. So keep a close eye on them, and check population growth. 

Assassin Snails

Assassin snails are unique snails that live on other snails. This snail species hunts down and eats other snails, as indicated by its name!

They may be tiny, but these assassin snails are the ultimate killing machine! These little guys will go after any snail in your tank. Even it’s effective to remove harmful apple mollusks from the aquarium.

They help keep everything clean by eating algae, leftover food, and other pestilences that would otherwise ruin an incredible aquarium experience for you!

You must ensure that your assassin snail is eating enough meat. If your tank doesn’t have any snails, try adding some freeze-dried blood worms or other meat. Your betta will enjoy it as well.

Another great thing is assassin snails reproduce at a much slower rate than other types of snails. More significantly, they coexist peacefully with bettas, provided that your betta isn’t overly interested in them.

However, assassin snails are the most challenging creature to keep on this list. Still, as long you have suitable water parameters and care for them properly, they should be easy enough.

Pond Snails

Pond snails are best for a betta tank. It can be put on the bottom of your aquarium, and it will eat all kinds of algae that are present there.

They are effortless to take care of, and they can live in any water condition. The only thing you need to ensure is that there is enough food for them to eat, as they love eating algae.

They additionally help to keep your water clean by consuming dead plant matter and fish feces; they are nature’s janitors, in a sense.

You can feed them either with an algae wafer or tablet. If you have an algae problem in your tank, you can leave them there, and they will take care of it themselves.

However, be careful about overfeeding your betta and pond snail as well. If you overfed betta, that means more fish waste and more food for the snail.

You should avoid overfeeding pond snails to keep your betta healthy. If you do not, they will lay too many eggs, which could be detrimental to your betta. 

Pond snails should be added to the tank with bettas if you can maintain a balance.

Japanese Trapdoor Snails

Japanese Trapdoor Snails are also famous among aquarium hobbyists because of their attractive colors and shapes. If you love color variations, you will be delighted to know that they come in various colors: green, dark brown, white, golden, and many more.

Japanese Trapdoor snails will make a great addition to your Betta fish’s aquarium. They are beneficial scavengers and algae eaters, which keep the water clean.

They are peaceful creatures who will not bother your Betta fish because of their slow pace. They can grow up to a two-inch size and live up to five years.

Japanese trapdoor snails, which have a functional trapdoor, are safer than tiny snails with exposed parts. They will retreat to their shells or burrow themselves in the substrate to protect themselves when they sense danger.

It’s no surprise that these snails like to wander around like the nerite snails. The tank must be securely covered; otherwise, they may find their way out!

Despite not eating plants or fish, this snail might eat them if you don’t provide enough food. You can use algae pellets to keep them occupied.

Your aquarium can explode with amazing numbers when you get a male and a female Japanese Trapdoor Snail. Therefore, I recommend getting just one.

Turret Snails

Turret Snails (also called Malaysian trumpet snails) are a great addition to any freshwater tank. They scavenge and eat detritus (dead plant matter and fish feces), algae, and leftover food.

Despite its unique appearance, this snail is a very calm creature, making it a good choice for new aquarium owners. It will not threaten the fish or snails it shares the tank with.

Rather than just their shell, their unique burrowing capability makes these invertebrates so interesting. These creatures can measure up to 1 inch in length and have a conical shape to be more maneuverable when digging through the substrate.

Malaysian Trumpet Snails enjoy exploring their surroundings. An aquarium with slow-moving water, plenty of live plants, and a soft substrate are ideal for the Malaysian Trumpet Snail.

A turret snail requires a similar set of water conditions to a betta, which means they will thrive in a betta tank. Turret snails are a good choice for beginners since they require little upkeep. As long as your water conditions are good, they will flourish.

One downside is these little guys are known for multiplying quickly. So if you don’t keep an eye on your snail population growth, it could become overwhelming.

Type of Snails to Avoid

While many types of snails can live in a betta tank, there are also some you should avoid. These include:

Pest Snails

Pest snails can be introduced into your aquarium through infected plants, gravel, and even artificial decorations purchased from a pet store. 

It is best to quarantine any new additions for at least one week before adding them to the main aquarium. It’s just to ensure they do not bring anything into the ecosystem.

As pest snails reproduce quickly and consume vast amounts of food, they can quickly overrun an aquarium.

Apart from other snails, Bladder Snails, Pond Snails, Micro Ramshorn Snails, and Malaysian Trumpet Snails are often considered pest snails.

You can keep some of them along with your betta fish, but always make sure to control the population and get rid of excess snails from the aquarium.

In addition, pest snails lack an operculum. Therefore, their heads are exposed and are vulnerable to betta attacks. Furthermore, they cannot hide in substrates, so they will be eaten by bettas. 

More read: How to get rid of excess snails from the aquarium

Apple Snails

These large snails are not compatible with betta fish because of their size and aggressiveness. They will consume plants and prey on smaller tank mates.

The diameter of apple snails is 6 inches which is too big for a typical betta tank (Usually 20 gallons or less).

Land Snails

Snails on land are not the same as those on water. For example, a garden snail that lives in your garden on the dry ground would drown in an aquarium.

Best Practice when Keeping Snails in Betta Fish Tank?

• If you are putting a new snail into an already established aquarium, make sure the new snail does not have any parasites that can be passed on to your betta fish or other snails in the tank.

• Since these invertebrates will feed on whatever is available, one best practice would be to only put one snail in the tank at a time.

• Make sure you keep your betta fish and snails in a separate aquarium for a few weeks before introducing them to each other. So that they can get used to the new environment. To make it easier on yourself, I recommend getting both creatures at once when setting up the tank.

• If you add snails to your betta fish, give it plenty of hiding spots. They can’t outrun an aggressive betta, but they can retreat into their shells and hide inside them until the danger passes.

• Feeding snails isn’t all that difficult. They will scavenge and eat detritus (dead plant matter and fish feces), algae, and leftover food. You can also give them a snail pellet or two to supplement their diet.

• Keep an eye on the water conditions in your tank and make sure they are optimal for both your betta fish and snails. pH levels, water hardness, and temperature should all be considered.

• If you are having trouble keeping the tank clean or your betta fish is not doing well, take out the snails and see if that fixes the issue. Unfortunately, snails can only do so much to keep a tank clean on their own.

• As always, consult with an expert if you have trouble keeping your betta fish and snails in the tank. They will be able to help you figure out what is going on and how to fix it.

More On Betta Fish

• Is guppy an ideal tank mate for betta fish?
• Self-Sustaining Betta Sorority, and six pro ideas on setting up beautiful a betta tank
• How to tell if your Betta Fish is about to die?

Wrapping Up

If you are looking for the best snails for a betta tank, there is no single best snail. You can choose any of the seven best snails mentioned in this blog post. 

They will be compatible with your betta fish, and they will not kill or eat each other. However, you need to follow a few dos and don’ts when keeping betta fish with snails.

Do’s:

– Choose the best snail for your tank

– Provide them with enough food and space

– Keep a check on water parameters

Don’ts:

– Never overcrowd the tank with too many snails

– Don’t overfeed the snails as it will pollute the tank water

– Avoid keeping aggressive or predatory snails with your betta fish. They may kill and eat them.

So, these are some of the best practices that you need to follow when keeping a betta fish with snails in a single tank. I hope you will enjoy owning a betta fish with the best snails for your tank.