My friend had gifted me tiny snails to keep in my Platy fish tank. And, thinking of Platy fish to be a docile fish, I forgot about the hard-shelled snails for a while. When I checked the snails after a few days, the number of snails was half in number. This led me to think if Platy fish eat snails.
Yes, Platy fish eat snails if they get the chance to. Platy fish can eat snails if the Platy is underfed, under stress, aggressive in temperament and of course, if the snail is small enough to fit in its mouth. So, you should keep large and compatible snails with your Platy fish.
Overpopulated snails can be a problem in your tank. Platy fish can help to reduce snails. But, what if you want snails in your tank? How to protect them?
Saying that all Platy fish eat snails might make you wonder if Platy are really snail eaters. But, your Platy probably is smart enough not to gulp down the hard-shelled creatures. And Platy fish is peaceful if their tank mates are set right.
To know more about Platy fish-eating snails, and compatible snails with Platy fish, let us dive below.
So, Do Platy Fish Eat Snails?
If you ever have a Play fish in your tank, you might understand how docile and peaceful they are.
Platy fish can easily befriend snails. And, Evidence proves that Platy fish live in harmony with snails.
But, Platy fish are omnivorous. They don’t mind a delectable treat when they go hungry. Some Platy fish are naturally curious and aggressive to try and eat a snail up. But, Platy fish don’t have enmity towards snails at all. It’s just that small snails seem like food for your curious Platy fish.
See. The thing is simply this: Platy fish eat whatever fits in its mouth. If you didn’t know, Platy fish even eat their own babies! This is a bit cruel but that’s how nature works. So, if the snails are small enough to fit in a Platy fish’s mouth, the snail will be food for Platy fish sooner or later.
However, Platy fish don’t eat up large snails that don’t fit in their mouth.
Some Things To Consider
Before pairing up your Platy fish with a snail, there are some things you should consider. And they are:
Size Difference
You Platy fish eat whatever fits in their mouth. Platy fish can go really extreme as to eating their own babies. So, small baby snails are easily Platy fish’s food.
However, most adult snails are 1-4 inches. And a Platy fish grows up to be 2-3 inches long. Thus, a Platy fish can’t eat large snails.
Some snails are small in size even if they’re adults. So, it’ll be better not to keep such snails in your tank.
Hard Shell Of Snail
Snails have hard shells to duck into whenever there’s trouble. And Platy fish aren’t interested to eat the hard shells.
So, your curious Platy will probably get bored after constant attempts to invite the friend outside.
But, if the snail (along with the shell) is small enough to fit in your pet’s mouth, they’ll probably eat the shells too.
Suppose the snail is small enough to fit in your Platy fish’s mouth. But the shell of the snail is big. Then, your Platy fish can try to suck out the snail from the shell. But, this is very uncommon. Your Platy fish will probably leave big shells behind because they’re quite peaceful fish.
Temperament Of Platy Fish
More important than the size difference is the temperament of your Platy fish. A large Platy fish will not eat the small snail if it has the right temperament. Platy fish will mind its own business.
But, some Platy fish are naturally curious. And some Platy fish are aggressive too. So, they end up eating the snails whole or suck the snails out of the shell out of curiosity or aggressiveness.
Aggressiveness is driven by many factors. Mating, bad tank conditions, dominant Platy, and so on cause aggressiveness.
Water Parameters Matching
Most snails live in water temperatures of 75 to 86 °F and pH of 7 – 7.5 which is similar to Platy fish’s water parameter.
Snails feed on algae, dead fish, dead plants, and other debris. So, they act as excellent tank cleaners. And they’re generally peaceful, slow creatures who inhabit the bottom of your tank.
But, some snails can be a nuisance. They multiply quickly and overpopulate your tank. They nibble on plants. Some hide in filters and create a biohazard. Some snails release ammonia which is poisonous to Platy fish. And some, eat the weak and sick Platy fish which might be bad news to you. (Although Platy are more likely to harm the snail in your tank.)
Although snails and Platy fish live peacefully in a tank, the above are the things you should consider before keeping them together.
How Will You Protect Snails From Platy Fish?
Although Platy fish don’t eat snails, some aggressive Platies may eat up the snails (along with their shells). You may have some attachment with the snails and want to save them from being eaten up by some vicious temperamental Platy fish. Fortunately, you can save your snails from being your Platy’s snack. Here’s how:
Provide Hiding Spots
It is quite obvious that you should provide hiding spots in your tank if you see the number of snails decreasing. It may imply that your Platy fish is aggressive and is eating up all the snails.
But, some snails are shy by nature. They retreat inside their shells or go under the substrate. You might just overthink that your peaceful Platy fish has eaten the poor snails.
In any case, you should provide plants, foliage, rocks, and some decorations as a hiding spot for your snails.
Feed Platy Fish Properly
Platy fish are voracious feeders. And although they normally don’t find snails delectable, hunger can make the snail look like food for your Platy fish. That’s why you should always feed your Platy fish properly and on time.
You can provide a veggie and meaty diet alternatively. For example, give carrots, zucchini, and peas one day. Then, give brine shrimps, chopped liver, or any meat the next day. You can even provide your Platies with nutritious flakes and pellets.
Feed your Platy fish at least twice a day. And please don’t let your Platy fish go hungry for more than 2-3 days. I mean, fasting is good. But, some platyfish can get berserk if they’re not given food and may feast on the poor snails.
Balance Water Parameters
A bad tank is a breeding ground for violence.
If you neglect the water parameters of your tank, let’s say, the ammonia levels in your tank are spiking. Then, your Platy fish gets stressed. Under stress, your Platy fish can display unexpected violent tendencies. The Platy fish may tend to eat some snails to relieve its stress.
You should balance the water temperature, water pH, water hardness, and remove ammonia from your tank. So that your Platy fish has a peaceful lifestyle and doesn’t direct its stress onto the poor snails.
Induce Mating
Platy fish get really aggressive if they’re not given females to mate with. So, they can direct this aggression towards the poor snails, thereby, eating them up. To temper the aggression, you can let your one male Platy fish mate with 3 female Platies.
Keep Suitable Snails
I can’t stress how important this tip is. See, the larger the snail, the less food-like it will seem to your Platy fish.
Since Platy fish is an omnivore, Platy fish will eat the snails if it gets the chance to. A small snail can be sucked out from its shell or be eaten whole by a Platy fish.
Consult with your supplier about the size of the snail and how big it can grow. If it’s a small snail, better not buy them. And avoid baby snails at all costs.
You should get a compatible snail for your Platy fish. A snail that is large, peaceful, hardy, and isn’t a nuisance for your tank.
Will Platy Fish Eat Snail Eggs?
Yes, Platy fish can eat snail eggs because the eggs can easily fit in your Platy’s mouth. Your Platy fish doesn’t mind the proteins coming from a snail’s egg.
Did you know that Platy fish eat their own fry if they’re small enough? That’s pretty cruel considering it’s their own baby. You should take care of Platy fry for this very reason. Perhaps the Platy fish thinks of the fry as extra protein. And snail eggs are not related to Platy fish in any way. So, hurray for extra protein!
You may find this useful as Snails multiply like crazy. And to cut off of their population with the help of your Platy pet is a dream come true.
But, if you want to protect the eggs, you should either shift the eggs into a different tank. Or, as I mentioned above, provide some hiding spots.
Can Snails Eat Platy Fish?
Snails are slow and snails are peaceful. They can’t ever catch the fast swimmer Platy or cause harm to them.
But, here’s a catch. Snails can eat Platy fish who have died. Or Platy fish who are too weak to swim around and plop at the bottom of the tank. This is a good thing because perished fish can infest parasites in the tank if not removed!
Snails are cleaners of the tank and eat dead Platy fish. But, normally, snails are never the predators. In a way, Snails are like vultures of the water world.
Snails That Platy Fish Get Along With
Platy fish are quite compatible with snails. But, the snails must be adults. Or, let’s say, the snails must be large enough to not fit into a Platy fish’s mouth. Considering these things in mind, I’ve compiled a list of snails that are compatible with your Platy fish. And they are:
Mystery Snails
Mystery snails aren’t mysterious at all. In fact, these snails are known to be friendly and get along with Platy fish just fine.
The perk of keeping mystery snails is how big they are. So, good news, your Platy fish won’t lay an eye on them.
Moreover, these snails eat the food that has fallen at the bottom of the tank. So, extra food that you feed to your Platy will not decay and cause an ammonia spike. It will be eaten up by this mystery snail.
Turret Snails
Turret snails look like trumpets and are cone-shaped and long. They grow quite big to around 5 inches. So, they won’t fit in your Platy’s mouth.
Moreover, turret snails prefer similar water parameters to Platy fish.
Assassin Snails
The name of this snail might make you think this snail is a killer of some sort. I mean, pairing these 1-inch snails with other small snails will be a problem. But, these snails only assassinate other snails. Assassin snails steer clear from Platy fish’s direction!
These snails can help to control the population of other snails but themselves reproduce very slowly.
Nerite Snails
Nerite snails are perfect for your Platy tank. Firstly, they multiply only in a saltwater tank. And since your Platy fish lives in a freshwater tank, you won’t have the problem of Nerite snails infesting your tank.
Nerites aren’t messy and create a very low bioload. Moreover, they grow around 1 inch which is huge for a snail. So, your Platy won’t eat Nerite snails.
Just keep one or two Nerite snails and watch them devour the algae in your Platy tank!
Ramshorn Snails
Ramshorn Snails are quite a popular snail in the fishkeeping hobby. And rightfully so because of their colorful shells which come in brown, red, brown, leopard, etc.
Perhaps the downside to these snails is they reproduce like crazy. So, you should take care not to let these Ramshorn snails overpopulate in your tank.
Rabbit snails and Trumpet snails are other fish you can keep in your Platy fish tank.
FAQ
What Can Platy Fish Live With?
Platy fish are peaceful. And for this very reason, they can be kept in a community tank. A Platy fish can befriend other friendly fish, snails, shrimps, and other friendly aquatic animals.
Are Snails Harmful To Platy Fish?
Snails are too slow to chase a Platy fish. They can eat weak or dead Platy fish. But, snails are no threat to a healthy and active Platy fish.
Conclusion
Platy fish can eat snails only if they can fit in the Platy fish’s mouth. However, most Platy fish don’t eat snails. Only some aggressive and curious Platies may try to suck out the snails from their shell. I hope I answered your question. Happy Fishkeeping!
