Just 1 snail

[SuperProofer]

I've been thinking about getting just 1 MTS for my large jar tank. While waiting for it to cycle, the substrate got pretty algae riddled. The shrimp won't be able to take care of that, right? And it won't die off on its own, I'm assuming. So, my questions are:

1. Since I only need 1 snail (and this site has a min. order of 10), would the ones I can buy at a local store work in the brackish condition? (Mustafa says his have been bred into this condition leading me to think just tossing in a random snail may not work.)

2. Do I even need to worry about the substrate? Honestly, it's just for my own personal desire to clean up the anesthetics that I'm even thinking about it. Before I put the shrimp in I poked it around a bit trying to clear it up to no avail.

Thanks!

[mike.d]

I recently wrestled with this decision myself. See this topic: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=6200

I ended up with 2 zebra nerites. They can survive in any salinity water, but they don't reproduce in freshwater. My tank (10 gallon) was so bad I couldn't see inside. Algae was caked on all surfaces with air bubbles trapped inside. I scraped some of the algae off with my last cleaning, but I hate getting in there.

The nerites have been in there a week and they've made a sizable dent in the algae. I'm hoping they won't be able to get all of it. I have lava rock in there and I'm hoping algae will grow in the crevices where they can't reach.

[Varanus]

If the algae is on a surface the shrimp can reach then they should clean it up over time (just don't feed them until the visible algae is gone or greatly reduced), though it may take a lot longer than what a nerite or other snails can do. However if the algae is under the substrate (as can happen in the front of the tank where light shines) then you need a snail species that burrows (and nerites tend not to burrow much).

Any particular reason why you want just one snail? The ones Mustafa sells are pretty small.

[SuperProofer]

I figured just 1 because my jars are already so small to begin with, and the snails looked like they tend to populate a bit, I didn't want them taking over from the shrimp and/or the shrimp having to compete for the algae. But certainly 10 (even split like 7/3) in my jars seemed like overkill.

[Varanus]

The shrimp's added mobility and higher activity level actually means they out compete the snails when it comes to food, and the snails themselves won't populate beyond what the food supply in the tank can support.

[SuperProofer]

Ahhhh