Tiny snails

BristlenosePleco

BristlenosePleco

Large Fish
#1
Dec 20, 2009
131
0
0
Canada
#1
I picked up some bleeding heart tetras last week and I noticed these tiny snails in the tank with them. I asked the girl what they were but she didn't know, and I didn't care I just knew I wanted them. She ended up just throwing about ten in the bag with the tetras. I didn't really think about them untill just recently, and now I'm obsessed. I need to know the name of them and I can't find anything on the internet. They kinda look like tiny apple snails, less than the size of your pinky nail, kinda yellowish brown in colour, and they are commonly used as puffer food (thats all the girl knew about them). I tried to take a pic but none of them came out well enough too see anything of significance. Can anyone help me Identify them please?
 

bassbonediva

bassbonediva

Superstar Fish
#2
Oct 15, 2009
2,010
0
0
Northern Arizona
#2
Welcome to the world of common pond snails. They look a bit like this, eh? http://www.bettatude.com/Snails/pond-snail1.jpg Good luck getting rid of them. They breed like crazy and are notoriously difficult to get rid of (unless you want to invest in some clown loaches or any of the botia-type loaches). They usually come on live plants as well. I have several cruising my 10gal tanks and just found one loner in my 29gal tank as well.
 

bassbonediva

bassbonediva

Superstar Fish
#4
Oct 15, 2009
2,010
0
0
Northern Arizona
#4
They're just pond snails. I'm not sure how quickly they breed, exactly, but I know that you don't usually see them out and about until they're bigger, so just because you only see two or three doesn't mean there aren't tons of babies lurking in the gravel.
 

bassbonediva

bassbonediva

Superstar Fish
#10
Oct 15, 2009
2,010
0
0
Northern Arizona
#10
The only real problem with them that I can see if that if you don't keep on top of de-populating them, they'll take over your tank...and I mean LITERALLY take over your tank. I personally try to get rid of the ASAP because they aren't that great for live plants (I've heard that they like to snack on live plants, which is why they so often hitch rides on them).
 

BristlenosePleco

BristlenosePleco

Large Fish
#11
Dec 20, 2009
131
0
0
Canada
#11
I have no live plants. I just liked them and got the girl to bag them for me...well more so slip them in a bag of tetras lol. But I'm ok with taking some out if I see them over populating. I think my LFS will buy stuff like that off poeple, if not buy at least take lol.
 

bassbonediva

bassbonediva

Superstar Fish
#12
Oct 15, 2009
2,010
0
0
Northern Arizona
#12
You're better off throwing the snails away once you take them out of your tank. I doubt your LFS will take them back (they're actually considered pests). I got to Petsmart to get my Malaysian trumpet snails (for free...they're considered pests too) for my sand bed and they always ask me (jokingly because they know my tanks are planted) if I want some pond snails too. I think they do it just to see the stricken look on my face. :p

Just remember, even if you de-snail your tank so far that it looks like they're all completely gone, chances are there are eggs or juveniles in your gravel, so you'll just have even more in a week or two. :)
 

vampirefish

vampirefish

Medium Fish
#16
Feb 23, 2009
75
0
0
York, UK
#16
they'll just seem to appear around the tank, and you'll sometimes find massive gooey masses of eggs on decorations etc., but as long as you suck some out with your water changes to keep them under control they're quite fun to have :D
 

Newman

Newman

Elite Fish
#17
Sep 22, 2009
4,668
0
0
Northern NJ
#17
ponds snails are asexual. one snail is all it takes to get 100s in your tank in a matter of weeks.

I personally don't like these things cuz they multiply really fast in the right conditions and will make the tank look unsightly. but it's all up to you, if you like snails, you will love them becuase there's just no stopping them once they get goin :D
 

O

OrangeCones

Elite Fish
#19
Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#19
BristlenosePleco said:
Oh man thats cool. Will they start eating more algae than my pleco and oto I have in my tank?
Click to expand...
Common pond snails will eat whatever they find, including algae.

They are scavengers.

They do not eat live healthy plants.

They are often blamed for plant damage because you will see holes in the leaves where they are, but they are simply taking advantage of the fact the the leaves are decaying due to lacking in a nutrient or to physical damage. Plants cannot repair leaves, but only can replace them.
 

J

JLW

Small Fish
#20
Jun 28, 2008
22
0
0
Washington State
#20
Bristlenose, cool fish, Is it yours? As far as snails are concerned, they are a pain in the ass to me, I have both pond snails and Ramshorns and cannot get rid of either, After I get all the cherry shrimp out of the ten gallon and get rid of all the snails I can see, Then im going to dump bleach in it to kill ALL of them suckers that are left, You will be tired of them someday, They get in the filter and you will hear them getting ground up and they die and the shells will be in the rocks, Its unsightly. Mine came in on plants and I havent been able to get rid of them yet and the Ramshorns ate up my java ferns, not cool, Ive given literally hundreds of Ramshorns away and they just keep multiplying and also got 2 clown loaches in a differant tank to combat what snails are in there, Hopefully they will get rid of them.
 

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