brand new tank set up, found a small snail. (story included!) - Aquarium Advice

slevin3 · 09-14-2009, 03:06 AM

Hello!

Today I bought a brand new fish tank starter package. I've kept fish before when I was younger and my dad was a huge fish aficionado. So over a decade later here I am, wanting to liven up my home.

Anyhow, knowing that I was going to buy a tank sometime in the following weeks, I set out jugs of water to sit. Gravel is expensive for a bunch of pebbles, but I had a ton of gravel that use to be in a thriving 400 gallon tank that ran across 1 side of my living room to the other. This is until my little brother who was about 4 at the time, decided to go outside and find a rock to throw through the tank. Destroying the both the tank and the flooring of both upstairs and downstairs. Anyhow that was over a decade ago and we kept a bunch of the aquarium supplies in our store room so I took out some of the gravel and washed it thoroughly. We stored 1 of the 80 gallon tanks outside in our shed and I salvaged the heater from it.

Sorry, I got into the story (ah the memories) but let me get back on track to my question. So my tank is set up and I'm allowing it to settle and cycle. I put some live plants in it already.

Anyhow, I let it sit for the day and tonight when I came home I see a tiny snail moving across the tank. Now I'm wondering where that came from? Was it from the live plant? (Does that normally happen with pet store plants? I bought them from Pjs Petstore). Perhaps it was in egg form this whole time waiting in the gravel? (like those prehistoric tripops or w/e you call them, where you just add water and they hatch, hehe) Or maybe it was from the heater that has been sitting in my shed? (I washed and scrubbed it clean though)

But the real question is, do I let him live or do I end his life? (I don't want the small guy to cause harm to my fish)

mgamer20o0 · 09-14-2009, 03:10 AM

if you added plants thats most likely where it came from. it wont cause harm to the fish. some people like them some people hate them. for me its a easy way to tell if i am over feeding or not.

Smitty · 09-14-2009, 09:30 AM

What shape is the snail? Some will eat the live plants so you will have to watch out for that.

DragonFish71 · 09-14-2009, 11:12 AM

It most likely came from the plants. Personally I like having snails. As mgamer stated, it helps me judge if I'm over feeding or not. Also since we have a snail population, algae hasn't become an issue anymore. The poor little otos can only eat so much

**jsoong** · 09-14-2009, 12:00 PM

PJ's has tons of snails in their tanks. <At least the one I went to.> So it is likely a hitch-hiker from the plant. I let them be. They eat up a bit of the leftovers & I keep the population in check by not over-feeding.

The only thing to watch out for is you don't have a baby cana or other plant eating snail. <The canas get big - 1-2", so if you see one, it is easy to remove.>

slevin3 · 09-14-2009, 12:37 PM

The snail is extremely tiny but movies quite quickly for a snail, does laps around the side of the tank and rests on bubbles until they pop then moves on. I don't know how to tell the shape of it, since it's so tiny.

I thought it was cool to have a snail randomly appear. I was just wondering if it was a safe snail since I rinsed the plant off and let it sit in another 10 gallon tank that I just have to hold water.

Just curious, how can I use to the snail to tell me if I am over feeding the fish?

(Also about live plants, is it ok that I just buried the little cup thing under the gravel rather than take it out?)

**jsoong** · 09-14-2009, 04:46 PM

Snails

That is a snail ID page. Apples (of which Canas are a type) has a trapdoor & is the top pic <The only apple snail safe with plant is bridgesii.> . Chances are you have pond snail or MTS (bottom pics). Those reproduce like weeds when overfed.

Take the pot thing off your plants, the roots need to grow.

slevin3 · 09-14-2009, 05:21 PM

Yep, the bottom snail looks about right, same color.

So I pull the plant out of the pot and the spongy thing and plant the roots directly into the gravel?

Floyd R Turbo · 09-14-2009, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slevin3

Do I pull the plant out of the pot and the spongy thing and plant the roots directly into the gravel?

You can do either. IMO the plant will grow better if you take it out of the pot. Do it in a separate container, the spongy stuff is usually fiberglass, so you have to wash it completely away before putting it back in the tank, and dig a nice deep hole, set it in place, cover it up, and gently pull up a little (1cm) on the plant to set the roots (at least that's what I've read)