Snails from flake fish food

[cwt]

Hey AA peeps, long time no type. I searched the forum but didn't come up with a match, so this is submitted for your feedback/curiosity/etc.

My Jack Dempsey has been a little cranky, so I bought some new food for him. Cichlid flakes, by a popular manufacturer, have used their other stuff before. He's still cranky and didn't eat all the flakes. TWO DAYS after I first dropped these in the tank, I have small conical snails on the glass. This is a tank that hasn't had inverts in it in probably a year.

Is this a common occurence, and what sort of snails have I ended up with? Pics forthcoming if I get to it.

 

[Scouser]

The snails will have came in on plants or other items more than likely.

They can lay dormant till there is sufficient food to grow (what I've read in here)

They are commonly a sign of overfeeding

 

[JokerWx13]

The snails will have came in on plants or other items more than likely.

They can lay dormant till there is sufficient food to grow (what I've read in here)

They are commonly a sign of overfeeding

+1

would you mind taking a picture for us? not all snails are bad for the tank and a pic might help us find what kind it is. did you only see it after you left the tank lights off for a while?

 

[blert]

I have heard of the possibility of getting snails from algae wafers so I guess it is possible. It is more likely that they came in from a different source though (a plant or a used ornament).

 

[cwt]

Nothing new in decor (plant or object) has entered this tank in at least 4 months. The last item was an Amazon sword which I bought in, I think, November. Having a hard time believing that it's the plant; that vendor keeps their plants segregated from the fish.

They've emerged in force now that the tank lights are off. Here's a handheld shot, I could have gotten a bit more macro but I'm not digging out my tripod for this. Like the ones shown here, the first ones I noticed today were hanging out at the top of the tank.

 

[JokerWx13]

those look like malaysian trumpet snails...not sure...maybe someone else can confirm my suspicions. if it is, you're in luck cuz those r great snails for plants! they dig around the substrate looking for leftover food and aerate the gravel for root growth. they only come out at night so thats y ur noticing more and more when u turn the lights off. theyre actually rlly good for the planted tank cuz they wont eat live plants, only downside is their population BOOMS if you put too much leftover food constantly

 

[cwt]

This is the first day I've seen these (and they don't exist in my other tanks) so I guess I'll just have to keep an eye on them. And I'll hold off on using this food for awhile. Thanks for the replies, guys.

 

[JokerWx13]

if you really wanted to get rid of em, (which i suggest you don't yet and observe there behavior), boil a piece of veggie and then but it in the substrate and turn off the lights, come back in a few hours at most and it'll be covered in snails if you have a lot of em

 

[jetajockey]

I think they've been in the tank for some time, I know I can't tell if I have any unless I start digging around since they stay buried all the time. MTS are livebearing I believe.

My JD eats snails, so it's suprising he hasn't made a snack of them yet, or maybe he does from time to time.

 

[cwt]

Not going out of my way to get rid of them; they can stay for all I care; just wanted to know where they came from. I'll have to check out that pet store and see if their plant tanks have these in there.

I have not observed Jack eating these yet. Which is odd since he eats everything. Probably need to give this tank a bigger water change too, if there's that much food in it.

 

[meegosh]

A sudden snail population boom is a sign of overfeeding. Cut back on your feedings if you start seeing more and more. Snails hanging out at the waterline can be an indicator that your parameters are out of whack (high nitrite/ammonia).

I highly doubt the snails came from the food. I would think that is next to impossible to do. Probably came from your sword.

 

[cwt]

Well my experiment of adding the suspect food to a spare tank didn't do anything. So I'm ready to buy the plant idea. But now another tank of mine is busting with microrams! Usually have a few in there anyway, but now its a baby boom. Cutting back the food now...