Water snail, Bob the water snail

[weaselandalf]

Hey, I'll keep this short. I'm still waiting to get fish after taking the cat to the vets... Anyway, my tank is all set up and ready for the goldfish and I have live plants in there.

I looked in just now and I have a tiny water snail in there. I didn't put him in there, so he must have come with the plants, if it's just him he can't breed and become a pest, can he?

As there is no way I want to euthanise Bob (well, he has to have a name, - I'm still waiting for real fish!) is there anything I need to do to keep him healthy and shiny?

And please don't tell me my [planned] weather loach or goldfish will eat him?

 

[talloulou]

Many of these hitchiker snails that come in on plants tend to multiply rather quickly, especially in overfed tanks. Your weather loaches may eat the snail, but if your snail turns into "snails" you may appreciate that. Depending on how big he is your goldfish may eat them too.

 

[Fluff]

Chances are if you got a snail with your plants, then there is no doubt snail eggs on the plants as well. You'll have more snails before to long. And also, depending on your snail, some are hermaphroditic. Which means they carry both male and female reproductive organs. I agree, you'll no doubt appreciate it if your loach helps keep them in check. Your goldfish may help with that as well.

 

[Guest]

yeah, you see one snail and then next week it will be 5 and before you know it will be millions of snails!!!

 

[Blazeherd2306]

How big is the tank? What goldfish do you plan on getting? Common goldfish can grow upto 2 feet long and I think the fancies can get upto 8" (not sure on the fancies).

 

[Jchillin]

Since you have no fish, you can drop some fish food in the tank. Or, better still, blanch a slice of carrot or a broccoli stalk and drop it in. Snails love veggies.

 

[Guest]

once again.. i love gary.. lol
sry, off topic

 

[weaselandalf]

The tank is 30" x 12", I'm planning to get Blackmoors and pearlscales as well as a weather loach or two. Of course I'll get these slowly, but might start with one of each, as it should be okay, my tank having already cycled.

Thanks for the advice and WATER SNAIL EGGS !!??? Prehaps it wouldn't be a bad thing to have a few eaten by my fish...

 

[Toirtis]

You will likely find that weather loaches tend to mostly ignore snails...so the loaches will be of little use, and the goldfish will not be much more. Chances are any snail that came in with plants (which both the snails and goldfish will eat, by the by) is one of the 'pest' hermaphoditic sort (likely either pond snails or small 'pest' ramshorns) that will multiply like crazy and cover your tank within 10 weeks or so.

 

[iamchris]

Chances are if you got a snail with your plants, then there is no doubt snail eggs on the plants as well. You'll have more snails before to long. And also, depending on your snail, some are hermaphroditic. Which means they carry both male and female reproductive organs. I agree, you'll no doubt appreciate it if your loach helps keep them in check. Your goldfish may help with that as well.

they are hermaphroditic, but i thought they couldn't reproduce with only themselves? they have to still have a partner, but any one snail can reproduce with another, since they are hermaphroditic

 

[Guest]

they are hermaphroditic, but i thought they couldn't reproduce with only themselves? they have to still have a partner, but any one snail can reproduce with another, since they are hermaphroditic

some can and some cant. For example Ramshorn snails contain both sexes, but i believe Other Apple snails and MTS need both sexes.

 

[weaselandalf]

Okay so is there anything I can get that'll eat them [sob] or am I gonna have to put the cat in to fish them out?

The shape of his shell is pointy, about twice as long as it is wide and he's only a couple of milimeters long. So what could he be?

 

[Fluff]

My goldfish and koi eat them. They don't eat enough to get rid of them all but they do a fair job of controlling them in my ponds. Not sure how they would do in a tank.
There are loaches that eat them. But since most snail eaters won't be compatible with your goldfish later, I would suggest you try rinsing the plants well to remove any eggs that may be hitching along. Then manually removing any that may still be there. You can also keep them in check by not over feeding and good tank maintenance. If the food source isn't there, they don't become a real problem. I wish mine would reproduce faster. The puffer loves em.

 

[Fluff]

You know, I totally missed your last post. They sound like malaysian trumpet snails. You may want to keep them. They are beneficial.

http://www.2cah.com/pandora/M_tuberculata.html

http://www.petresources.net/fish/plants/mel_tub.html

 

[Guest]

yeah, if its MTS they are excellent substrate scrubbers.

 

[Toirtis]

You know, I totally missed your last post. They sound like malaysian trumpet snails.

Sounds more like common pond snails to me...

 

[weaselandalf]

Just and update: as of this morning Bob has been joined by Bob2 through 37 and they are garden pond snails... ...groan.... thanks for the help

 

[Toirtis]

Soon to be Bobs 38-1010....have fun pickin' snails!

 

[weaselandalf]

Out of interest I dont think snails are big fans of machalite green, I have one left after a whitespot treatment... ...though I did loose a fish too, sniff.

 

[downtheroad]

Ya know, I may have to second that... I just treated my tank for ich too and I have noticably fewer snails.

Not that I recommend doing that JUST to get rid of snails... An interesting sidenote though.