Snail macros. Update: nerites?!

[majolo]

Here's a couple shots of some new snails I got from a biological supply house. They are some species of Physa.

When viewed normally the shells are a uniform olive green color, but up close the naked eye can just make out these bands on the shell. They're pretty neat looking, I think. I don't know what's up with the chip on the apex of the shell, they all seem to have that. :?

Edit: LOL at the site's rewriting. "the without clothing eye",
You get what I wrote, I'm sure.

 

[black hills tj]

wow..the censor made me chuckle

neat lookin little guys!

 

[smn723]

Never seen anything like those. Cool snails!

 

[plecoperson]

Beautiful-how big are they?

 

[majolo]

Beautiful-how big are they?

I think these are probably about 1/2 to 3/4 inch.

 

[Jchillin]

*eyes without clothing* - That is a pretty good censor to make it that funny. The last thing we need is to have snails running around without clothing.

Those are great looking snails. I would guess that the chipping is a part of the adjustment to your water parameters, the apex is more than likely thinner at that spot than others.

 

[theotheragentm]

Cool snails. I love the patterns.

I think the word it's replacing "without clothing" with is a perfectly fine word. It implies innocence. The other word that rhymes with "dude" that means the same thing implies knowingly and purposefully being without the clothes.

 

[QTOFFER]

Very unusual snails! The pattern looks like something off a topographic map.

 

[roka64]

I love the pattern!

 

[majolo]

*eyes without clothing* - That is a pretty good censor to make it that funny. The last thing we need is to have snails running around without clothing.

Those are great looking snails. I would guess that the chipping is a part of the adjustment to your water parameters, the apex is more than likely thinner at that spot than others.

I'm pretty sure the chips were there when I got them, which was only last Thursday, I think. At least the apex is probably the less vital area in terms of protecting the snail, I would think.

 

[majolo]

Upon further research, I don't think these are Physa at all. They don't really come to a point like the Physa I'm used to; they have an operculum, which Physa do not (according to applesnail.net); and they are incredible algae eaters. Here's a before and after shot of an Anubias leaf:

So I did a little more looking around, and found this page. Check the top right picture on the page, and see if you don't think this looks the same. In fact, the snail there even has the same kind of chip on the apex of the shell! So I think these are Olive Nerites, Vitta usnea.

So the good news is I have some excellent algae eaters; the bad news is I wanted to breed these snails, and that sounds next to impossible. Plus, I'd like them to eat algae in my main tank, but that's also where my kubotai loaches are, and this batch of snails was originally meant to be breeding stock for loach treats.

Anyway, if anyone's looking for another source for olive nerites, check Carolina biological Supply Co., and look for "Physa" snails.

 

[paul_219]

Looks gr8.