mysterious snail appearance

[mollymama]

So, we've had our tank up and running since March. Today I noticed several snails hanging out on some (plasic) plants and on a decorative seashell. They're tiny, but I would have noticed them before. I've been scoping out the tank carefully lately, b/c the fish (a molly) that's in there has been getting stuck against the intake filter...but that's for another post. Here are two pieces of info that *might* have caused their appearance:

1. Back in June I got some media from my neighbor's tank to help speed up cycling. It was contained in a nylon sock, but the snails are so small now, months later, that maybe eggs seeped through the nylon matherial? This seems like a long time for them to make an appearance.

2. I've been turning off the filter periodically so the fish doesn't get stuck. It was off overnight last night and when I looked in the tank this morning, there were the snails. Maybe the stillness of the water gave the message it was safe to come out of hiding?

Thoughts? I'm really kind of baffled as to where they came from!

 

[Morgie]

Have you ever bought any live plants? That's where most snail hitchhikers come from.

 

[senemedar]

I'd say it's very possible to get them with the media from your friends - I had some this way as well, since they like to lay an eggs inside the filter.
Also I don't know about the stillness of the water, but in my case they liked to walk out when the light was off for a bit longer-- it was my way of catching them

 

[mollymama]

No live plants, just the plastic ones that have been in there from day 1.

How do you catch them?

 

[Morgie]

They are probably from your friend's media then.
You can put a lettuce leaf in the tank overnight and in the morning a lot of the snails will be munching on the lettuce and you can remove the piece.

 

[senemedar]

I've heard the cucumber is good as well. My shrimps love it, but I'm not sure about snails

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Have you identified the type of snail they are? That would be important in determining if you have a pest or a beneficial snail.

Here's a long shot, since i don't know what type of snail you have, but If they have an elongated shell (like an ice cream sugar cone) they might be MTS (malaysian trumpet snails). They popped up one day (noticeably) in my tank about a few weeks ago. I don't know from where because the live plants I bought were suppose to be snail free (at least that's what the cylindrical packaging said). And I never used any borrowed media, gravel, or ornaments when I cycled my tank.

I was worried at first but after some research in identifying the type of snail it was (MTS in my case), I was actually pleased to have them. MTS (if that's what you have) can reproduce asexually and are actually beneficial to your tank. However, if you have a population explosion, you are probably overfeeding. Although, some aquarists would be happy to take them off your hands.

 

[mollymama]

I'll have to look up an image, but that might be what I have (MTS). They're super tiny and have the pointed shell. It's just weird that they appeared so suddenly!

I may try the lettuce leaf (or cucumber) just to see if I can get them all in one place to see how many there are.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

It's just weird that they appeared so suddenly!

Yeah that was my reaction when I first spotted one in my tank! MTS start of super small, like the size of a grain of sand, and usually hide during the day (or when your light is on) and then come out at night to do their janitorial duties. They get introduced to your tank by hitchhiking on something you have introduced to your tank (usually plants).

Here's some more info on them (many more sites out there): HERE