Hey guys, I just finished doing a water change when I noticed this little guy at the bottom of the tank, I was wondering if it's a pest snail? Or if I can keep it. Will it ruin my tank and over populate it or is it harmless.
pest snail?
- Thread starter SpellEcho
- Start date
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Mebbid
Aquarium Advice Addict
Its harmless but they will reproduce quickly depending on available food.
They do however help clean up the tank so its up to you to get rid of them or not.
They do however help clean up the tank so its up to you to get rid of them or not.
Danicalderon
Aquarium Advice Regular
Just make sure there is no more in your tank they will reproduce really fast
Mebbid
Aquarium Advice Addict
They honestly dont bother me... But it could have come in with a fish in the bag easily.
Danicalderon
Aquarium Advice Regular
Then if probably is the only one i would say leave it since they do clean the tank well i have a couple of them and they do a good job. Just keep an eye on it.
Mebbid
Aquarium Advice Addict
Pond snails don't need a mate to reproduce.
Danicalderon
Aquarium Advice Regular
Thats right i think only apple snails do if im not wrong
Jak
Aquarium Advice Regular
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Do those guys eat plants at all?
Mebbid
Aquarium Advice Addict
They won't eat any healthy plant material but they might eat stuff thats already dead or dying.
Jak
Aquarium Advice Regular
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2013
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Oh that's super helpful. Where's the best place to get some of those lil guys?
Would my dwarf gouramis, corry cats or bristlenose pleco keep the population down?
Bichir Bro
Aquarium Advice Addict
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The pleco should but idk. If your tank becomes infested with them I recommend getting a (temporary) striped raphael catfish. They love snails, they eat shells and all, and an almost full grown one can take back a tank in a few days. I had a really really bad snail outbreak because one hitched on a plant that my fish store put in with my bichir, sneaky little dude, ended up taking over my tank with snails everywhere. I got a striped raphael and he cleaned it right up in about a week. He was small at the time so I imagine a big one can clean a tank up very soon. It started out a how to deal with snails but turned into "how I ended up with my striped raphael cat" the mini series Haha
Fishfur
Aquarium Advice Addict
More likely a bladder snail.. also hermaphrodites that can begin laying eggs even when very, very young. But harmless enough, so long as they don't get to be too many. Do a nice clean up job.
Often found in ponds, often called pond snails, but pond snails can be one of two or three species, one of which at least gets much larger and eats plants. Bladder snails don't get much over 3/8 inch, and don't eat plants.
Often found in ponds, often called pond snails, but pond snails can be one of two or three species, one of which at least gets much larger and eats plants. Bladder snails don't get much over 3/8 inch, and don't eat plants.
Mebbid
Aquarium Advice Addict
You usually get them in on plants that you buy. If you really want them go to a privately owned LFS and they will usually give you some for free. That's what I did when I started my 55g to get both pond snails and Malaysian trumpets.
To keep their population in check assassin snails are by far the best option.
