A Snail Mystery

[4seasons]

Well I have a mystery snail on my hands. Not one sold under the name Mystery Snail, but more of I don't know what he/she may be.
First off I didn't buy a snail for my tank. This guy just showed up one day. The nearest that I can figure it must have been an egg on one of the live plants that I bought from a LFS a few weeks back. The plants were in a tank with Nerite Snails or at least that is what they told me. I was also told that Nerite Snails needed salt water to reproduce and that this tank was a freshwater tank. A few days ago I spotted this little guy on some decoration.

I know it isn't the greatest photo but he is only 1/4 inch long and gets around a lot for something that moves so slow. I don't mind having a snail in my tank but I don't want an infestation like I have read about snails being. What do you guys think? Just a lone hitchhiker? A lucky bonus that came with a plant? Or am I about to get over ran with snails?

 

[FishLover66]

I'm not sure what kind of snail it is, but I have a MILLION KAZILLION of them in my planted tank and can't seem to remove them fast enough. The pet store said they hitch rides on plants and it only takes ONE to have an entire colony of them, so they recommended to remove as many as you can, as quickly as they show up. Some people aren't bothered by them, but to me, they are very annoying.

 

[thereverendturtle]

It's a common pond snail. They can rapidly overrun a tank, botia type loaches will eat them, as well as puffers and some cichlids.

 

[bigfish-smallpond]

It's a common pond snail. They can rapidly overrun a tank, botia type loaches will eat them, as well as puffers and some cichlids.

I had a large 'mini community ' unwanted friends like this one. 5 assassin snails for a fiver from ebay (to keep them company) and now , a few weeks later i only have three or four snails ... i wonder where they all went

 

[FishLover66]

Fish Fanatic, what's your pH? I did some research on assassin snails and read that they can't tolorate acidic water--something about their shells melting or something.... My pH ranges from 6.6 to 6-8. I definitely want to get some, but want to be sure they'll actually survive in my aquarium.

 

[sadguppy]

I see them as free food....If you have loaches they will make light work of them, my yoyos go nuts over them and the only evidence left in their tank is empty shells! Other fish will eat them up but you need to squish them first.

 

[The Duke]

Two words......assassin snails!!

 

[Benakaben]

agreed with the duke, bring in the assassins!

 

[FishLover66]

For those who have assasin snails, what's your pH and is your water soft or hard?

 

[Joanne_]

I have these snails multiplying every week ! At the moment they are in my outside breeding tank.

Once the baby fish in the breeding tank are big enough to go into the big tank I'm sending in my 2 Pakistani Loaches because I don't want that many snails in my main tank !

 

[Bugdozer]

Does anyone know what the bioload of assassin snails is?

 

[Joanne_]

Oh and just in case you were wanting to know the name of these snails, I'm pretty sure they are Acute Bladder Snails (Physella acuta)

 

[Bugdozer]

Oh and just in case you were wanting to know the name of these snails, I'm pretty sure they are Acute Bladder Snails (Physella acuta)

That sounds like a medical condition!

 

[bigfish-smallpond]

i will test my water tonight and tell you the ph. Assassins breeding nicely so whatever my tank water is they seem to like it... randy little buggers lmao

 

[fluttermoth]

I have soft water and my assassins seem to do perfectly well in it.