I bought some plants yesterday and some tiny snails hitchhiked their way to my tank. Should I get rid of them or are they harmless? My tank is currently cycling and has no fish in it. I’ve counted 5 so far.
Pest snails?
- Thread starter juno26
- Start date
Some will tell you to get rid of them because they don't like having snails in their tanks. But they are actually good for a tank. I can't tell from the photos of they are Lymnaeids or Physids, but if you can pick one out to examine it then compare the way the shell spirals to the photos in this thread you'll find out which they are, and more info on them https://www.fishforums.net/threads/freshwater-snail-species-in-the-hobby.424364/
These snails can become a problem if they take over a tank. The way to keep the numbers under control is to restrict their food. This means not overfeeding the fish as uneaten food feeds the snails. And make sure you hoover up any debris from the bottom of the tank, and if you have gravel clean that at every water change deep down with the siphon except round plants roots to remove uneaten food that's found its way down
These snails can become a problem if they take over a tank. The way to keep the numbers under control is to restrict their food. This means not overfeeding the fish as uneaten food feeds the snails. And make sure you hoover up any debris from the bottom of the tank, and if you have gravel clean that at every water change deep down with the siphon except round plants roots to remove uneaten food that's found its way down
Retired Viking
Fish Connoisseur
I had an infestation of them and took over 100 out of my tank the last week. 
I reduced the food I feed my fish but fed them more often so they ate most of the food. I have 6 nerites snails in my 55 gallon take that do a good job already. Like you I picked up some new plants and got these. I only see a couple a day now and capture them and place them in my snail tank
I reduced the food I feed my fish but fed them more often so they ate most of the food. I have 6 nerites snails in my 55 gallon take that do a good job already. Like you I picked up some new plants and got these. I only see a couple a day now and capture them and place them in my snail tank 
As others have mentioned, the snails here are harmless (whether pond snails or bladder snails). They eat organics--fish excrement, dead plant matter, uneateen fish food--so they will reproduce according to the food availability. Keep that in mind--they are there at "x" numbers because that is how much food they have.
Wansui
Fish Fanatic
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yep, looks like a bladder snail. Very common and harmless, but they reproduce very quickly so if you don't want them i'd remove them now, while there isn't too many. It wouldn't surprise me if they've already laid their eggs on various surfaces. They're almost impossible to get rid of once they get a foothold.
I never had a peanut butter and tuna sandwich :yuk: I think you meant to say peanut butter and jelly or peanut butter and marshmallow fluffSnails and fish tanks go together like peanut butter and tunafish
Yeah my dad used to make peanut butter and tuna fish, sounds gross but its actually pretty goodI never had a peanut butter and tuna sandwich :yuk: I think you meant to say peanut butter and jelly or peanut butter and marshmallow fluff
FallenPepper
Fish Crazy
Puffers are great for getting rid of snails
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