Random Snail Appeared?!

[Lockhaart]

I've just gone upstairs and checked on the tank as the light comes on at this time, and saw something weird on the front of the tanks glass. I've gone to look and it's a snail, which isn't unusual, I have snails, one adult Zebra snail that I bought when I first got the tank, and a few of its babies, which I had to actually get rid a fair few of when I cleaned the tank on 11th, as there were just too many. But this, is a whole different snail, and I cant quite figure out where it's come from:

I haven't bought anything new except my filter - brand new (two of, being having trouble, still am!) and a fake plant that was in packaging. I really can't quite understand where it's come from!

 

[ColR1948]

Might be a fake snail that came with the plant

Seriously, have you used any old substrate from another tank, it might have been in there, I got that once and that was the only thing I could think of?

 

[Baccus]

Do you have other tanks? Could the snail (looks like a Malaysian Trumpet snail) have hitch hiked from another tank either via gravel as already suggested or some plant that got moved?
My other guess is that it actually came in on a plant a while ago as a tiny youngster and has been growing all this time in the substrate.

 

[CezzaXV]

I agree, it looks like a Malaysian trumpet snail. It probably came in your tank ages ago on a plant and has just been hiding. I had what I thought was one ages ago that came in on some moss. I just left if because I believed it to be one and I hardly ever saw it. Then one day it multiplied and multiplied.

 

[Lockhaart]

I have no plants in the tank though all I have is the one fake one I bought this week, no other tanks and used no gravel or anything

 

[ColR1948]

Did you transfer any media from your old filter or had some of someone else?

 

[LucyB]

Get rid of it before they take over!!!

 

[Lockhaart]

Did you transfer any media from your old filter or had some of someone else?

Nope I know no-one else with a tank to swap and I didnt save any of my old filter media

 

[CezzaXV]

My only guess would be that perhaps an egg came in on one of your other snails.

 

[Lockhaart]

My only guess would be that perhaps an egg came in on one of your other snails.

The only snails that are in there though have been born in there from the Zebra snail which must be over a year old now

 

[Boromir]

What about feeding live food could it have been introduced that way?

 

[Lockhaart]

What about feeding live food could it have been introduced that way?

Never fed them live food, I swear this snail is like a ninja snail, appeared from nowhere!

 

[Electric Warrior]

Could maybe an egg or a tiny snail been in the bag with fish that you purchased from somewhere? Sometimes when I do wc's, I find tiny snails the size of pen tips in the bucket, so maybe one could have hitchhiked from a tank/net from your lfs?

 

[lilguppy]

What about feeding live food could it have been introduced that way?

Never fed them live food, I swear this snail is like a ninja snail, appeared from nowhere!

Snails are totally ninja's! My advise to get rid of them, they are crazy breeders and when this ninja snail gets older and finds your other snails... well... you'll have more, lots more ninja snails on your hands! lol have a good day!

 

[Baccus]

Generally MTS snails drive me balmy with their over populating my tanks, but I find having a fine sand substrate makes it relatively easy to remove excess snails by scooping a standard course fish net through the sand and then sifting out the sand leaving the snails in the net to be disposed of. This will also help give you an indication of just how many are creeping through the substrate. Sneaky lil Ninjas

.
The choice is entirely yours on if you want to keep a snail that can build its numbers relatively quickly before you notice. If you like the MTS and the fact they can be very useful in turning over substrate and eating food waste caught in the substrate, then I would say keep it.