What Is This Little Thing Sliding Around My Tank?

[blw0489]

Hello, I started a new 20g aquarium, I am 30 days into my "fishless" cycle (nitrites are still very high). I ordered 4 banana plants from liveaquaria.com, and I picked up a small fern from my LFS (not from their tanks, it was separately packaged). With my tank cycling I figured the only things that could maybe survive, aside from the bacteria, are plants, and I heard they help with the cycle so that is why I bought them. With all that said I found this very little, almost microscopic blob with two antennas sliding across my tank wall, doing about 10 inches every minute. No apparent shell but it is SO SMALL, I doubt you could tell what species it is without a microscope. Im assuming this is a snail that came with my plant(s), why is it so small/will it get bigger? Does this mean there is more than one? Will my future inhabitant eat it/them? It is so small my phone would not focus, so I have a blurry pic to justify his size so someone can maybe determine what it is. After stalking it with my iphone it hid itself under the rocks, so he is long gone. Anyone out there wanna help with this one? Thank so much 
 
PS. in the photo, the little guy is not on the fake plant, he is actually on the wall of the aquarium, my iphone could not capture him due to his size so it is very blurry and this was my best shot so I'm sorry. You will see it on the vertical vein of the fake plant

 

[blw0489]

future inhabitant - my greedy 3inch common goldfish

 

[Goggy]

I would think its small plastic that came with one of your fake plants that is stuck to the wall. Or it could be a organism that came with your live plants well, if its a snail put snail killing stuff in the tank. Now, if its a snail/slug it will get bigger goldfish will not eat it and yes, it means their is more than one

 

[attibones]

It is likely a small snail. Do NOT follow the above advice to put pesticides in the tank. They can kill other inhabitants and may remain in the tank seals or decorations. Just squish the snail or pick it up and remove it. Also do NOT put a goldfish in this tank. It is way too small for a single goldfish. Common goldfish need upwards of 150 gallons. You likely have more than one snail and they tend to reproduce quickly.

 

[blw0489]

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It is likely a small snail. Do NOT follow the above advice to put pesticides in the tank. They can kill other inhabitants and may remain in the tank seals or decorations. Just squish the snail or pick it up and remove it. Also do NOT put a goldfish in this tank. It is way too small for a single goldfish. Common goldfish need upwards of 150 gallons. You likely have more than one snail and they tend to reproduce quickly.

 
 

I would think its small plastic that came with one of your fake plants that is stuck to the wall. Or it could be a organism that came with your live plants well, if its a snail put snail killing stuff in the tank. Now, if its a snail/slug it will get bigger goldfish will not eat it and yes, it means their is more than one

Thanks guys! This goldfish is lucky to have me, I saved him from a science project that my college stupidly does with live organisms.. don't know what happened to the others: / He has been living in a 10 gallon for about 6 months and Im upgrading him to a 20 because thats all I can accommodate/afford right now. I know how much waste they produce so I do however plan on getting a nice big tank as soon as the time is right, he is still very young. By the way it is definitely a snail, after staring at it for 20 minutes it has an itty bitty shell. The plastic plant was transferred from his 10g which is snail free as a bacteria booster for my cycle. Im guessing the plants are the culprits. Thank you for the advice on how to get rid of the snails but I don't want to kill them..I think they are quite cute? Do they become a nuisance, whats the reproduction like? I don't have any other tank inhabitants so it would be nice to have them? Thoughts?

 

[Ninjouzata]

What type of goldfish is it?
 
I think snails are cute too. Some people consider them a nuisance but so long as you don't overfeed their population shouldn't get too crazy.
When it gets a little bigger you could maybe use THIS to ID what kind it is, or post a pic here

 

[attibones]

The problem with the goldfish is not necessarily its waste production, but its size. They easily surpass a foot in length which is why they do best in ponds. The best thing you could do for the fish is to rehome it, but it is good that you are upgrading its current tank. Stunting is a real problem for this species, unfortunately.

You don't have to kill or remove the snail. I have a bunch of pond snails in two of my displays and in the QT tank. I don't mind them at all, even though my tank is like an ideal breeding ground for these guys just because of the way my tank is planted and set up. Still, they don't eat my plants, so we are all good.

If you want to further plant the tank, try some floaters like duckweed (which grows rapidly and has a tendency to fill up a whole tank) or frogbit, water wisteria, or lettuce, or spangle. Water sprite is good too. Floating plants especially help knock out a cycle. You can also get elodea for a cold water tank. It should do very well.

 

[blw0489]

Thanks for all the great advice, if the snail(s) makes it to adulthood I'll be happy to ID it. And I'll look up those plant options, thanks.