wspeirs

I just looked in my 29 gal tank and discovered a very tiny baby snail. Where did this thing come from? Is it a magical snail that just appeared out of no where? I did buy some plants from wal mart about a month ago at least, could it have been on or in them? This snail is about the size of a pin head, wouldn't know it was a snail if it didn't move. I'm not even sure how snails reproduce, so I don't know if it was on the plants but that was a long time ago.

Shawnie

it came from the plant as a free rider

wspeirs

Even though it was over a month ago? seems a long time for a free rider..lol

Nate McFin

Yup it came from the plant. They usually come in with eggs attached to the roots. Snails usually come out when the lights are off so you may have never noticed it. It also may have just been cruising the substrate.

Shawnie

I agree...and be preparred for more they just kinda show up like the tooth fairy

wspeirs

hmmm...thanks. now I'm wondering if more will appear and if that is what is eating my plants, I was blaming my daughters black moor because he's a hog! lol

Zoreta

Well, when a mommy snail and a daddy snail love each other very much... J/K XD

It hid on your plant, maybe even as an egg in the pot if it was a potted plant. They start out microscopic, and then grow- it probably just got big enough to be visible.

Shawnie

some snails dont even need a "mommy" and a "daddy" they are just that good!!

wspeirs

Wow, I never would've guessed. Now I have to wait to find it again.

Nate McFin

If you dont like, them get them while you can. They can be out of control once they get settled in. I have a very happy tank full of them now as I just plain gave up. LOL

Lucy

lol, Me too. They don't bother me too much. I suck um out with a turkey baster and throw them in an old scratched 5g.

Chewyoda

Lolz and agreed although they can reproduce on their own also.

Nate McFin

Turkey Baster! What a great idea. I will be getting my "Vacuum Induced Snail Extractor" at Walmart this weekend! LOL
Thanks for the tip.

cheri900

I never thought of a turkey baster!! I suck em up when I vacuum, but otherwise ignore them. My tetra's love them if I crush them first.

Psychlist1972

I had a pond snail come in on a plant from PetCo. Thought it was cute at first. Not so cute when entire substrate is crawling with them. I'll never be able to remove them all, so I just manage them by removal.

Around lunch time, I stick a piece of romaine lettuce on the bottom, with a rock to weigh it down. At about 3am I take the lettuce out, along with the ton of snails that are on it. I'll also remove any I see on the glass. When I gravel vac, I usually get a bunch of tiny ones in the waste water. If you have more than one tank, I'd suggest dedicating a gravel vac to the snail tank so you don't transfer them around (probably a good idea anyway in case of sickness)

The pond snails eat live and rotting plant matter, but also contribute a fair amount of snail poo to the tank.

Overfeeding them will make them reproduce more (like Gremlins) but so will just keeping plants in the tank.

Pete

peacemaker92

Wow! After reading all the post on this thread. I'm scared! I just found one lil' snail on my rock I placed into my new 55g today. I tried to get it and throw it out but it slipped of my hands and fell into my black gravel! BLACK GRAVEL!!!! And the thing is black also! LOL So I'm currently waiting for it to climb on my rock again so I can grab it again. Hope it doesn't lay eggs before I catch it.

But a question to all members though, would it be harmful if I just leave all of the lil' guys when I put my plants and fish in? Or maybe just starve them to death by just delaying my plan to put in livestock and plants for several weeks? haha would it work??

Psychlist1972

@peacemaker92

IMHO, once you actually see one, it's too late

I wouldn't do anything drastic. My guess is anything sufficiently disruptive to get those guys would also get your fish.

To get an idea of how many you really have, before supper tonight, put a piece of green leafy lettuce (or a cucumber slice) in the tank, weighed down with a rock so it stays on the bottom. Make sure you turn off the tank lights early tonight.

In the middle of the night (latest you can), take the vegetable out and count the snails on it.

Pete

Psychlist1972

Actually, I see you have no livestock yet, so if you really did want to do something drastic, you could do it now.

Pete

peacemaker92

Wow! I don't think I'll do it just yet... Maybe tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. It'd be scary though, seeing those creepy crawling stuff just crawling over the vege. Thanks!

Psychlist1972

Nah, they're not that scary. They poo a lot, but otherwise just look like brown dots. If they didn't reproduce like mad and eat the plants (and poo so much), they wouldn't bother me at all.

Pete

wspeirs

I still haven't found the lil brat again.....*sigh* hope I don't get snail overload before too long....

Psychlist1972

Try the lettuce and see what shows up

Pete

jclee

If you guys really want to be snail free for life, look into a yo yo loach. They love munchin' snails.

Some aquarists dip their newly purchased plants in a mild bleach solution, then rinse, to ensure that they're snail/parasite free before adding to the tank. Personally, I'm not that at war with snails. I inspect, visually, rinse plants with tap water, and if a hitchiker makes it through my screening process, it usually winds up squished into the glass with my finger, and left for the barbs to pick at. Yummy.

peacemaker92

Wow! Isn't that a lil harsh? haha I mean the squishing part? Well, that'd be cool to do, but you can't get all of them right? Because they're quite small and do hide.

I just found the lil' snail I've been looking for in my tank on the glass, I just picked it with my fingers, then flushed it down the toilet. I hope not to be seeing anymore of these critters now that my new ordered plants have arrived!