Adventure of a Bladder Snail

Hello, i have a snail. Thank you for reading!

Story goes:
I have the tiniest snail friend, in which I am giving life to, although many deem as a pest. This snail friend I have determined is a bladder snail, origin unknown for sure. I noticed him/her/it on Saturday. I have recently gotten plants from 2 sources and 4 rabbit snails from one of the same plant sources. I did not do any plant dips. Partly because I wanted more snails.... But actual source unknown. When i got my rabbit snails i chose to put them in a small tank on my counter for a few days, to observe them closer and prepare my other tanks' filter intake. So I soon noticed a tiny speck, and I mean TINY! but it's moving. Next day I see said speck again, but bigger. Actually looks like a snail, but so small I could not identify. Yesterday I determine that it looks most like a bladder snail. I took the 4 rabbit snails and acclimated into the bigger tank.

Now what to do with this snail.

My intentions are sinister. I plan to allow it to grow to reproduce, and eventually place them into my betta's tank. My betta will NOT tolerate anything besides plants in his tank. This however allows algae to grow, uneaten by things that would love to chomp away. I've tried a nerite, but the betta will find it within minutes and attack until poor nerite falls and would .... you know, not make it. I've been there to save my sweet nerite each time.

But 'pest' snails, that might work. If I can get them to breed enough to keep trying. This situation is evolving. But for now this bladder snail has been with me for only days and has, at least, doubled in size. I have move it to a jar with a strand of moss and a few random tiny plants that are growing. Its astonishing how much this one snail poops though. Being in such a small container really lets you see it. I did a w/c after only a few hours. I used a air line for suction to vacuum it up. Wow, its a pooper. Once its a bit bigger i'll likely dedicate something larger.


QUESTION: how long (age) until they lay eggs?

 

Why do you want to kill your snails? They have very little bioload and actually help with cleaning the tank. They eat remaining fish food, but obviously thrive if given their own type of food. If your population gets out of control, just remove them by placing zucchini in the tank overnight... I got my snails by accident on plants too, but I don't kill or remove them.... unless the population explodes (that means I'm overfeeding usually) LOL

 

Photos
Saturday 5/9/20



Today 5/14/20

 

I don't really want them to die, I actually like them, however, I have a Betta with an attitude, but he needs basically an army of snails so no way he'd be able to eat them all. And given bladder snails reproduction rates, this should mean he can get a balance of snacks and cleaning.

 

When I very first discovered a snail in my tank I didn't give it much thought. After a while though I was wishing I had removed that first one. Within a few months I had hundreds. When I did my gravel vac the water I pulled out of there was black with snail poop. I wanted them gone. I set traps and removed a lot of them but like I said, I wanted all of them gone. Finally I got assassin snails and they took care of what I then considered a pest problem.

Somewhere along the way though I acquired a new respect for the part these little creatures play in our hobby. Fortunately I found a few of the "pests" in one of my filters. They now live in a home of their own where they are well fed and they can breed to their hearts content. The first snails were ramshorns. Seems I got a plant with bladder snail eggs on it so I also have bladder snails. Fortunately my assassin snails are still on the job and they keep the "pests" under control for me.

The assassins do such a good job I have no fear of ever being over run in my main tank with pest snails again. I am so confident I actually pull a handful of ramshorns out of their home and put them in my main tank for the assassins. I put enough of them in there to give them time to do some house cleaning before the assassins find all of them. They are a great clean up crew. I just wish they would dine on black beard algae.

Even though I have both bladder and ramshorn I have never paid any attention as to how old they have to be before reproducing. I do know the babies grow up fast specially if they are well fed. I feed mine lettuce 2 or 3 times a week (straight from the fridge to the tank). They also get algae wafers, shrimp pellets and occasionally some of the foods I feed my fish. (the list is long)

 

yes, at first i though i could just clean the algae, but i think maybe some will do the cleaning for me in the hunters' tank (the betta)

 

Update on my Single Bladder snail. The snail has been around for almost 1 month, exactly. It has grown to probably 3/8" or so in size, like an oblong M&M. I have since plopped the little he/she in the shrimp and snail tank and it's definitely thriving. Spotted the first egg sac today. So that basically answers my question on how long it takes to reproduce. From big enough to barely see it, to laying eggs, 1 MONTH. Good info for those who don't want them to populate, it only takes 1 month to grow from just hatched baby to adult laying eggs-BY ITSELF. (for those who didn't know they reproduce by themselves)
I still have plans to add the snail to the death trap betta tank, so its good there will be successors.