I'm not sure what this is, or if it can live in my tank!

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I haven't had any fish for a few years, and am interested in getting back into the hobby. Four days ago, I bought a 5 gallon Fluval ChI tank, added water, conditioner, and supplemental bacteria. I planned to just let it sit and run till I could buy a testing kit and cycle it properly. However, I also bought a marimo ball just to add some life to an otherwise empty tank.

Apparently this little guy came in on the plant. It's not really moving, and has been sitting in the same place since last night when I first spotted him, but IS alive, because there is a little movement.

Is this just a big pond snail or is it something else? I don't have another tank to transfer him to, so what can I do to help it survive cycling?

 

Welcome to the forum

Looks like a ramshorn snail which will breed very quickly. I would take it out if you don't want it to populate. They're pretty indestructible so I'm sure they'd survive your uncycled tank.

I also want to mention that if you added your bacteria supplement without an ammonia source, you've wasted your bacteria as they need an ammonia source to live. Are you doing a fish-in or fishless cycle? I'd research the nitrogen cycle if you don't know it.

 

Thanks for your quick reply!

I'll probably leave him in there for now, because the tank is so bare. It gives me something to check in on every day.

I have been reading up on the nitrogen cycle, but apparently not close enough, because I did not add any ammonia. It's going to be a fishless cycle. Right now, all that is in there is a single marimo ball, this snail, and a shrimp pellet I threw in. Would those things produce enough ammonia?

 

A single shrimp pellet would probably not be enough to produce the ammonia needed to feed the bacteria. When did you add the shrimp pellet? What kind of bacteria supplement did you use?

If you can get your hands on pure ammonia, I'd use that instead because it's easier to dose and control the amount of ammonia you're using to cycle the tank. I wouldn't let the ammonia go higher than 2ppm for that tank size.

 

I added it when I noticed him, so about a day ago now. The pellet is starting to rot, and the snail isn't at all interested in it.

The bacteria is Fluval Biological Enhancer.

I can't leave my house because I'm on call for work, so I can't get any ammonia till next week. Is there anything else I should do during that time?

 

I would take the pellet out and replace it with a few new pellets but put them in an unused unwashed nylon stocking or media bag so it doesn't make a mess of your tank.

Once you get your test kit (I recommend the API Freshwater Master Test Kit), we'll know exactly what levels you're at and if the bacteria has processed any ammonia/nitrite though I would imagine it's still early for anything to happen especially with one shrimp pellet.

 

I'll do that!

After I get a test kit, I'll update there with the measurements. Thank you!