Snail problem!!!

Okay hI guys not sure if this is the right place for this but I have a problem that I need some answers for so let’s try this. I recently bought two angelfish and a sucker fish from my friend and got a tank and some decorations from him. We’ve probably had the tank for about a month or so and some golden mystery snails started showing up today. Neither we or the guy who had them before us have ever had snails in that tank or with anything in the tank. I had snails about a year ago but not only did they never have any babies, none of the stuff from that tank is in the new tank. How did these snails get into my new tank!!? I know a lot of posts say they were scooped up with the fish, but the guy who I got them from had had the fish for almost 5-6 years...I need answers!!!!

 

Okay hI guys not sure if this is the right place for this but I have a problem that I need some answers for so let’s try this. I recently bought two angelfish and a sucker fish from my friend and got a tank and some decorations from him. We’ve probably had the tank for about a month or so and some golden mystery snails started showing up today. Neither we or the guy who had them before us have ever had snails in that tank or with anything in the tank. I had snails about a year ago but not only did they never have any babies, none of the stuff from that tank is in the new tank. How did these snails get into my new tank!!? I know a lot of posts say they were scooped up with the fish, but the guy who I got them from had had the fish for almost 5-6 years...I need answers!!!!

Did you put any live plants in the tank?

 

Welcome to FishLore!

 

The common way for snails to get introduced to an aquarium is live plants. I guess it's possible for snails to hitchhike with new fish, but there wouldn't be many of them.

Are you sure they're mystery snails? Most pest snails lay tiny eggs in little circles of slime. Mystery snails lay large egg clutches, about the size of a finger or thumb, above the water line. If they really are mystery snails, they'll be easy to get rid of as they grow. Mystery snails won't reproduce without the clutches, and you can just remove and toss a clutch if you see one. Otherwise you can just net them out and they won't reproduce.

If they're pest snails (just about everything except mystery snails) you'll pretty much have to deal with them from here forward. One method is to tie a string to a slice of cucumber and put it in the bottom of the tank. In the morning it will be covered with snails. Just pull it out and throw it away. Another way to get rid of them is getting some assassin snails, that will kill off other snails.

 

Did you put any live plants in the tank?

No we haven’t put anything in the tank besides a ship decorations and the rocks the guy gave us.