snails in the aquarium... where'd they come from?

Question

Alright... I'm NOT a fish expert but I've been maintaining the same aquarium for over the last ten years... not the same fish, though. Oh yeah, there've been fatalities over the years in that aquarium... mistakes to some. I like to call it... experience.

You'll be happy to know that there are far fewer casualties than when I first took over the responsibility of the aquarium and our oldest fish is about 8 years old... give or take since I don't know how old it was when we brought it home. It... a jurassic looking, scum sucking thing of a sucker fish. The heartiest of fish I've tried to keep alive.

Okay... so here's the thing. Nothing to do with fish really except that they reside in the tank... and now so do these itty bitty snail looking creatures. It's seems as if there are hundreds of them and they also seem to have just appeared over night.

Can anyone confirm that they may have come from their food? My boyfriend thinks I'm absurd. Feedback, please?

Answer 1

I saw your second question first, just checked to see what info you provided in this one before answering.

By any chance do your snails look like this: http://www.yamatogreen.com/MalaysianTrumpetSnails.htm ?

These only get to be around 3/4 inch (2 cm) in most tanks and they burrow in the gravel during the day, only coming out at night to feed. So if you're seeing a lot of them, it means they've been in your tank for some time, and plants are how they're usually introduced. These snails can reproduce with just a single snail, so it takes a while to build the population to the point that they'll be noticeable.

In a way, these are my favorite snail, because instead of eating your plants, they burrow among (and aerate in the process) the roots where it's harder to clean and eat the organic matter they find. But for them to reproduce to the point that there would be a lot visible during the day would tank a lot of accumulated organic matter. It's possible you may be overfeeding your fish or need to use a gravel vacuum a little more frequently or efficiently to remove more of what they're feeding on. Less food = less snails.

These may be small, but they have a tougher shell than other snails and fish seem to have a harder time controlling them. A better solution would be to use a bait (lettuce leaf weighted with some gravel) in the tank overnight - the snails will crawl onto it to eat, and you can remove the leaf and snails first thing in the morning.

Answer 2

If you got any new fish lately they could have come in with the water from the petstore. They were probably little tiny eggs that you can barely see and then they hatched. The eggs look like little bubbles stuck to the glass or plants. Hope this may help. As they get bigger some will die but I would try getting rid of them because they can take over the tank. They do keep it clean though.

Answer 3

The typical way snails come into a tank is with live plants. You can also have the snails or eggs come into the tank from purchasing a fish from a tank with live plants or snails at the pet store.

To be honest, I have never heard of a case in which snails got into a tank from processed foods.

MM

Answer 4

Have you added any new rock, plants or fish( even LIVE fish food) recently, if so they are highjackers and hiched a ride into your aquarium on the back of a plant or fish, they can take awhile to show up..there are fish who love to dine on these little snails, ask at your local pet shop, and get'em under control before they take over!

Answer 5

usually they come from fresh plants that you put in the aquarium that are new. there are eggs on the plants and they hatch very quickly. if you didn't just put plants in there then I would say it probably is the food.

Answer 6

its most likly parsites so get something to kill them