# So this snail hitched a ride into my tank...



## Arcteryx (Nov 23, 2011)

.... I think it came in as an egg with one of the plants I bought recently. Noticed it when it was really tiny and just in the last week it has gotten quite a bit bigger. Hugs the glass, seems to eat the algae, and it hasn't formed quite a shell yet.

So should I yank it out or leave it in the next time I see it?

Thought I better ask before my daughter gives it a name... then I'll be stuck with it forever...


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

Sorry dude, I bet its too late all ready...

I bought my brother a plant, bleached\watered it the respected ratio, massaged it, and then planted it with prime after 30 mins, and I still managed to infect his tank with (ramshorn? circular ones) snails.

We had to do a complete tear down and bleach\rinse on his shrimp tank to get rid of them, and even then one survived, and somehow repopulated.

They're great at eating algae I suppose, but I rather have me some pleco's breeding instead!!!

If you don't have invertebrates I'd perhaps recommend some copper medication to eradicate that. Alternatively assassin snails, which are the only snails I'd prefer to have in my tank.

Cheers,
Chris


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

one tank i have assassin snails, the other chain loaches, and my shrimp tank i manually remove them and feed the chain loaches. If you keep up with the snails and dont over feed, they are harmless


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## Arcteryx (Nov 23, 2011)

Ah, dammit... well I've just seen the one... or at least I think it's just one... scooped him out into a container, I'll keep an eye on things and see if there's anymore. Seems unlikely there would only be one though, right?

Sigh.

Ah well. Just one of those things. Maybe I'll be lucky.


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## Ursus sapien (Apr 21, 2010)

Arcteryx said:


> Ah, dammit... well I've just seen the one... or at least I think it's just one... scooped him out into a container, I'll keep an eye on things and see if there's anymore. Seems unlikely there would only be one though, right?
> 
> Sigh.
> 
> Ah well. Just one of those things. Maybe I'll be lucky.


Relax. Hatred of the 4 common pest snails is an esthetic thing. They don't eat plants, they DO eat dead and dying plants and left over food as well as algae. A good addition to the janitor crew. Non fish people who look at my tanks get most excited about the snails- an adult ramshorn or pond snail is impressive.

Don't over feed and the population will be somewhat self regulating.


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