Mysterious snail outbreak

[jcarson]

Hey MFK

I lost a tank a few weeks ago due to heater malfunction.
I did remove all the fish but decided to let the tank run while I was waiting on new heater to arrive.

After about a week of room temp water which was 68 degrees when I noticed small baby snails in the tank, pic below.
Here is why its mysterious and I am confused.....

This tank has been set up and running for over a year, the fish in the tank I have had since fry as this tank was from a brood one of my females.

NOTHING was introduced to this tank from outside, fish, substrate, ornaments, sponge filter, filter itself, heater (that failed) etc. etc. ALL came from within my home and tanks.

I have not purchased fish or any other livestock in over a year, so I like to think my tanks are secure from these critters and any other threats they may come from a lfs etc.

I have no snails in any of my other tanks.

Can someone explain this?
Thanks for your time.

 

[jcarson]

Here is a couple more pics if it helps.

 

[deeda]

Christmas miracle?

Just a guess that you've had these snails for awhile, they've been in the substrate and you haven't seen them. The removal of the fish and the lack of feeding has caused them to come out searching for food.

 

[twentyleagues]

It possible your fish were eating the eggs and or baby snails. With no predators they are left unchecked. Its possible to miss a snail like this they hide alot. I breed these for my puffer and will think I'm out but yet there is always more.

 

[RD.]

Agree with the others, snail eggs are pretty much invisible to the naked eye & can be introduced via a single drop of water.

 

[jcarson]

Agree with the others, snail eggs are pretty much invisible to the naked eye & can be introduced via a single drop of water.

Didn't know that!
OK then.... couldn't be all bad right?
Thanks everybody for the replies.

 

[fishhead0103666]

I can not add onto the others answers but I would like to talk about how resilient mts are.
When I got rid of the gravel in one of my tanks I simply left it in a 5 gallon bucket and put it outside. A bit of water was left inside which I made no attempts to get out. Weeks later I would see them crawling around still being alive. A few months passed and I could still see a few tiny tiny ones alive.
They lived off of the deitrus for months in low to no oxygenated water that was being polluted by hundreds of snails dying and they kept breeding. Those things are hard to kill.

 

[dr exum]

Didn't know that!
OK then.... couldn't be all bad right?
Thanks everybody for the replies.

copper safe if you want to do them in, 2 weeks usually...

Or get a puffer ?

good luck!

 

[jcarson]

copper safe if you want to do them in, 2 weeks usually...

Or get a puffer ?

good luck!

So i decided to just kill the tank, ran some bleach through the system (about 1 tablespoon) and they disappeared.
Then just took the tank apart, discarded the gravel/sand and now I have a new tank.
Gonna paint the bottom and back and call it a day.

However I am worried about the 1 drop of water as stated by RD. may still be in my python and possibly already infested other tanks in my fish room.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

I find them a valuable addition. Great for keeping substrates clean and help with impaction. I consider them a plus.