Snail Question ...

[DeathStalker]

Ok, so aside from the common Ivory, Gold, Black, etc Mystery snails, I *really* like snails in my tank (yeah, I go to PS/PC and have them clear their tanks of the "nuisance" snails - the spiral, Malaysian Turbo, and others).

I have noticed though, that my filter (FX6) tends to get a lot of the "oval" snails, but they shed their shells, as they can't move through the sponges well with them, so when I rinse the sponges and clean out the muck, I find a lot of empty shells and also a lot of shell-less snails. (Small, ~1/8" or less)

Anyone else find this to be the case?

 

[duanes]

The ones you describe could be Malay live bearing/cone snails, they usually spend the day within the substrate or filter media, and come out at night when lights are off. They help keep substrate from going anoxic and eat excess debris.



If the population got out of control I would usually move some Madagascan Paretroplus in the tank, and within 24 hours the snail population would be significantly reduced.

These cichlids will crush the smaller snails, or remove the flesh from larger ones with their can opener like teeth

 

[DeathStalker]

Oh I know - yes, that's exactly what some of them are (no need to de-populate, as I said, I love them!), the ones that seem to shed their shell are more "oblong" and black, they do *not* have the "traditional" twists in the shell - think of the shape of Italian Stuffed Shells

I was more just curious if anyone else had ever noticed the de-shelling in their filter - it's not a concern, just a curiosity