Snails from nowhere! How?

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C

Calvin Klein

Gambusia
MFK Member
Apr 15, 2011
262
3
18
British Columbia
I just noticed tiny trumpet snails in my tank that has never had snails before. It has a only a 14inch RTXSN cat in it and I have not added or taken anything out in over a year. The only thing that changes is water which is from my tap and since I live in a city it is all treated and would be snail egg free (I hope). The two foods I put in are Massivore and frozen shrimp from the grocery store. I have been using these two foods for more than two years now. Why are there snails now and where could they have come from?:confused:
 
Have you added any plants, rocks or wood from any other tank in the last 6 months? All it takes is 1.
These snails are generally nocturnal, and go unnoticed sometimes for months. During the day, they tend to hide in the substrate, but come out and feed on algae on the glass at night, then drop back into the sand or gravel when the lights come on.
I like them, because as they rummage threw the substrate, they keep it from compacting, and going anoxic.
 
duanes said:
Have you added any plants, rocks or wood from any other tank in the last 6 months? All it takes is 1.
These snails are generally nocturnal, and go unnoticed sometimes for months. During the day, they tend to hide in the substrate, but come out and feed on algae on the glass at night, then drop back into the sand or gravel when the lights come on.
I like them, because as they rummage threw the substrate, they keep it from compacting, and going anoxic.
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I agree with Duane. I have them in all my tanks. They do help keep detrius in the substrate down. They keep the substrtae especially sand like I like to use turned and moved around to keep bad spots from forming.
 
They are in my planted tanks, the population ebbs and wains over the course of the yaer. They don't bother me and they do keep the sand turned.
 
Calvin Klein said:
I It is crazy. No wood has been added in over two years and the tank is not planted. Food must be the only option. Anyone ever had this happen?
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If its mts snail's (like pictured above) they had to be directly added somehow as they are not egg layers. The have live birth. It takes live mts to create more.

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It's very uncommon, but a friend of mine had a similar situation. Snails out of nowhere with no change in decor. He had a large supply of food that was not the issue since he had been using the same container for over 4 months without experiencing them. Come to find out, a fish he had added had somehow carried them in. Have you added any new inhabitants recently?


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be glad they are mts which can be beneficial, but once you get one its likely they will be there for the long run. add any used filters? i cursed myself for spreading snails that way
 
You need to add some loaches to your tank Asap. The MTS reproduce like crazy!!! I have them in 2 of my tanks. My 55 is a loach tank so my gravel is a bone yard of dead snails. I've been tried to hold out on adding loaches to my 125 that is also infested. But they've become out of control were talking min 500 all sizes. At night its crazy cause they all come to the surface an it looks like my black sand is alive. I've finally added 3 blue loaches an after a week there's atleast 50 empty shells lying in the sand.

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