Snail Identification?

[IrvineHimself]

I found this this morning and have no idea where it came from. My plants came from either Tropica or Fish-keepers Scotland [where my fish also originated}. The ruler is centimetres/millimetres by the way.

Side View:

Top View:

 

[Tyko_N]

Looks like a bladder snail (Physa sp.). They are great tank janitors; eating algae, dead leaves and leftover fishfood, I try to keep them in all my freshwater tanks.

 

[IrvineHimself]

Bugger it! I instinctively crushed the poor wee beasty after taking the photo.

Edit: Many thanks for the quick identification

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Looks like a bladder snail (Physa sp.).

It does, <"Physella (Physa) acuta">. Pond Snails look a bit similar when they are small, but have <"differently shaped tentacles">.

They are great tank janitors; eating algae, dead leaves and leftover fishfood, I try to keep them in all my freshwater tanks.

Same for me, a <"definite plus in any tank">. I'm a <"tank janitor fan"> all around.

cheers Darrel

 

[G H Nelson]

Probably more 🐌 where that came 🌿from!

 

[IrvineHimself]

My, oh my, oh my........, They are fecund wee beasties, aren't they!

From this noobs' point of view, as bad as it may seem, this may not be a total disaster: I always envisioned my aquascape as representing nature. So, it just introduces another [probably inevitable} factor into the eco-system. As such, it is just a question of deciding on the best method of control

I see two possibilities:

1. Bait a convenient area with spirulina and just siphon them out into a bucket
2. Assassin Snails

Of the two, I find Assassin Snails aesthetically more pleasing, but am a bit worried about how they will get on with my rock gobies and , eventually, my kuhli loaches?

There are also some practical questions that immediately come to mind:

1. What is the best ratio of Assassin to Bladder?
2. What is the most effective mix of adult/juvenile Assassin?
3. Should I let the Bladders get well established before introducing the Assassins, or should I get on top of it as quickly as possible?

Any comments are welcome
Irvine

 

[Tyko_N]

I see two possibilities:

1. Bait a convenient area with spirulina and just siphon them out into a bucket
2. Assassin Snails

I would like to add a third possibility: Try to keep all the bladder snails you can. Physa sp. feeds on dead leaves, algae, detritus and similar. If there's a lot of them then there must be plenty of food, the snails are only showing what's going on in the tank and should stabilize at a certain population as the tank matures. Assassin snails on the other hand won't help you clean up any algae, they might help themselves to young shrimp or fish eggs though... I'm not sure, but kuhlii loaches might eat both types of snails too, so at least wait with the assassins until you've added the loaches and see how they affect the bladder snail population.

 

[IrvineHimself]

...... the snails are only showing what's going on in the tank and should stabilize at a certain population as the tank matures......

Whew! That's a relief. However, you have to admit that, if you have never observed it before, the way the population appears to explode is very alarming.

I have been keeping my eye out for snails since I spotted 'Beasty-001', and they just seemed to magically appear over-night. Getting old, my vision is not good so I didn't really notice them until the larger ones got to a few millimetres long. After spotting the first couple of big ones, when I scanned my plants and habitats for more, I gradually became aware of what looked like an army of very tiny locusts munching on my plants.

To get over my initial shock and alarm: Yesterday, after my post, I went out to Melville to get some more plants for the rock pile that forms the entrance to the caves. [Lanceolata, Coin and Nana] While there, after eight straight days of no nitrites, no nitrates and no water changes, I also treated my tank to 4 black kuhli loaches. Installing the plants and kuhlis gave me a chance to take a really close look at the snails and it is maybe(?) not as bad as I initially thought. Taking a closer look, they are actually different sizes [ages?] So, it is obviously something that has been slowly cooking away for a while and not the impressive example of Malthusian population growth I first feared.

By the way, I overheard a couple of staff talking, and I am now certain that fish from Melvilles' was the source of the snails. (All the more exotic plants I bought on-line came in Tropica 1-2 grow tubs or similarly branded blister packs ... etc)

Irvine

 

[Tyko_N]

However, you have to admit that, if you have never observed it before, the way the population appears to explode is very alarming

Haha, yes, if your not used to them they'll have a very invasive feel about them. When the first one arrives it'll have a smorgasbord of food to chose from, so they'll breed rapidly. After a while the food starts to dwindle though and you might even see your population decline a bit eventually.

Taking a closer look, they are actually different sizes

It'll be interesting to see how big yours get (provided the kuhlii loaches don't eat them first ), mine usually tops out at less than a centimeter at tropical temperatures, but can get to more than twice that at colder temps. Once large enough they're actually quite pretty, or at least I think so.

 

[Hufsa]

Whew! That's a relief. However, you have to admit that, if you have never observed it before, the way the population appears to explode is very alarming.

Yes they do tend to cause some distress at first discovery by the tank owner 🙂

I gradually became aware of what looked like an army of very tiny locusts munching on my plants.

I suggest trying to see the Bladder snails in a different light if you can 😃
An army of very helpful little janitors who are tirelessly cleaning your plants from biofilm, algae, and detritus. They also helpfully hoover up leftover food to keep it from rotting in the tank instead. If you have a tendency to overfeed, they will let you know about your issue by becoming many. If you correct the error they will adjust down again.
They are highly skilled janitors who can expertly tell the difference between healthy plants and dead matter that should be stripped away, helping your plants grow in optimal conditions without having decay near healthy plant tissues 💪😃
Youre getting all of this skilled labour for entirely free, and they wont need replacing or repurchasing, they will automatically adapt to the needs of your tank.
Doesnt that sound pretty great? 🥰

 

[IrvineHimself]

.... provided the kuhlii loaches don't eat them first .....

That will be interesting to see!

I should emphasise that I don't mean that as a voyeuristic blood sport thing, but rather as a subject which is hotly disputed. I read a bit about what effect introducing the kuhlis would have on the tank, and while it is accepted they will eat shrimp, when it comes to snails: some people swear blind they do while others equally vehemently swear they do not.

The Kuhlis themselves are a gorgeous natural brown colour and at around 4cm long, are fully grown. He may have been only talking about the rock gobies, but I got the impression they were imported from source with the implication they were wild caught. They look and behave so much like tiny eels, people unfamiliar with them will find it difficult to believe they are not related.

Needless to say, I am anticipating with relish the shuddering squeals of horror and disgust that eels usually engender from people of sensitive disposition.

 

[sparkyweasel]

some people swear blind they do while others equally vehemently swear they do not.

Those people should remember that there are several species of snails commonly found in our tanks, and several species (and hybrids) of 'Kuhli's commonly available in the trade. That gives pleny of scope for different experiences.