Six New Snails in My Tank That I Didn't Add!

steve888 · 05/15/2012, 07:10 AM

About a week ago, I started noticing very small white dots on my tank's glass that were about the size of a pen or pencil tip. I thought they were some type of debris that had attached to the glass because when I'd walk away for 30 minutes or so and come back the dots would be gone (I'd usually only see one or two at the same time).

Anyway, last night I saw four of these "dots" on the glass so I took a closer look and it turns out these dots are actually snails. I was about an inch away from the glass and I could see the antennae, the tiny shell, and the mouth on each of these snails...and they were all moving, too. I also saw two on my live rock. The shells have swirly stripes like an Astrea snail (of which I have three in my 14G BioCube).

So, how common is it for snails to mate in a tank like this? Or were they possibly on my live rock from the beginning (my tank is 7 months old). I'm thinking it must happen a lot but I thought I would ask to find out.

kingevil · 05/15/2012, 10:57 AM

either/or. some can/will bred in your tank. others will be hitch hikers.

steve888 · 05/15/2012, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingevil

either/or. some can/will bred in your tank. others will be hitch hikers.

Yep, just talked with my LFS and they said the same thing. Most will get eaten by other inverts or fish but a few lucky ones might survive!

TjwBlake · 05/15/2012, 01:34 PM

I'd almost put money on colonista snails that hitchhiked.
I have a bunch of them, they do there thing and clean up places others can't

EDJFA · 05/15/2012, 02:49 PM

I posted almost the exact same thing a few months ago. Started with 10 snails, now I've got hundreds. Thought I'd hit the jackpot. Figured out they were colonista snails.

If you think you've only got a few of them, take a look when your lights have been out for about an hour. Mine are getting close to plague proportion. The one good thing about them is that they can get into smaller crevices than the regular sized snails. But it takes them 100X longer to clean my glass!!

steve888 · 05/15/2012, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TjwBlake

I'd almost put money on colonista snails that hitchhiked.
I have a bunch of them, they do there thing and clean up places others can't

Cool...I can always use a few extra CUC members for my glass!

steve888 · 05/15/2012, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EDJFA

I posted almost the exact same thing a few months ago. Started with 10 snails, now I've got hundreds. Thought I'd hit the jackpot. Figured out they were colonista snails.

If you think you've only got a few of them, take a look when your lights have been out for about an hour. Mine are getting close to plague proportion. The one good thing about them is that they can get into smaller crevices than the regular sized snails. But it takes them 100X longer to clean my glass!!

Wow, that's scary...I don't need hundreds of these things in my 14G BioCube! My live rock is already very clean thanks to my three hermits and Mithrax crab but I'm sure the Colonistas can find stuff way down in the crevices.

rcharliesam · 05/15/2012, 08:39 PM

My trochus snails have been making tons of babies lately. The snails in your tank could very likely be breeding.

Sugar Magnolia · 05/15/2012, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TjwBlake

I'd almost put money on colonista snails that hitchhiked.
I have a bunch of them, they do there thing and clean up places others can't

Yes. Their population is regulated by the availability of food. Nothing to worry about.

05/15/2012, 07:10 AM	#1
steve888 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 241	Six New Snails in My Tank That I Didn't Add! About a week ago, I started noticing very small white dots on my tank's glass that were about the size of a pen or pencil tip. I thought they were some type of debris that had attached to the glass because when I'd walk away for 30 minutes or so and come back the dots would be gone (I'd usually only see one or two at the same time). Anyway, last night I saw four of these "dots" on the glass so I took a closer look and it turns out these dots are actually snails. I was about an inch away from the glass and I could see the antennae, the tiny shell, and the mouth on each of these snails...and they were all moving, too. I also saw two on my live rock. The shells have swirly stripes like an Astrea snail (of which I have three in my 14G BioCube). So, how common is it for snails to mate in a tank like this? Or were they possibly on my live rock from the beginning (my tank is 7 months old). I'm thinking it must happen a lot but I thought I would ask to find out. __________________ 30G Long, Aqua-C Remora HOB Skimmer, Cobalt Aquatics MJ1200, Vortech MP-10, Koralia 240 GPH, Talbot's Damsel, Forktail Blenny, 2 Skunk Cleaner Shrimps, 2 Snails, 2 Hermits

05/15/2012, 01:34 PM	#4
TjwBlake Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Kitchener, ON. Canada Posts: 404	I'd almost put money on colonista snails that hitchhiked. I have a bunch of them, they do there thing and clean up places others can't __________________ Current tank: JbJ Nanocube 28. 1 Falco Hawk, zoas, cabbage leather, trumpet coral, GSP, mushrooms, CUC Current Tank Info: JbJ Nanocube 28

05/15/2012, 10:57 AM	#2
kingevil Moved On Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: phx/east valley Posts: 917	either/or. some can/will bred in your tank. others will be hitch hikers.

05/15/2012, 02:49 PM	#5
EDJFA Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: St. Charles, MO Posts: 1,025	I posted almost the exact same thing a few months ago. Started with 10 snails, now I've got hundreds. Thought I'd hit the jackpot. Figured out they were colonista snails. If you think you've only got a few of them, take a look when your lights have been out for about an hour. Mine are getting close to plague proportion. The one good thing about them is that they can get into smaller crevices than the regular sized snails. But it takes them 100X longer to clean my glass!!

05/15/2012, 08:39 PM	#8
rcharliesam Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 83	My trochus snails have been making tons of babies lately. The snails in your tank could very likely be breeding.