Joseph, The Snail That Defies Gravity.

[FishyJames]

So I was watching tv today and I decided to look at my betta (whom is housed in the same 10gal tank with joseph and another snail who doesnt do anything.) and I noticed something peculiar.
He was crawling along, upside down, on the bottom of the surface of the water. I was amazed. For a good three minutes he did this, untill he came to the other side of the tank where he aptly paracuted to the bottom like my snails like to do.
I dunno if anyone else has had them do it or finds this interesting, but I thought I'd share. =D

(I think it might be because of simple water tension. Oooor water quality. I really hope its not bad water quality. Though I did see a planarian in there today. So I did my weekly water change and vacuumed a little more vigorously.)

P.S. Sorry for the bad pics, I took them with my phone's camera.

 

[TylerFerretLord]

Wow, that's something new.

Definitely a ramshorn.

If he's small enough he might be using surface tension, but to be honest I just don't know.

 

[Wolfenrook]

'He' probably has him a nice shell for of gas, I've seen mine do that as well (ramsorns like yours). Usually they will be on the bottom, then all of a sudden they shoot up and then do what that one is doing in that pic for a bit. Then they sort of burp and sink back down again.

For pests they are amusing to watch, especially when one of my kuhli loaches or long claw shrimp get peckish....

Ade

 

[FishyJames]

i hadnt considered the gas in the shell thing.
it does make sense though, i see all my snails burp alot. owell

if they're the pest species of snails then i guess i gotta find the second one in my bigger tank that hitched a ride in on one of my sword plants. little bugger is gonna have to move out..

 

[Starfishpower]

ya iv seen my ramshorn do that. its pretty cool. im glad you got a picture of it to show everybody, i was wondering myself if others did that too. the other funny thing iv seen like this is 3 of my small pond snail (i think they are pond snails) mating together in a group while being swept through the tank on the filters current

 

[TylerFerretLord]

if they're the pest species of snails then i guess i gotta find the second one in my bigger tank that hitched a ride in on one of my sword plants. little bugger is gonna have to move out..

Unless they're the giant variety, they won't eat plants. They'll actually only eat the dead leaves, making work a little easier for you.

Don't overfeed and they don't become pests.

 

[tangokitty]

They are not pest to everyone. some people love rams horn snails. I love them.

 

[Starfishpower]

ya, this is true. i love mine ramshorn. i havent named him but now that i think about it i probably will.

 

[FishyJames]

lol
well i love my snails. and if they only eat dead leaves i might as well put joseph back into the big tank
i was under the impression Ramshorns ate living plants.

but extra clean up is always better.

 

[Million]

I don't see why just the species would dictate a pest snail. If you have plants that it's eating, then yeah, but otherwise they're quite cool. I have a zebra nerite called Gordon the Iron Snail, who i'm very fond of!