Nerite snail babies in freshwater tank??

Kelly Preussner

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Hi, I am fairly new to aquarium life. I have had a tank for almost 2 years. It’s a 36 gallon freshwater tank. I have livebearers & tiger barbs (they live peacefully together). I have also had nerite snails for almost the entire time. The past 2 times I cleaned the tank I noticed what looked like a very tiny snail. The first time it was on the glass but then I emptied my bucket of water & when I went back it was gone. Probably fell to the gravel. Today when I cleaned something went through my vacuum & when I took it out of the bucket it looked like a very tiny snail. I mean pin head size. So I put it back in the tank. Could this be a baby snail? I thought they didn’t reproduce in freshwater, only saltwater???
so you may ask if I am sure I have nerite snails & the answer is yes. I do know my snails. There was a time 2 were “stuck” together for a while but I occasionally see them crawl over each other. They spend most of their time on my driftwood but also the glass. I have read if they do reproduce they are almost impossible to keep alive.
Any tips, recommendations, anything would be very helpful.
I am sure you would like a picture. I will see if I can find another baby. Thanks in advance!
 
Yes! I did get a few new plants! That makes more sense. Will they get bigger & I can get rid of them?
Yes, they will get bigger and will probably overpopulate. Get rid of them manyally or put a leaf of lettuce in, they will be on it in the morning, throw them away. Best get rid of them while there are only a few.
 
If you don't overfeed and/or overstock they might not proliferate too much. Think of them as a free gift.
 
Yes, they will get bigger and will probably overpopulate. Get rid of them manyally or put a leaf of lettuce in, they will be on it in the morning, throw them away. Best get rid of them while there are only a few.
Thanks for the tip. Should it be iceberg lettuce? Or will any leaf lettuce work? Spinach? Thanks!
 
Thanks for the tip. Should it be iceberg lettuce? Or will any leaf lettuce work? Spinach? Thanks!
You can look at this thread
Also this is mine
 
You can look at this thread
Also this is mine
Thank you!
 
You can look at this thread
Also this is mine
Quick question, I think I see small snails on my new plant. There are small black dots. If I pull the plant out how is it best to wash the snails off??
 
Quick question, I think I see small snails on my new plant. There are small black dots. If I pull the plant out how is it best to wash the snails off??
  1. Depends on the plant...if it's a fern, those spots could be fern sporing.
  2. Are the snails a real pest? They can actually be beneficial to the health of the tank.
  3. You can easily pick the snails off that you can see, but more will soon appear, unless you do something to curb their population explosion, ie review your feeding. Overfeeding causes excess organic waste in the tank, which the snails eat and, the more waste, the more they'll reproduce.
 
  1. Depends on the plant...if it's a fern, those spots could be fern sporing.
  2. Are the snails a real pest? They can actually be beneficial to the health of the tank.
  3. You can easily pick the snails off that you can see, but more will soon appear, unless you do something to curb their population explosion, ie review your feeding. Overfeeding causes excess organic waste in the tank, which the snails eat and, the more waste, the more they'll reproduce.
Not sure the plant. I have put a picture. I pulled the plant. It’s not a fern. They are not a pest yet. I have 4 nerite in the tank to keep it clean although they spend most of their time on the driftwood. I just don’t want a pest problem, that is why I have the nerite snails.
 
Not sure the plant. I have put a picture. I pulled the plant. It’s not a fern. They are not a pest yet. I have 4 nerite in the tank to keep it clean although they spend most of their time on the driftwood. I just don’t want a pest problem, that is why I have the nerite snails.
To be honest, it takes a seriously high number of snails for them to be an actual pest, although many people simply dislike the look of them.
They perform a very useful function and do much more good than harm. Again, if you really do have a population explosion, then you rally are overfeeding your tank.
 

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