snail question

[BirdofPray]

I look in my cycling tank today and I see what looks like a really small snail. It has kind of a gold back and is just movin across the front of my tank. I believe it came from the two java fern plants I just put in. Is this little guy harmless?

 

[cutecotton]

pretty much, snails dont' do much i dotn' think if you dont' like him just pick him out, if there's more htan one you might get a snail invasion if they start mating

this happened in my 10G tank, i had two cone looking type of sanils crawling around and soon i was digging snails up in everything

 

[Teelie]

Depends. It sounds like a Gold Apple Snail and if so, chances are it'll eat your plants if you don't feed it well.

 

[BirdofPray]

hmm. Well it must have traveled into my tank via the plants. What do you feed them?

 

[Teelie]

Almost definitely came with the plants. Nearly all accidental or unknown snails come that way. Good food for them is algae pellets, fresh lettuce or zuccini or other green vegetables. They might nibble on your plants still but they will be far less prone to it once they've gotten their fill of other foods.

 

[BirdofPray]

Fresh lettuce I can supply. Is it safe to add it in there since I'm still cycling the tank? Also, is there a certain way to prepare said lettuce, or do I just clean a leaf really well?

 

[Teelie]

It should be fine to add it in there though the cycle will probably kill the snail before it does any harm. They're sensitibe to ammonia and nitrites. The lettuce just needs to be washed well and cleaned off as most produce, unless "organic" will have pesticides meant to kill snails, amongst other pests.

 

[BirdofPray]

Alrighty. Thank you very much teelie.

 

[Teelie]

No problem, if you want to learn more about them, visit http/applesnail.net

 

[Bol]

Just to mention, I've had many just plain old 'pond snails' that were a golden color, too. That is, while it may be an apple snail, it might just be a common 'pest'.

In either case, get ready to see a couple dozen of them within a few days .

 

[BirdofPray]

I dunno if they are apple snails. These ones are TINY! and they are all clear and the shell is gold. Not like a golden orange or a dark orange, but it looks like actual gold. They are quick too. It made it across the front of my 12 gallon in a matter of a few minutes.

 

[Teelie]

They're still too small to identify then for sure what they are. It won't take too long though and they'll grow quick.

 

[BirdofPray]

Well, I dunno if I'm waiting that long, I don't want them destroying my plants.

 

[Bol]

Well, from my experience, they won't destroy your plants very quickly. You won't just wake up one morning, and all your plants are just bare stems.

Also, if they're anything like my snails, you'll probably be surprised how large they can grow in just three or four days.

 

[cutecotton]

are snails egg layers? and is it true that they can change their sex?