Snail

[ella777]

I'm confused. I recently acquired 4 algae eating snails, I'm not sure what species they are. They arent nerite snails, they're covered in algae so I really can't tell.

I've noticed one of them has a white mark on its underside, I can only see it when it's on the glass.

I'm not sure if its eggs or possibly a parasite?
Just a by the way, its inside the snails skin, not on the outside.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Photos...? Can't ID the snails without photos.

 

[ella777]

Photos...? Can't ID the snails without photos.

Its covered in algae and eggs so you can't tell

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Its covered in algae and eggs so you can't tell

The shape of the shell is often enough to ID a snail.
But no one can guess what the white thing you're describing might be, without even seeing it. You're asking an impossible question and expecting us to just know without seeing anything.

 

[ella777]

The shape of the shell is often enough to ID a snail.
But no one can guess what the white thing you're describing might be, without even seeing it. You're asking an impossible question and expecting us to just know without seeing anything.

I'm not at home now, I also couldnt find the snail in the tank today. I'll try to find pictures online. Even though the shape of the shell is completely coated in thick algae

 

[ella777]

The shape of the shell is often enough to ID a snail.
But no one can guess what the white thing you're describing might be, without even seeing it. You're asking an impossible question and expecting us to just know without seeing anything.

Update
I think I've worked out they are actually nerite snails. All 4 of them are coated in algae and are a lot bigger than nerites though so I'm still not sure.
I can try to give you a description of them:
Round shell
Algae eaters
Covered in eggs and algae
Eats like a nerite even though dont they all?
About an inch big
Can't see a pattern
Smooth shell

Oh also, one of the snails shell looks like its eroded. Some parts of the shell have gone green, almost like it's gone rusty.

 

[Essjay]

I have had snails covered in algae which is ironic as they eat algae. I lift the snail out of the water and gently scrape the algae off the shell with my finger nail.

There are two possibilities for snails sold as algae eating snails - though one shop was selling assassin snails as algae eaters when they first came on the market.
Nerite snails keep the whole of their body inside the shell. Only the tiny hair like antennae show outside.
Apple snails are more like garden snails, some of their body does show outside the shell when they are moving.

 

[ella777]

I have had snails covered in algae which is ironic as they eat algae. I lift the snail out of the water and gently scrape the algae off the shell with my finger nail.

There are two possibilities for snails sold as algae eating snails - though one shop was selling assassin snails as algae eaters when they first came on the market.
Nerite snails keep the whole of their body inside the shell. Only the tiny hair like antennae show outside.
Apple snails are more like garden snails, some of their body does show outside the shell when they are moving.

Oh okay, they probably are nerite snails then. I can sometimes see little antennae. They are pretty big compared to my other two though, who definitely are nerites.

Should I clean them? Does the algae affect them in any way?
I can never seem to get them out of the water because they're really stuck to the glass.

I have a feeling the white blob looking things are eggs? It also seems like a parasite, in the snails skin.

 

[Essjay]

You have to be careful removing them from the glass, pulling them off can damage them. I usually just gently waggle them until they let go. Or gently slide them up and down a couple of inches - that usually makes them let go.

 

[ella777]

I usually try once, then give up.

 

[Maryjaeee]

I hope they aren’t bladder snails! Because then you will have an infestation !! It took me about a year & a new tank to finally get rid of my issue . They only grow to about half an inch though so I think either apple or netrite snails. The white mark could just be an adnormal growth.. fish have them so I would think snails could too? Maybe crowded breeding tanks?

 

[ella777]

I hope they aren’t bladder snails! Because then you will have an infestation !! It took me about a year & a new tank to finally get rid of my issue . They only grow to about half an inch though so I think either apple or netrite snails. The white mark could just be an adnormal growth.. fish have them so I would think snails could too? Maybe crowded breeding tanks?

Definitely not bladder snails, it's about 4 years old I think. Also about an inch or possibly more.
I dont think my tank is overcrowded...
pretty sure they are nerite snails.
I do sort of have an infestation of trumpet snails. They're quite helpful though so I'm not too bothered.

Edit: Just realised, nerite snails only live for about a year?! My snails are about 4 to 5 years so I have no clue what they are.

 

[Essjay]

Nerite snails live a lot longer than 1 year. I had one I bought in 2011 which finally died in 2020. It did look a bit odd by then.

Zebra nerite

I have mentioned in the forum that I have two nerites which I bought in 2011. This afternoon, I finally managed to take some photos of the zebra nerite to show what an elderly snail can look like. But first, some photos of it when it was younger. Taken in April 2016. There are a few pits...

www.fishforums.net

 

[ella777]

Nerite snails live a lot longer than 1 year. I had one I bought in 2011 which finally died in 2020. It did look a bit odd by then.

Zebra nerite

I have mentioned in the forum that I have two nerites which I bought in 2011. This afternoon, I finally managed to take some photos of the zebra nerite to show what an elderly snail can look like. But first, some photos of it when it was younger. Taken in April 2016. There are a few pits...

www.fishforums.net

Really?? Everywhere says about 1-2 years and 3 is like amazing

 

[lnsaneM]

I had both the zebra nerite and the black nerite snails, over time I found out the black nerite snails to be easier to keep and can get quite big, bigger than the average man's thumb fingernail. The oldest I have in my tank are about 3 to 4 years old