What Is In My Tank?

[chesterjohn]

today I noticed 2 small patches of slime with what looks like bubbles or eggs in them. I don't have any pictures, but it is all colourless.

The amano shrimp were going crazy this morning, swimming round really fast with a couple chasing each other, was this mating and this their eggs?

Only other possibility for eggs is a lone snail that hitched his way in a couple of months ago, but he's alone

 

[BethK]

I think Amanos carry their egss and will only reproduce in salty types on water

 

[Ben M]

hi, it's most likely snail eggs.

 

[chesterjohn]

Thanks, I'll google snail eggs and see what they look like...

What were the shrimp up to this morning then? 5 of them were whizzing round like maniacs, and they've been completely shy until then, hiding in the back corner almost all the time they've been in there.

It looks like snail eggs, that was easy. Not so easy is, how it's managed to breed without another snail in the tank. How long do they take to hatch? Some extra cleaners might be handy for when I'm away, but I was planning on cleaning the tank tomorrow

 

[spectrum]

Certain types of snail can breed with just one of themselves. There's a word for species with both reproductive organs but I've forgotten what it is.
I'm not sure about hatch time, its usually a day or two. If I were you I'd leave them in there, they do a good job of cleaning algae. If they're rams horn snails (Probably will be, most common aquatic snail, they're actually coldwater but thrive in the warmth) then they won't eat plants either, they eat dying plants, so it looks like they caused the death, but they didn't.
Hope this helps

 

[chesterjohn]

I know snails have both sets of reproductive organs, but I didn't think they were a-sexual. From my very young biology lessons, I remember being told you had to have 2 snails. Obviosly not the case for all of them

I'll try to not disturb them, thanks for the help

 

[Corleone]

I know snails have both sets of reproductive organs, but I didn't think they were a-sexual. From my very young biology lessons, I remember being told you had to have 2 snails. Obviosly not the case for all of them

I'll try to not disturb them, thanks for the help

It depends on the species. Some (apple snails for example) only have one sex, some have both but need a mate, some can self-fertilize. Some don't even lay eggs, but give live birth. They're pretty diverse little guys.