I'm so happy, I got a snail!

[Sandtiger]

Like I said I'm really happy, and excited and all that good stuff. I'm not usually gushy but this is somthing special. I finally got a snail!! *BOUNCINGS (BTW, I can hear all of you out there saying "It's about time. Lol) He, or she I haven't chcked yet, is a really pretty, black brig mystery snail. I named him (I may as well call it a him) Jet and he really lives up to his name. All day I see him just crusing along the glass and plants eating like a madman. I gave him a piece of lettuce but he dosen't seem want it (I'm very surprised, snails adore lettuce!) He and my betta are best friends too, they like to sit side by side.
I do have a question though, sometimes Jet just floats in the water colum directly under the filter out-take. (I have a power filter, in case you were wondering.) Is this normal for a snail to do? I thought he might have a bubble under his shell, my friend Annie says he's scared and my Mom says he's just playing, anyone have any idea what he's doing?

 

[FroggyFox]

he's just chillin...snails have a habit of doing that They can expell that air from their shells whenever they want to. Congrats on the new addition

 

[Sandtiger]

Thanks, I was really worried.

 

[Chazwick]

Wow - I really want a snail too (Luckily my LFS have tonnes and actually give you them for free if you buy some fish and you want one! Because they're having 'multiplying' problems! ).. When my tank is up and ready.. i think a snail will be the first resident

 

[wavetide]

Wow - I really want a snail too (Luckily my LFS have tonnes and actually give you them for free if you buy some fish and you want one! Because they're having 'multiplying' problems! ).. When my tank is up and ready.. i think a snail will be the first resident

I want a snail but I'm paranoid about getting a pregnant one who will take over my tank with her spawns!

 

[longtyme68]

Congrats ~ Sandtiger! I can see that you are extremely excite. I wish your snail the best in his/her new home.

 

[longtyme68]

wavetide ~ will they take over? I didn't know that the snail would multiply and take over. Would you have to supply more shells so that each one would have a home, or what?

 

[Chazwick]

Wavetide if you get a preggo one, you collect all the babies up and march them right back to the LFS! I, personally, wouldn't really mind if i got a preggo one.. i'd buy another tank and put all the snails in it, and use the other for fishes!

 

[SANND]

Congrats sandtiger! They're loads of fun to watch when they're cruising up the side of the glass. My gold snail always looks like he's saying 'meow' when he's cruising

 

[Seleya]

bridgesiis need two to tango, so one shouldn't take your tank over. They are very cool! I have a few of them scattered in my various tanks in a rainbow of colors. They love squash, btw.

Those pest snails that hitchhike in on plants etc are another story. ~Someone~ had to show the rabbits how it was done and snails precede bunnies by quite a few millenia

 

[longtyme68]

I think I will have to venture into the snail world once I get my second aquarium set up! They sound like they add so much to the environment. Are there any negatives?

 

[thelovelydove]

Those pest snails that hitchhike in on plants etc are another story. ~Someone~ had to show the rabbits how it was done and snails precede bunnies by quite a few millenia

Oh-ho, tell me about it. Rommel39 had a few in his tank that came out of the well where he gets water. I thought it would be cool to have a few, now I have hundreds. I'm picking them out and putting them in the freezer, but I'll probably have to get a snail eater soon.

 

[Sandtiger]

Update! I'm not sure but I think my snail's a male snail. He was fully extended today so I had to check and make sure (I hope that dosen't make me sound like a perv) and it looked like Jet was male. I hope so because one of my friends has a female brig and we're hoping to breed them.

 

[longtyme68]

Sandtiger ~ not that I'm a perv either, but how can you tell? Is it just something external, or ???

 

[Seleya]

Dove - you could probably get away with some neato loaches in that 55 - maybe striata or yoyo. Read up on them and see if that's something you'd like.

Another solution to a snail problem is to drop in some vegetable/fruit at night and pick it out in the morning, someone on MFT had an incredible picture of snails covering a piece of cucumber! Do a search for it, it's worth seeing.

One last solution to snails you do not want is to start a nice little puffer tank (single species) and use the bumper crop of snails to keep the puffers happy. Puffers are pretty neat fish but have very specific needs. There are a few puffer experts on MFT who could help you if that tickles your fancy.

 

[thelovelydove]

Thanks, Seleya. I'm definitely going to look into the loaches. I'm not in a position to set up a new tank right now. =)

 

[discus4everGrl]

Usually if fish stores are giving away snails they are pond snails and I can't say this loud enough - YOU DON'T WANT NO DARN POND SNAILS IN YOUR TANK.

They are the type that people buy those snail killing liquids from the pet store for - see what i'm saying. You get one, you have a 100 in a month and they wreck havoc on planted tanks.

Wow - I really want a snail too (Luckily my LFS have tonnes and actually give you them for free if you buy some fish and you want one! Because they're having 'multiplying' problems! ).. When my tank is up and ready.. i think a snail will be the first resident

 

[discus4everGrl]

if you are good with water quality, clown loaches will pick those little pond snails off fast.

 

[longtyme68]

So know I have learned that the best way to get rid of something in my aquarium is to get something that eats it...then I don't have to worry about euthenizing anything!

 

[Chazwick]

No, Discus, they're beautiful 'ole Apple Snails (bright yellow/goldy little things).. I actually got one - it was only like £1... It's so flippin' lively it's unbelieveable! lol! It's pretty big - full size (they asked if i wanted a smaller one or a bigger one - i chose bigger!) - I let my little brother name him - It's now christened Sammi.