# Tiny snails - what now?! Help please.



## DucktorHannah (Oct 6, 2017)

Two days ago I decided to go buy a new plant for my betta boy. He absolutely loves it and there already is a huge bubble nest around it. Yesterday, I noticed that he was swimming rapidly and sort of flaring around one spot, as if observing something in a rather predator manner? Maybe I'm wrong but that's what it seemed like. I saw a stain on the glass and since he sometimes doesn't know what to think of drops of water on the glass and so on so I grabbed my aquarium-only toothbrush and wanted to wipe it off so it wouldn't distract him. Zhen I noticed it was moving. I grabbed my macro lense, clipped it onto my phone and woops, a tiny snail.








I immediately understood that I brought them in on the bottom side of the leaves and didn't notice them. Now they say that snails are slow - yea, no... I went to grab some things to take it out and when I returned, it was gone. Couldn't see it anywhere. I noticed two more that I took out and they're now sitting at the bottom of a plastic container and I don't know what to do. Every website says to "then simply dispose of the snail"... But dispose how?! 

I keep checking the tank whether more of them decide to crawl out because I want to take them out as soon as possible. Somewhere there probably is the first one I saw since I don't think I took the same one out today... and who knows how many escape my notice.

So... what do i do. Can someone help me identify the snail? Are they one of the fast-breeding pests? Are they harm to my tank? Is two days too late to try and eliminate them? And how do I exactly "dispose of them" ? 

I'll be grateful for any kind of help.


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## HKLuterman (Jan 24, 2018)

I personally like "pest" snails, I think they are a benefit to the ecosystem of the tank with how they eat leftovers and clean up algae. Their populations can stay in check if you don't over feed your fish - reduce the chance of a lot of uneaten food settling around the tank. Plus, they're a sort of entertainment for your betta if he likes to flare at them; mine was stalking my trumpet snails last night, it was quite cute.

But I've heard you can remove them by placing a slice of cucumber or zucchini in the tank and leaving it overnight. In the morning, take it and any snails that might be snacking on it, out and dispose of it.

As for type, it looks like your typical pond snail or bladder snail to me, but I'm no expert.


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## ryry2012 (Mar 31, 2015)

It's a ramshorn snail. They never harm healthy plants or fish. I have countless of them in my heavily planted nano fish tank. They have never messed up the water parameters/quality. They are really good at cleaning algae and eating decaying parts of plants. IMO they are better algae cleaner than nerite snails. They reproduce but not as fast as bladder snails. If you want, it's easy to pick them. 

Disposing snails mean you pick them up and smash them. Never flash them in toilet or dump them in sink.


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## DucktorHannah (Oct 6, 2017)

ryry2012 said:


> Disposing snails mean you pick them up and smash them. Never flash them in toilet or dump them in sink.


The second I read that I put them back in the tank because I am a huge softie and I do not have the heart to actually do that  Welp... seems I've got snails now.


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## ryry2012 (Mar 31, 2015)

When you feed the betta or clean the tank, you can look for egg sacks. (You can google the ramshorn snail eggs images.) They are sometimes of the glass or on plants and easy to remove. You can wrap them in a tissue and put in a trash bin. I can guarantee you won't feel that guilty to remove as long as they are eggs


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## VillagerSparky (Dec 1, 2015)

And, don't overfeed, the snail population wont spike like the rumor mill tells you, unless there is the food for the snail to over populate


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## Veloran (Jun 28, 2014)

In my "experiment" tank, those snails never know what to expect. One minute I'm feeding them, then next minute .. "smashy smashy". I always try to make it quick, a solid whack to make sure the shell crushes instantly.

I used to dislike snails but now I watch them do their thing and they serve a purpose in keeping a planted tank in balance. I find that the small ones don't hold my interest as much as the bigger ones.
Depending on the betta's personality, they could range from completely ignoring the snail to providing entertainment for them. 

For me, when my Saffron has had enough to eat, he'll usually grab the next pellet hold it in his mouth for a couple seconds and then spit it out and swim away. Early in the morning when I'm headed to work, I don't have to worry about fishing out that pellet because I know the snail will take care of it for me.

Whether you keep them in your tank or not is your choice, but as long as you keep a clean tank, you don't have to worry about overpopulation.


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