# Disease potential for rescued snail



## RayneForhest (Apr 22, 2011)

So... I was at walmart yesterday DISGUSTED by the condition the bettas were kept in.... The worker was attending someone else's needs and I asked how much the snails cost.... he gave me one free... 

It had some furry looking black stuff growing off its shell... and it came from a horrid looking tank with a bunch of floating fish.

I havent put it in with my bettas... because I would hate to contaminate the sorority tank with the snail.

I got the little snail some old water, with some fish poo in it... and sprinkled a few flakes so they could spoil. 

IS there anything the snail could spread disease wise.... and does it need any special care? I have no idea what kind it is, but its smaller than half a dime. No pictures at this time, but I'll have some soon.


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## LittleBettas (Jul 23, 2011)

I would put in som AQ salt just in case, I dont think that snaols can pass diseases to fish... but Im not 100% sure and ich is a worry...


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

NO NO. do not put AQ salt in. Sorry, but snails need a slow increase of salt in the water column. I'm assuming the snail is an apple/mystery snail? If this is the case:

http://www.applesnail.net/


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## LittleBettas (Jul 23, 2011)

oops, sorry, listen to Neil.... I dont really know anything about snails... I heard of someone else using AQ salt for a snail but...


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## Tisia (Mar 15, 2011)

you can do salt with nerites, in fact they need salt for their eggs to hatch. 
not sure why you put it in dirty water, snails don't eat poop, or why you want the flakes to spoil. I give my mystery snail some blanched veggies now and then, they'll eat my bettas leftovers but they get a bit pudgy on just meats. if you have soft water you may have to give it some kind of calcium supplement on occasion or lots of calcium rich foods


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## BETTA DET (Jul 29, 2011)

Dont put salt on the snail. It does the same thing as when you put salt on a slug.:shock:


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## ninjaofthe9seas (Jul 6, 2011)

Lol it does not do the same thing as a slug. Ever hear of a salt water snail? XD Nerites are and as Tisia said, they need salt/brackish water for their eggs to hatch, though i dont know about directly adding it right away in a small container. And they eat veggies, like lettuce n stuff.


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Yes, but apple/mystery snails are freshwater snails....

Yes they eat blanched veggies, cucumbers, lettuce, etc...

But to decide on "salt content" we need to know from the OP what kinda snail it is...


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I agree with Neil  No point in arguing if we don't know what snail it is! Btw have you tried brushing off the furry stuff with a toothbrush, if its on its shell, it could be algae, my turtle gets it sometimes when he wants to be a butt and not bask, I brush it off.. The snail will also need a cuttlebone for its shell, it provides calcium.. Similarly feeding it kale or spinach will give it calcium.


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

your turtle is a butt? lol Where is the OP??


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I use the term butt for a lack of using another term


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

lol that makes sense...OP!!! where are you?!


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## RayneForhest (Apr 22, 2011)

The little snail is so tiny I'm afraid of injuring it trying to mess with its shell. I did pinch the plastic bag while it was in it to tear off whatever that furry black stuff is.

I've looked up a few types of snails online and I havent found what kind it is yet. It seems happy, and seems to be growing. 

I havent gotten the chance to take a good picture of it yet. 

I appreciate ALL the advice. Even the not so good stuff (that way I know what not to do) 
I would have prolly made some grave mistakes had you not brought the salt thing up.

I've began feeding IT lettuce and broccoli. 

I'm still pretty clueless though.


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## RayneForhest (Apr 22, 2011)

...oh yeah, and its still in a QT bowl


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## RayneForhest (Apr 22, 2011)

It kinda looks like this


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## dragonflie (Aug 5, 2011)

That looks like a pond snail. I wouldn't be surprised if you end up finding more of them soon.

http://www.molluscs.at/gastropoda/freshwater/lymnaea.html


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

If it is a pond snail, i would not put it in your tank! Unless of course you want a snail infestation. lol


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## RayneForhest (Apr 22, 2011)

I was going to say, it laid eggs...
Are they fertile?


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Likely, they are asexual. O.O your gonna have baby snails soon!


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## cajunamy (Apr 28, 2011)

LIke others have said, no salt, they won't eat fish poop and you don't need the flakes to spoil ... if they fall the snail will find them. Egg shells in the filter will also add calcium to the water.


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## dragonflie (Aug 5, 2011)

I know these as well as the tiny ramshorns are considered to be pest snails by many people but I find them so cute.


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Well not when they're in your tank by the thousands...O.O


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

You can always remove the extra eggs and bait them with lettuce when there are too many of them.


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## dragonflie (Aug 5, 2011)

Neil D said:


> Well not when they're in your tank by the thousands...O.O


LOL well I had both at one point, but mostly ramshorns. I never had a problem with them, I would see maybe 20 or so at a time; but the population dwindled because I fed the tank very lightly; and the rest were killed off by a dwarf gourami I had in there. I don't have any live plants though, so maybe it's more of a problem in such a setup.


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Oh cool. I love gourami's. They're so cute! ROFL


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## RayneForhest (Apr 22, 2011)

Here's the pictures I promised. Here's a pic of the egg mass my snail laid.










A view of its shell










And a view of its eyes


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Those pics are amazing!


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## RayneForhest (Apr 22, 2011)

Thank you


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

^_^


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## dbockrath (Jul 29, 2011)

And if you do give cucumber to your snail, make sure you core the cucumber slice first, or you'll be finding seeds in your gravel for weeks. Ask me how I know.


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Er...how do you know?


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

I have pond snails in my 29g, two of them. Mine are eaten by the fish before they can mature lol I also have a ramshorn snail in Nixons tank and its never reproduced. Basically, no issues here and my pond snails are the size of quarters. I believe the conditions of your tank effect production too.


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## dbockrath (Jul 29, 2011)

Lots of cucumber seeds in my aquarium gravel.


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