# Off Topic, Just A Quick Question



## Kageshi17 (Sep 6, 2006)

Those tiny tiny TINY little snails that come when plants are introduced to your tank, are they bad? I really like them and would like to keep them (came with the java moss I ordered) but are they harmful in any way or will they overbreed or something? I just see articles everywhere about how to get rid of them...so just wondering!


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## anasfire23 (Jan 19, 2005)

Kageshi17 said:


> Those tiny tiny TINY little snails that come when plants are introduced to your tank, are they bad? I really like them and would like to keep them (came with the java moss I ordered) but are they harmful in any way or will they overbreed or something? I just see articles everywhere about how to get rid of them...so just wondering!



HAHA They are just baby mystery snails. Leave them and they will grow!


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## Jojo (Apr 11, 2006)

If you leave them, one day you will wake up and there will be over 100 snails, I used to want them then I got them now I don't want them lol. But they wont hurt anything.


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## AquaGirl (Feb 17, 2007)

It depends on what kind of snails they are. They will reproduce quickly and soon overrun your aquarium unless you get rid of a some once in a while.


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## anasfire23 (Jan 19, 2005)

I've had 2 mystery snails in my tank for months (one died today) and they never mated. Probably knowing my luck they were the same sex!!! hehe


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

The tiny tiny ones aren't mystery snails 

Check here for IDs Of course there is also http://www.applesnail.net but when you say tiny... I think not mystery snails. 

I have some of the small planorbid type... kinda like a mini ramshorn on its side... teeny tiny things. They eventually took over and arent that easy to bait to greens compared to say pond snails.


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## AquaGirl (Feb 17, 2007)

I bet that they're Malaysian Trumpet Snails. They're tiny and common and are good for your aquarium. They constantly shift the gravel so that gas in the substance will escape which is a good thing. Mystery snails can change gender to mate each other. Only apple snails have one specific gender but again, mystery snails and apple snails might be the same species of snails...


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## Kageshi17 (Sep 6, 2006)

Alright cool. Well, just to be safe, I took the snail out. For sure its not a mystery snail because I LOVE them and have tried to hard to get their eggs to hatch, and they never do. Plus there were no eggs...so it couldnt have been them. I believe this little guy arrived on my new java moss, so I took him out and it looks like he was the only one. He died, unfortunately, but I thought maybe when I purchase live plants and cycle my tank, will these snails be good for the cycling? I really wanted to know, because I'm sure I will have many on my plants when I add them to the water.


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## AquaGirl (Feb 17, 2007)

What is the shape of the snails' shells? Is it shaped like an ice cream cone? If so, it's an Malaysion Trumpet Snail.


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