# Does anyone know what this is?



## luver_of_fish (Mar 16, 2009)

I wasn't sure where the best place to start this thread, but here it is. I was cleaning out my 55 gallon community tank and moving it's inhabitants to my new 40 gallon tank. Not only did I find a baby fish I had know idea was inthere, but my husband also found this guy. Does any one know what it is or if it is really bad?


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

Looks like a trumpet snail. More of a pest than harmfull unless they all die at once then they can be a source of major headaches.


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## BIG BWALZ (Feb 28, 2008)

what happens if they die all at once? I have a ton and I hate them, if I were the op i would pull that guy out and any others, they are prolific breeders and like a fool I put in 6 several months ago and I have hundreds in there, and I have removed probably a couple/few thousand.

Do the water parameters get all out of whack if they all die at once or what happens I'm curious? I may have to deal with that situation soon maybe I don't know.


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## luver_of_fish (Mar 16, 2009)

I do have snails in my tank, they hitched a ride with the plants I bought, but they all have shells and antenna things and this guy doesn't have either.


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## JWerner2 (Jul 7, 2008)

They are just something like a snail. Not sure of the exact name. Im thinking they eat detritus cause I had tons of them in a newt tank that had NO algae in it at all just about. In fact that was the tank that had the most of them. Probably came in on some rock or plants if any of them ever came from outside like duck weed or something.

I got some like the ones you see in reef tanks also. They are flat and almost clear and are on the glass and some wood.


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## exasperatus2002 (Jul 5, 2003)

You have two ways to kill them off. Theres a snail killer you can buy to put in the water or you can get some clown loaches and in time the loaches will eat them all. The only down fall to the water treatment is with the mass kill, they will rot and you have to watch for ammonia/nitrite spiking. You can do more frequent water changes during that time to help minimize it.

I prefer the loaches because they're cool and entertaining but they need time to find & eat them all.


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## jfly (Feb 17, 2009)

i suggest clown loaches. I HAD the same problem.. got two clown loaches and those lil suckers will shuck and eat ALL snails.. snails suck they are a sexual and can reproduce with themselves.. ( id never leave the house)  hahhaa


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## luver_of_fish (Mar 16, 2009)

Thanks for the advice guys. I will look into a couple of loaches if I have the room in my tank. I have a couple of black Kuli loaches, but I guess they don't really eat snails from what I understand. did't get them for that purpose though, we got them because we like them.  They are blast to watch and my kitties love watching them too.


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## jfly (Feb 17, 2009)

clown loaches are known to grow fairly large.. but at an extremely slow rate (in my case). i love em.. they are silly little guys and my cichlids arent bothered at all by them.. and they are workers. snail free today.. except one large yellow snail.. and they terrorize him


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## toddnbecka (Oct 23, 2004)

If it's stuck to the front glass it's most likely a small leech. They turn up occaisonally, never seen them kill anything. Pick them out and toss 'em in the trash, no big deal.


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## JWerner2 (Jul 7, 2008)

^ odd but now that its mentioned that one in the pic does resemble something along those lines.

Does it look to have anything that resembles a shell of some sort?


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## luver_of_fish (Mar 16, 2009)

To answer your question JWerner, no. It doesn't have any type of shell.

I completely cleaned the tank I found it in and will be moving the cichlids into once I get them. I moved the gravel though into a new 40 gallon tank I set up which is where I moved the inhabitants of this tank, 55 gallons, in to and so figure I may have moved whatever these are too since I had to use the same gravel.

I will do some research on them, but how about youyou loaches? Do they get as big as the clown loaches? I heard they were pretty good for snail control as well.


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## JWerner2 (Jul 7, 2008)

If it dont have any kind of shell even a flat one than it could be a leach as said


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## jfly (Feb 17, 2009)

hmmm leach.. well the clown loach should take care of those as well.. everytime i hear the word leach.. i think of the movie "stand by me" ... anyone else feel the same?


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## exasperatus2002 (Jul 5, 2003)

jfly said:


> hmmm leach.. well the clown loach should take care of those as well.. everytime i hear the word leach.. i think of the movie "stand by me" ... anyone else feel the same?


I love it when that kid finds the leech in the wrong area & passes out.


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## jfly (Feb 17, 2009)

<<<loves it hahaha


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## luver_of_fish (Mar 16, 2009)

:lol: My husband and I were just laughing about that this morning. :lol:


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