Snails: need help explaining in my tank

[9thdragon]

Hello all I have 2 pond snails and 1 brown ramhorn snail
they breed with a ton of egg patches
I believe I have over 100 of them but some of them I just feed it to the puffer fish.
I notice some of them grew up as ramhorn and some of them are pond snails.

Is ramhorn came from mutated pond snail?
I just found its interesting..

[Jeffrey]

My limited understanding is that a single snail is capable of reproducing by itself. Also, it might have been ready to lay eggs right when you got it. Another possibility is that eggs were introduced on a plant(s).

[octanejunkie]

Some snails species are parthenogenetic, they can reproduce without a mate, like pond snails. Ramshorn snails need to mate with another ramshorn snail, though they are hermaphroditic - there are no males and females specifically - it still takes two to tango, so to speak.

Regardless of a snail's reproductive means, all snail populations can be controlled by supply of food. Lots of snails means lots of food for them. Cut back on feeding your tanks and your snail populations will naturally decrease.

Snail eggs on incoming plants is always a possibility, but again, by controlling food sources in your tank you can control the snail population.

I used to worry about snails, now I can't find enough to feed to my shrimp and other inverts that love crushed snails every once in a while

[Empress]

I had ONE pond snail. ONE! And that turned into a million! It was the craziest explosion. But the population disappeared a bit when I dosed Excel and now my puffer is eating what is left. That itty thing can eat!
Anyways, to answer your question: I don't think the Rams horn are an off-shoot of the "regular" pond snail. I think it is its own breed from who knows where. Either way, its still a type of pond snail - I think.

[bettamax]

If you want to knock down your snail population I need a few specifics about your tank. What size tank, what type and how many fish/invertebrates, what are you feeding, how much?

You have the two most common snail species and for a reason. They are breeders and they piggy back on plants. You can do a quick bleach treatment on incoming flora to help prevent outbreaks in the future. The most obvious symptom of an out break is over feeding.

Those type of snails can reproduce at nauseam due to the fact once they are inseminated they have a supply. They are hermaphroditic so once they breed they create an instant colony. Thus one snail can create a tidal wave of their kin. They are the rabbits of the aquatic world.

I would suggest getting nerites as they can't reproduce in fresh water and eat everything algae wise. They do lay a ton of eggs, but those can be cleaned of by various means

[9thdragon]

well the problem is that i have like 10-20 patches of eggs( not sure if i say it right but i hope you understand) all over my tank, total like over 100 snails.There way too many i feed them off to my puffer fish =P. All the babies grew up are either pond snails or ramhorn snails and they have the same coloration. Therefore i believe ramhorn snails came from pond snails or cross breed. =P

I dont mind them because they're free food for my puffer fish but just curious if ramhorn came from pond snails or can they cross breed?

Pond snails looked like this and the ramhorn coloration is the same coloration with spots. Fyi not my pic
4.jpg

[Empress]

I am fairly certain the ramshorn hitch hiked from somewhere...

[9thdragon]

anyone have snails that they dont want??

[Empress]

I have snails. PM me.

anyone have snails that they dont want??

[JimMivon]

I like snails

[Empress]

I have 3 Golden Mystery snails you can have if you want them. I don't like them. And mistaken research led to acquiring them. And now they are getting bigger and bigger!

I like snails