Is this a pond snail?

[ArchimedesTheDog]

And if so, should I remove him asap? He appeared today feeding amongst my ramshorns, I presume he came from the java moss. He's cleaning the top of the heater, at least...

[Bananariot]

I dislike them so yeah kill it. lol. he may have laid eggs already so good luck. They're apparently not pond snails but bladder snails. Either way i find them nasty even though they do a good job cleaning.

[ArchimedesTheDog]

Are the bladders harmful to plants, or just distasteful?

[ArchimedesTheDog]

Note that I have a developing problem with Black Brush Algae, so I am looking for accomplices in that fight.

[Sdavis1982]

They have never hurt my plants. They clean very well it does not take long for one to turn into 50

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[Bananariot]

i've only seen one eat through a leaf before. However since you have ramshorns I would just remove them. They're unsightly compared to rams.

There's not a real negative to them except that they reproduce like crazy.

[Aquaticfan]

Originally Posted by ArchimedesTheDog

Note that I have a developing problem with Black Brush Algae, so I am looking for accomplices in that fight.

Nope Snails dont prefer BBA. I know Nerites will eat most any algae like green spot and green dust. But not BBA.

For BBA get some Amano Shrimps. OR SAE. BUT SAE will go after shrimps.

[Ebichua]

I have never seen amanos eat healthy BBA, only dying ones that I've shot with excel. Bladders and ponds don't really do any damage to any kind of algae. If you want to clean up GSA, then get nerites. They clean GSA so amazingly well, you'll never have to scrape glass/equipment again.

BBA is easy to fight because you can kill it with excel injections. In my experience, BBA is like a disease that needs to be introduced into your tank. If it was accidentally introduced and you have unstable environments with lighting hours and/or lack of co2, it will take advantage of the situation and propagate itself. However, there needs to be an initial infection of this algae first. With that being said, as long as your light/co2 regime is on key, get excel or hydrogen peroxide and directly inject it on all visible BBA. Hopefully it hasn't taken over your entire tank and only small blotches of it. I've never allowed BBA to completely take over my tanks before, when I had it. I would squirt them to death at the first signs of BBA and once you kill the main source, it generally just stops growing after that.

Again, to my knowledge, no inverts eat BBA. Only way I've been able to eradicate it is through injection. Be wary of excel injection if this is a shrimp/invert tank. It CAN kill your shrimp too!

[ArchimedesTheDog]

K, I can't find that bladder this morning, but next time I see him he'll be removed.

The BBA is patchy on a few leaves so far. I am squirting Excel straight on it under the water with an eyedropper. As near as I can tell, the dose is .1ml per gallon, right? So two eyedroppers full every day should go well. How bad is that for the one RCS?

[Eldachleich]

For what its worth I like bladder snails.
As long as you arent over feeding the population shouldnt be that noticeable..
Right now I can only find 4 in the 6.6 gallon next to my bed...
Not too unsightly.
And for what its worth, its a good little cleaner.
That and you probably have clear egg sacs all over your aquarium already...

[GEM 35shrimps]

YellowPuffer is the answer

[ArchimedesTheDog]

Don't the Bladder Snails require a second to mate?

And the puffers are great, but I don't think they will mix well with all the timid fish I have in there.

[Eldachleich]

To be honest I don't know. I don't think they do.
I do know that if you see one theres more.
Looking right now I can see 3 egg sacks in my tank...

[diwu13]

You actually have a pond snail. Notice the triangle eye stalks? Bladders have long thin eye stalks. I believe they can breed asexually. Don't quote me on that though.

[ArchimedesTheDog]

I hope I can find it tonight, no sign of it this morning.