# found this snail???



## michelleml (Oct 24, 2009)

Can someone tell me what this is? Will it damage/eat my plants? I found it today on one of the plants in my tank. Sorry the picture isn't great but any help will be appreciated thanks









Michelle


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## michelleml (Oct 24, 2009)

i think maybe a ramshorn snail still trying to figure it out


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## Qwertus (Oct 14, 2008)

It looks like ramshorn too, there are only a few types of snails that eats live plants and that one doesn't look like any of the ones I encountered.


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## Six (May 29, 2006)

LOL, that pic makes my head hurt! It's hard to tell but yeah, I think I too see a ranshorn shape. Nothing to be worried about. Don't set any free, they are invasive in some states, FYI.


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Its a Flat Ramshorn snail. I recently got some as hitchhikers on a plant I put in my shrimp tank. They are *very* prolific and will eat plants. Remove and/or crush as soon as you see them and the egg masses too. Skunk Loaches will eat these.


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## Qwertus (Oct 14, 2008)

Skunk loach will only eat flat ramshorn snail? How can you tell its a flat ramshorn from that pic?


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

I downloaded the picture to my computer and enlarged it. I looks just like the dudes I have been fighting in my shrimp tank.

Dwarf Chain Laoch will eat these too and look a lot nicer than a Skunk loach, IMO.


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## Six (May 29, 2006)

never heard of a flat ramshorn snail. got a pic?


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## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

I've got lots of ramshorns and the snail in the pic looks just like the babies. They always lie flat in my tanks until they get a little bigger and can support the shell they're dragging around. I've never had a problem with them eating healthy plant tissue, just damaged and dying leaves.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

It could be any number of ramshorns. I have at least 3 varieties of ramshorn in my tank (at least I used to before the Apistos started waging war). I'll try to get some good pics tonight of teh tiny flat ones like Newt has and the larger ones I got from mudboots.

So far, ALL the snails I have (pond, trumpet, ram... ) only eat on the leaves that are already damaged or dying. They have not messed with the healthy leaves. (Although, the pond snails did munch on _Hygrophila polysperma_ when I had that plant. )


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

I have the flat ramshorn snails as well. They do sometimes eat new healthy leaves. They nibble on the buds of some plants sometimes, but don't eat the whole leaf. They also seem to be out competed by other snails in the tank over time and eventually die out.


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

I hope ypu are right Zapins about them dying out over time. I go in several times a day and remove snails and the egg masses.


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## LVKSPlantlady (Oct 4, 2009)

Ha See this is what I have in my tank! Everyone told me they were babies and would grow out of the flat sideways and be upright, they just keep getting bigger and are still flat, I'm going to put my 2 skunk loaches in this tank from another as soon as I can catch the little buggers! And get rid of them for good, I've got normal ramshorns in another tank


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## michelleml (Oct 24, 2009)

I found this one this morning what is it is it good or bad? I guess im not cleaning off plants good enought cause i don't know how im getting these


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

That is a ramshorn. They have always been good for me.

-Dave


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## michelleml (Oct 24, 2009)

how do i get more?


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

It will likely be laying eggs soon. I'm not sure about snail anatomy and physiology, but it always seems like I only had 1 snail of whatever type, and then there were a hundred.

Oh, I could never get a good pic of those tiny ramshorns until today when a nerite had plowed over a couple. Very funny! Attahed is the pic.

-Dave


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## michelleml (Oct 24, 2009)

Dave funny picture
I have a flat ramshorn also it looks like the one in the picture.


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