# Snail ID



## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

Just wondering what type of snails I have in my tank. The snail itself is almost pitch black. The second pic is the unfortunate demise of the snail in the 1st pic. The o-cats can't suck them off the glass, but if they happen to fall or be floating at the top they are fair game.


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## cwlodarczyk (Sep 18, 2005)

Looks like a run of the mill pond snail to me.


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## werner (Jul 6, 2006)

Whoa! I've never seen otos eat snails before (I have a lot of both.) Guess I'll have to watch more closely.


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

werner said:


> Whoa! I've never seen otos eat snails before (I have a lot of both.) Guess I'll have to watch more closely.


Pretty weird huh? I thought they were either carrying eggs or had an internal problem they are so fat! They will flip over upside down, suck onto the ones floating at the top, bring 'em down & suck 'em out. One of the 6 doesn't eat the snails apparently because he's skinny as a rail :lol:


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## 247Plants (Mar 23, 2006)

Thats amazing that your otos eat snails......I have both and have NEVER seen any of my otos eat anything other than algae


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## Shrimp&Snails (Mar 27, 2006)

That is super weird.

Are you sure the physids are alive when the Ottos are eating them? I kept my Otto with baby snails of all sizes and never had a problem.


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

So is that the official name of my snails? Physids?

The one that he's eating was the one I had just taken a picture of, and dropped back into the tank. So yes, he was alive. I feed them (and my shrimp) zucchini & some algae tabs, so I'm pretty sure it's not outta shear hunger. I guess they just like the taste of a rich fishes life every now and then! :lol:


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## Shrimp&Snails (Mar 27, 2006)

Physa Acuta if my memory serves me correctly.

It's very interesting that your Ottos have a taste for live snails since these guys are shrimplet safe. Do you feed them anything meaty that may have developed their taste for meaty live foods?


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

Cool. I'm not really into snails that much, but I thought these guys looked neat. 

I've only had the ottos in there for about 2 weeks, so I don't know if I did it or they were like that before. The zucchini & algae tabs are the only thing I purposely feed them, but I do feed my cardinals bloodworms. I thought they were just cleaning them at 1st, but then noticed the shells laying around the bottom. I figured they were dying not being eaten until I saw one of the ottos flip one over & suck him out. Pretty wild.


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## Shrimp&Snails (Mar 27, 2006)

I recently started feeding mine to my hubby's loaches and it's so cool the way the loach sucks the snail right out of the shell and eats it.

I used to flush the pest snails but figured it would take a lot longer for them to die this way....I think it's kinder to feed them to loaches.....and this is coming from an animal loving vegetarian.


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

Shrimp&Snails said:


> I recently started feeding mine to my hubby's loaches and it's so cool the way the loach sucks the snail right out of the shell and eats it.
> 
> I used to flush the pest snails but figured it would take a lot longer for them to die this way....I think it's kinder to feed them to loaches.....and this is coming from an animal loving vegetarian.


Probably closer to "nature's way" too if I can steal a line from Steve Irwin :lol:


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