# Snails previously thought extinct found in Alabama!



## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7726719/

Too cool!


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

The Ivory billed woodpecker now snails, whats next... I hope there is more to come, finding animals that we thought was gone forever.


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

Yea I hope so too -- and I hope these snails are algae eaters! (and they get them to multiply fast!)


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## YuccaPatrol (Mar 26, 2006)

I live near the Cahaba River here in Birmingham and sometimes collect a great snail for my tanks. It is somewhat similar to the Malaysian Trumpet Snail in appearance (but a bit fatter), doesn't eat plants, and is a good allgae eater.

Neat thing about it is that it does not reproduce in my tanks so no snail outbreaks.


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

Interesting article about snails...and alabama hidden treasures.

Cheers,
Pedro


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## YuccaPatrol (Mar 26, 2006)

Alabama has truly incredible aquatic diversity. That is why I am here for my PhD in freshwater/marine ecology. 

One little river (The Cahaba) flowing through Birmingham has more than 130 species of fish and we have over 75 species of crayfish in this state.

About the best place in the country if freshwater species diversity is your thing.


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

That's very interesting, Yuccapatrol! Any pictures of the snails you have?


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

> One little river (The Cahaba) flowing through Birmingham has more than 130 species of fish and we have over 75 species of crayfish in this state.


 Very interesting. For some reason, I thought that Birmingham was one of the more polluted areas of 'bama. I'd like to see some pics as well.


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## YuccaPatrol (Mar 26, 2006)

Piscesgirl said:


> That's very interesting, Yuccapatrol! Any pictures of the snails you have?


I'll go take some now for you Piscesgirl


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## YuccaPatrol (Mar 26, 2006)

Here is a photo of those snails I was talking about.

I do get some erosion of the shells after a year or so, but I am sure that is just because my aquariums have a lower pH than the river. 

When collected, these snails range from deep black to golden colored.

As I said, they do not breed in my tanks, but I suspect that has to do with the lower pH and higher temps in my home aquariums. They are a good algae/detrius eater, especially since they are uninterested in plants.


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## T_om (Dec 23, 2004)

I grew up in Birmingham. I learned to swim in the Cahaba River, which we kids called 'the creek' because it was so small near Trussville where we lived. Lots of fond memories. Caught tons of sunfish and a species called a 'sucker'. My grandmother's favorite fish was fried sucker. They had lots of bones but the meat was delicious.

Tom


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## YuccaPatrol (Mar 26, 2006)

Tom,

These snails come right out of your "creek", just north east of Trussville!


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## RoseHawke (Jan 4, 2005)

Here's another article on the snails:

http://www.mobileriverbasin.org/snails.htm

I live about 20' from Five Mile Creek (literally 20', this is what happens occasionally,) there's shiners in the creek (I have no idea what they are) and although I've never actually _seen_ them I know we have a rollicking population of crawdads as I have to drive the lawn tractor over their chimneys in the summer months. The water is normally extremely clear but we are near the headwaters before any of the industry gets to it.


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## Sarahpea (Apr 3, 2006)

You know, with all this budding life, sweet scenery, and awesome limestone filtration system we got in Bama, you'd think we'd be rolling in dough.


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