love the snail...should I keep it?

C

Canuck2005

AC Members
Jul 11, 2005
30
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Eastern Ontario
I bought this snail from the LFS who said it was a zebra snail and that it was okay for a planted tank. I'm paranoid about snails and want to be sure it's okay for my plants, but couldn't find much online. Also, will the deterioration of it's shell (bought that way unfortunately) heal or does it just stay that way? Hope the pic is clear enough (light brown and black striped, round and fat little guy). thanks! :)

snail.jpg
 
Pretty sure that most aren't asexual... I could be wrong, though.
 
It is a zebra snail. Its a kind of nerite snail. I have one, it is THE BEST algae eater I have. I have high light and never have green spot algae, that stuff that everyone else has to manually scrape off with razor blades. These snails are highly sought after. Usually u find the drab olive nerite snails in stores. These snail will NOT eat plants. I hate apple snails, they are too big and produce a lot of waste and their algae eating capabilities are questionable. Zebra snail like other nerites cannot reproduce in freshwater, they need brackish. So you will never have a population problem. I have been trying to find more zebra snails for a long time with no success, even online. If you bought more of them would u send me some? :-)
 
I'd keep it. From what I understand the nerite snails are as nice as described, and should be a cool addition to your tank.

i suggest an apple snail. They are the only non-asexual snails out there so it's easier to control their population.
Click to expand...

No snails are asexual. Reqad the last response in this post. It pretty well sums it up.
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55452

Dave
 
My vote would be to keep it. Zebra Nerite snails are hard to find. Kissofthegorami summed it up pretty good. Eats algae not plants and won't reproduce in freshwater. What more could you want in a snail?

By your sign on name I guess your Canadian. Can I ask what part of the country? Trying to get my LFS store to order some of these but he says he can't find any.
 
Okay, not only am I gonna keep it, I think I'll get another. Particularly if they won't be making babies. It's possible that I love this snail more than my fish.

I'm in Ontario, have no idea where the LFS got the snails, but they had a lot of them. But they all had the deterioration (which I hope goes away soon?!) so I don't know if their source was any good? Good luck in your search Kissofthegorami, I'd send you one but I'm thinking cross-border snail shipping wouldn't be a good idea. :)
 
In short, there is no such thing as an asexual snail. Snails have gender, may have both functional male and female organs in some types, in others may be one or the other but not both, or in still others may be parthenogenic females. But they are not asexual. Ever seen a snail divide? Or bud off a duplicate? I think not.
 
Drool!!! I wanted to get one of those snail! Theres no snail exacly the one you have around here. Can I buy it from you?? :D :bowing:
LOL. Its probably safer to keep just 1 snail because then if you have... they might be male/female and then breed? OO OO if you do breed them, sell me one of your babies? Ha ha.
 
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