# Recognize this snail?



## elmoisfive (Dec 31, 2004)

Shawn (sports doc) recomended that I post this picture to the ID forum to see if anyone has an idea around the snail ID in this photo....










Also, I'm pretty sure that they are egg eaters but if anyone has information to the contrary (or confirmatory), please comment.

TIA

Bill


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## sierraaquarium (Mar 4, 2006)

looks like one i just pulled out of my garden :? 
at first i was thinking ramshorn, but the body didn't match.
taking the size it is into account, though, i found this one that might match
Common Door Snail (Balea biplicata) http://www.gardensafari.net/english/snails.htm

Too bad you already squashed it... there is another one it could be but you would have to see if it smelled like garlic. :lol:[/url]


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## sports_doc (Nov 15, 2004)

I've got plenty of them  and will try to get some pics...but they look the same as Bill's bugger.

Anyone know if it is a confirmed egg eater?

Bill, we should experiment with some infertile eggs....leave them in the viv and see if the snails come 'running'. 

Interesting is that they congregate on the spot where I dump the ff's in my retic tank....within a half hour from dropping the flys there is usually 2-3 snails...they seem to like the left over powder.

S


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

the congregation at the point of the ff powder introduction is probably due to calcium in the supplement. Most if not all of the substrates used in the terraria are calcium poor and the left over supplement is a ready source for the snails. 

Ed


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## sports_doc (Nov 15, 2004)

yeah I figured that Ed....probably need it for shell substrate...

I take it as an opportunity to squish them :twisted: :twisted: 

S


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## snmreptiles (Feb 26, 2004)

We have those is some of our tanks also. We usually just go on a snail hunt and then put them into our leaf tail gecko tanks. Good eaten for the females! :twisted: 

-Shelley


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## felicitedanes (May 2, 2005)

My tricolor tank is infested with snails that look just like that. The last clutch they laid (only their second ever) had about twelve eggs. I found them one evening, went back to look the next morning, every egg except one was gone, and there were about six of those snails hanging out in the leftover egg goo. I was literally so mad that I cried. So I'm assuming they eat eggs.
Felicite


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## sports_doc (Nov 15, 2004)

felicitedanes said:


> My tricolor tank is infested with snails that look just like that. The last clutch they laid (only their second ever) had about twelve eggs. I found them one evening, went back to look the next morning, every egg except one was gone, and there were about six of those snails hanging out in the leftover egg goo. I was literally so mad that I cried. So I'm assuming they eat eggs.
> Felicite


 :shock: :shock: 

Time for the CO2 trick....for all of us

S


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## felicitedanes (May 2, 2005)

Yes, I've been thinking about that. It'll be a pain to catch the tri's and get them out, but probably worth it if I ever hope to get any offspring from them.


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## Dartfrogfreak (Jun 22, 2005)

Wonder if infertile eggs would actually confirm them as eggeaters.


They may eat the infertile eggs as they are dead organic matter ( Snails are decomposers).

But that doesnt mean they would eat fertile eggs .




THANX,


TODD


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## c'est ma (Sep 11, 2004)

See also this thread:

http://www.dendroboard.com/phpBB2/viewt ... ght=snails

As far as identification to species: I would go to greenhouse type sites--these tiny snails notoriously arrive with potted plants. First noticed them in an orchid pot many years ago--happily, not a viv plant. But then, they showed up in my intermedius viv anyway.

And they definitely do eat the "jelly" of the eggs. I have tried beer traps--and caught a few snails, but mostly Drosophila; a bottle lid of calcium powder--caught no snails but the frogs really tracked it all over the viv sides; and hand picking--probably impossible to achieve complete eradication this way once they are breeding--the big ones are easy to pluck but the babies are infinitesimally small and numerous...

Every time I go out at night and see fireflies I think I ought to look up their larvae and try to dig some up and try that approach...While I may ultimately resort to the CO2 method, I'm putting that off as long as I can as I'd hate to lose the thriving isopod, etc., colonies in my viv, and I hate the idea of trying to capture the frogs, which have lived happily in their viv for a year now with no interferance.

I've found that the snails are quick to find eggs laid on the glass, but seldom locate the eggs in film canisters. Still, I've removed all the latter in futile hopes of raising them outside the viv--am afraid to leave them in for fear the snails will eventually find them...


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

There appears to be some differences in whether or not the snails predate on eggs. I am unsure if this due to population densities, regional species or other factors but while some people have had snail populations in their enclosures with no issues other than some plant damage, I have observed the snails actually feeding on good eggs. For a long time, I had thought that they were just feeding on the jelly or other materials in the petri dishes but then I found a dish with the snail in the process of consuming the egg. 

If you tear down the enclosure, you will need to disinfect any backgrounds etc to ensure that you got rid of all of the snail. I would suggest trying the CO2 method first.. 

Ed


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## c'est ma (Sep 11, 2004)

CO2 is definitely looking better and better. Praise Marty!

I misspoke in my previous post--have not only found the snails consuming jelly but the "white" of the egg as well. Suspect they'd eat it all if I didn't step in--possibly they have and I just never knew about those eggs in the first place.


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