So I looked up at my tank today and noticed a small dot on the front panel. On closer inspection this turned out to be a small snail. I quickly removed it, filled a glass with water from my aquarium, and stored the snail inside it for closer inspection. The snail is alive as I type this, safe in the glass.
After some research it turns out the snail is from the Physidae family and is possibly a Physella Acuta.
I assume it must have been introduced as an egg along with some plant. It is approximately 1cm in length, which appears to be more or less its adult size (according to my research at least).
I'm also assuming the worst and that there are more snails in my aquarium which I still haven't discovered. So...
Does anyone have any experience with these kind of snails?
The Wikipedia article states that they feed on "dead plant and animal matter and various other detritus", which should make them an important part of my aquarium ecosystem. Would anyone recommend keeping them?
If somehow things get out of hand and I experience an explosion of snails, I am considering introducing Khuli Loaches as I heard they feed on snails. The other bottom dwellers in the aquarium are 3 Sterbai Corydoras and a small Common Pleco. Would the Khuli Loaches bother these fish?
Image courtesy of Wikipedia (the snail I found looks exactly like this)
After some research it turns out the snail is from the Physidae family and is possibly a Physella Acuta.
I assume it must have been introduced as an egg along with some plant. It is approximately 1cm in length, which appears to be more or less its adult size (according to my research at least).
I'm also assuming the worst and that there are more snails in my aquarium which I still haven't discovered. So...
Does anyone have any experience with these kind of snails?
The Wikipedia article states that they feed on "dead plant and animal matter and various other detritus", which should make them an important part of my aquarium ecosystem. Would anyone recommend keeping them?
If somehow things get out of hand and I experience an explosion of snails, I am considering introducing Khuli Loaches as I heard they feed on snails. The other bottom dwellers in the aquarium are 3 Sterbai Corydoras and a small Common Pleco. Would the Khuli Loaches bother these fish?