Help - I bought a snail!

[McEve]

And I'm not really sure which type it is...... stupid huh :-P But it is
gorgeous!

I looked at applesnail.com, and *think* it is this one:

http://www.applesnail.net/content/species/pomacea_bridgesi.htm

but this one also looks a bit like it:

http://www.applesnail.net/content/species/pomacea_flagellata.htm

And if it's the latter I'll throw it in the toilet and flush! It will eat
all my plants..? Nuhu, no way, won't happen LOL

How can I tell for sure? I mean except waiting 3 days and see if I have any
plants left? I have sudied the 3D-models they have, but I really dont feel
sure....

Also, when I first put it in the fishtank, it took a walk all around it,
looked like it was checking the place out. but after an hour it closed the
door and won't come out. This was about 5 hours ago now. Is it asleep?

Needless to say I know nothing about snails, but that won't be forever, I'll
find out how to keep it happy - unless it eats my plants....

I'll put som pictures of it here:

http://public.questus.dyndns.org/snail.html

--
Nina

[RedForeman ©®]

It is NOT this one...
> http://www.applesnail.net/content/species/pomacea_bridgesi.htm

and I'm pretty sure it isn't this one....
> http://www.applesnail.net/content/species/pomacea_flagellata.htm

In fact, it really looks more like this one...
http://www.applesnail.net/content/species/marisa_cornuarietis.htm

Pomacea paludosa: Almost flat sutures with an over 90° angle, which gives
the snail a cone shaped shell top (spine).
Pomacea canaliculata group: indented sutures, less than 90°angle.
This shell is more globose (rounder) than the Pomacea bridgesii shell.
Pomacea bridgesii: flat shoulders and 90° sutures (scalariform).
The flat shoulder, however, becomes less apparent in the last whorls of the
shell.

More links to help you identify it..
http://www.applesnail.net/content/various/recognize.htm
http://www.applesnail.net/content/species_genera.htm#identify

[McEve]

"RedForeman ©®" > wrote in message
...
> In fact, it really looks more like this one...
> http://www.applesnail.net/content/species/marisa_cornuarietis.htm
>

But that one has a totally flat profile, my snail has a cone shaped
profile..... I was hoping it was the bridgesi... why are you sure it isn't
that one?

Thanks for helping!

--
Nina

[RedForeman ©®]

> > In fact, it really looks more like this one...
> > http://www.applesnail.net/content/species/marisa_cornuarietis.htm
> >
>
> But that one has a totally flat profile, my snail has a cone shaped
> profile..... I was hoping it was the bridgesi... why are you sure it isn't
> that one?
>
> Thanks for helping!
>
> --
> Nina
>
>
Maybe I'm a bad judge, and maybe I couldn't tell by your pictures, my bad...
I'm sure someone will know more than I do about snails....

[Jennifer Brooks]

>Also, when I first put it in the fishtank, it took a walk all around it,
>looked like it was checking the place out. but after an hour it closed the
>door and won't come out. This was about 5 hours ago now. Is it asleep?
>

It looks very much like bridgessi to me, I raise them and the shell is the same
as yours. Bridgessi doesn't get much bigger than a golf ball, cana's and some
of the others get to the size of a softball.
You can often stop plant eating by making sure you give them algae wafers,
every day. Even bridgessi will nibble your plants if they are hungry. Apple
snails are a big animal, and eat a huge amount of food. Keep the wafers in
there and your damage will be minimal.
They do close themselves up in their houses when resting or stressed. He'll be
back out, drop a wafer by his head, you will see movement!
Snails rule, have fun with him!~
Jen

[Wm Hopkins]

"McEve" > wrote in message
...
>
> And I'm not really sure which type it is...... stupid huh :-P But it is
> gorgeous!
>
> I looked at applesnail.com, and *think* it is this one:
>
> http://www.applesnail.net/content/species/pomacea_bridgesi.htm
>
> but this one also looks a bit like it:
>
> http://www.applesnail.net/content/species/pomacea_flagellata.htm
>
> And if it's the latter I'll throw it in the toilet and flush! It will eat
> all my plants..? Nuhu, no way, won't happen LOL
>
> How can I tell for sure? I mean except waiting 3 days and see if I have
any
> plants left? I have sudied the 3D-models they have, but I really dont feel
> sure....
>
> Also, when I first put it in the fishtank, it took a walk all around it,
> looked like it was checking the place out. but after an hour it closed the
> door and won't come out. This was about 5 hours ago now. Is it asleep?
>
> Needless to say I know nothing about snails, but that won't be forever,
I'll
> find out how to keep it happy - unless it eats my plants....
>
> I'll put som pictures of it here:
>
> http://public.questus.dyndns.org/snail.html
>
> --
> Nina
>

Hi Nina,

Let me state upfront that I'm no expert but I'd say you have P. flagellata.
Looking at your pics shows a definite curve of the shoulder (front edge).
Looking at the pics in RF's link shows that the operculum and opening of M.
cornuarietis are shaped wrong along with a vertical profile. Comparing the
whorls between bridgesi and flagellata can be difficult. My "apple" used to
climb to the top of my 110 (30") and bail off. After landing on a rock
several times the whorls were scarred similar to what yours shows.

HTH,

Bill

[McEve]

"Wm Hopkins" > wrote in message
ink.net...
>
> Hi Nina,
>
> Let me state upfront that I'm no expert but I'd say you have P.
flagellata.
> Looking at your pics shows a definite curve of the shoulder (front edge).
> Looking at the pics in RF's link shows that the operculum and opening of
M.
> cornuarietis are shaped wrong along with a vertical profile. Comparing the
> whorls between bridgesi and flagellata can be difficult. My "apple" used
to
> climb to the top of my 110 (30") and bail off. After landing on a rock
> several times the whorls were scarred similar to what yours shows.
>
> HTH,
>
> Bill
>
>

*lalalalalalalalalala* don't want to hear you! LOL I do hope it's not one of
those, they're the ones that ruin your plants in 3 days aren't they.....

There are more pictures of it now, I took some after it decided to come
out...

http://public.questus.dyndns.org/snail.html

Please tell me there's something there that makes you think it's not a
flagellata..? He's not welcome if it's one of those!


Nina

[Eric Schreiber]

"McEve" > wrote:

>But that one has a totally flat profile, my snail has a cone shaped
>profile..... I was hoping it was the bridgesi... why are you sure it isn't
>that one?

I agree with Red - I don't *think* it's a bridgesii. The sutures
appear just a little too deep, more like a canaliculata. Still, I'm
not positive. Could you post some more pictures showing the sutures
from a couple more angles?

--
www.ericschreiber.com

[Eric Schreiber]

"McEve" > wrote:

>It's been out and about now! When it woke up it immediately started eating
>on a leaf of one of the plants, I kept a *very* close eye on it to see what
>happened. But when it left the leaf was stil there, only now the algae on
>the leaf was gone!

That certainly sounds more like a bridgesii than a canaliculata. The
real test may be what it does when it comes across a tender new leaf.
My canaliculatas were like lawn mowers on my plants, especially the
tender parts. My bridgesii on the other hand preferred algae and dead
plant material.


--
www.ericschreiber.com

[Eric Schreiber]

"McEve" > wrote:

>I didn't know that, I thought they had only lungs! I did take a few more
>pictures of him though, have a look at
>http://public.questus.dyndns.org/snail.html The three at the bottom are new.
>(crossing my fingers his one of the good guys) i still have all my plants,
>after 24 hours, so he might be ok?


I'm still uncertain, but I'm beginning to think it may indeed be a
bridgesii. I still have the shell from my bridgesii that died a few
months ago, and yours looks very close. The deep sutures at the
largest area of the shell seem a bit too deep, but on the one I've got
here the sutures in that same area are also deeper than elsewhere.

Since you say he's not too active yet, it's probably too soon to take
the lack of plant damage as an solid indicator, but it's a hopeful
sign at least.

Keep your fingers crossed. A few days should tell for sure.

--
www.ericschreiber.com

[McEve]

"Eric Schreiber" > wrote in message
> I'm still uncertain, but I'm beginning to think it may indeed be a
> bridgesii. I still have the shell from my bridgesii that died a few
> months ago, and yours looks very close. The deep sutures at the
> largest area of the shell seem a bit too deep, but on the one I've got
> here the sutures in that same area are also deeper than elsewhere.
>
> Since you say he's not too active yet, it's probably too soon to take
> the lack of plant damage as an solid indicator, but it's a hopeful
> sign at least.
>
> Keep your fingers crossed. A few days should tell for sure.

I'll let you know how it goes, thanks for your help! I'll post in 2 or 3
days and tell you wether his now an escargot or a loved member of my fish
community :-)

--
Nina

[Kay]

McEve wrote:

>
> "Jennifer Brooks" > wrote in message
> ...
>> >Also, when I first put it in the fishtank, it took a walk all around it,
>> >looked like it was checking the place out. but after an hour it closed
> the
>> >door and won't come out. This was about 5 hours ago now. Is it asleep?
>> >
>>
>> It looks very much like bridgessi to me, I raise them and the shell is
>> the
> same
>> as yours. Bridgessi doesn't get much bigger than a golf ball, cana's and
> some
I feed mine rinsed canned green beans they love it! , Rinsed canned kale and
greens also, blanced cucumbers to,

Kay

[McEve]

"Kay" > wrote in message
news:Esv8b.428055$o%2.194670@sccrnsc02...
> Looks like a bridgessi. I have around 30 or so. The only plant I saw them
> eat was hygropheila, sunset or giant it does not matter, other than that
> all my plabts are safe.
>
> Kay

I'm so glad to hear that Kay! I feel confident I got hold of a good guy
now, which is terriffic. I'll keep canned green beans in mind, it sure won't
have lettuce.... maybe if I let go limp and half dead before giving it to
him?

BTW, is it normal for these snails to float on the surface? He's doing it
again now, the current is moving him slowly around the tank, and he seems
quite content to let that happen. I want him on the bottom cleaning algae
from my small Cryptocoryne .. :-)

Does what I've told about it's behaviour sound normal to you?

Thanks.

--
Nina

[Mr. Boesmani]

And if you do get one of the bad guys - I managed to find a use for mine.
His name is Snailzilla (because he's a monster!). I can keep him in the
hospital/quarantine tank all by himself and he keeps it cycled and ready to
go at all times. Just toss in an algae wafer or a green leafy vegetable
daily, and everything is OK. I always have two such tanks (one usually has
fry of one sort or another). Remove the snail before medicating any fish
because many of those meds are not snail friendly.

[McEve]

"Mr. Boesmani" > wrote in message
...
> And if you do get one of the bad guys - I managed to find a use for mine.
> His name is Snailzilla (because he's a monster!). I can keep him in the
> hospital/quarantine tank all by himself and he keeps it cycled and ready
to
> go at all times. Just toss in an algae wafer or a green leafy vegetable
> daily, and everything is OK. I always have two such tanks (one usually
has
> fry of one sort or another). Remove the snail before medicating any fish
> because many of those meds are not snail friendly.
>
>

I have now had the snail 48 hours, and no plants are eaten. But it spends a
lot of time floating on the surface, sticking his snorkel out regularly.
When it's on the bottom the door is only ajar, I haven't seen him walking
about since the first day. Did I scare/hurt it with the flash of the camera?
Or could it be that it doesn't like it in my enviorment and is trying to
"float away" to greener pastures?

Nina

[Phil Every]

> When it's on the bottom the door is only ajar, I haven't seen him walking
> about since the first day. Did I scare/hurt it with the flash of the
camera?
> Or could it be that it doesn't like it in my enviorment and is trying to
> "float away" to greener pastures?

"He" could well be off laying eggs
I thought the hitch-hiker we got from our plants was cool, then 'he'
multiplied. Still I guess it got me interested in Clown Loaches, which are
so far my favorite fish I've kept.

[Kay]

McEve wrote:

>
> "Kay" > wrote in message
> news:Esv8b.428055$o%2.194670@sccrnsc02...
>> Looks like a bridgessi. I have around 30 or so. The only plant I saw
>> them eat was hygropheila, sunset or giant it does not matter, other than
>> that all my plabts are safe.
>>
>> Kay
>
> I'm so glad to hear that Kay! I feel confident I got hold of a good guy
> now, which is terriffic. I'll keep canned green beans in mind, it sure
> won't have lettuce.... maybe if I let go limp and half dead before giving
> it to him?
>
> BTW, is it normal for these snails to float on the surface? He's doing it
> again now, the current is moving him slowly around the tank, and he seems
> quite content to let that happen. I want him on the bottom cleaning algae
> from my small Cryptocoryne .. :-)
>
> Does what I've told about it's behaviour sound normal to you?
>
> Thanks.

Yes some of mine start floating, sometimes up to a few weeks some times only
a day or two. I kinda check them after a few days, its like they are
hybernating or something, but I have had a few dye of old age and I always
find them on the bottom. I can tell if an apple snail died cause the water
clouds up abit and I start checking all the snails.

With the green beans I rinse them then split them up in baggies and freeze
the portions per serving, a can goes along way!

Kay

[Kay]

Ohh sorry to hear it, you might just gotten a sick snail! It has happens.

Kay