my flying snails

my lfs gave me numerous tiny snails to clean up some algae i was getting.
i'm not sure of the species but they're no more than half a centimeter long
at the largest.


once in a while i'll look into the tank and see a snail literally floating
in mid-water without moving... current and passing fish be damned. it's
tethered by a long string of mucous that is invisible due to it's index of
refraction and totally clear nature. the poor snail writhes around looking
for something to grab onto until a merciful fish passes too close and slices
the mucous tether, letting the snail balloon up to the surface and find a
tank-wall to climb on.



anyone else seen this? first time i saw it i thought the little ******* was
a regular david copperfield, dangling without any visible lines or riccia in
sight.

0rion wrote:

once in a while i'll look into the tank and see a snail literally
floating in mid-water without moving... current and passing fish be
damned. it's tethered by a long string of mucous that is invisible due
to it's index of refraction and totally clear nature. the poor snail
writhes around looking for something to grab onto until a merciful
fish passes too close and slices the mucous tether, letting the snail
balloon up to the surface and find a tank-wall to climb on.

anyone else seen this?

I've had apple snails that would "jump" from the top and "sail" down to
the bottom. Since they would do it repeatedly and immediately in a row,
I have to believe that it was [whatever passes for "intentional" in a
snail's little brain.]

-D
--
"When you've lost your ability to laugh, you've lost your ability to
think straight." -To Inherit the Wind

Donald,

they're messy little gits too aren't they!

Mine are usually cleaning up the protein layer on the top of the water,
weird, but it works...

"0rion" wrote in message
...
my lfs gave me numerous tiny snails to clean up some algae i was getting.
i'm not sure of the species but they're no more than half a centimeter
long
at the largest.


once in a while i'll look into the tank and see a snail literally floating
in mid-water without moving... current and passing fish be damned. it's
tethered by a long string of mucous that is invisible due to it's index of
refraction and totally clear nature. the poor snail writhes around looking
for something to grab onto until a merciful fish passes too close and
slices
the mucous tether, letting the snail balloon up to the surface and find a
tank-wall to climb on.



anyone else seen this? first time i saw it i thought the little *******
was
a regular david copperfield, dangling without any visible lines or riccia
in
sight.

"RedForeman ©®" wrote in message ...
Mine are usually cleaning up the protein layer on the top of the water,
weird, but it works...

"0rion" wrote in message
...
my lfs gave me numerous tiny snails to clean up some algae i was getting.
i'm not sure of the species but they're no more than half a centimeter
long
at the largest.


once in a while i'll look into the tank and see a snail literally floating
in mid-water without moving... current and passing fish be damned. it's
tethered by a long string of mucous that is invisible due to it's index of
refraction and totally clear nature. the poor snail writhes around looking
for something to grab onto until a merciful fish passes too close and
slices
the mucous tether, letting the snail balloon up to the surface and find a
tank-wall to climb on.



anyone else seen this? first time i saw it i thought the little *******
was
a regular david copperfield, dangling without any visible lines or riccia
in
sight.


I have a huge Apple snail and he does the very same thing, though I
have never seen the mucous trail on him. I'm not sure if they can
fill up with air or something to float, but it seems so, as I see
bubbles coming out of his shell when he does this. He will glide
across the tank, current taking him afloat, and then crash-land at the
bottom. Sometimes to make the game more interesting, he will grab just
a shred of a plant and stable himself, only to keep motoring on. As
Donald said, it must be intentional because he does it over and over.
I must say, he is probably my favorite in the tank, his antics keep me
entertained all the time. Silly snails!

Lady Samsara wrote:
I have a huge Apple snail and he does the very same thing, though I
have never seen the mucous trail on him. I'm not sure if they can
fill up with air or something to float, but it seems so, as I see
bubbles coming out of his shell when he does this. He will glide
across the tank, current taking him afloat, and then crash-land at the
bottom. Sometimes to make the game more interesting, he will grab just
a shred of a plant and stable himself, only to keep motoring on. As
Donald said, it must be intentional because he does it over and over.
I must say, he is probably my favorite in the tank, his antics keep me
entertained all the time. Silly snails!

Remember - snails do breath, through either their lungs or their gills
(depending if they are in water or not)