snail questions

[Kendalle]

My roommate got a live plant with 2 common brown snails.. i was wondering if they mate with each other? she also has a apple snail... do they mate with them?

Is she going to be over run with snails in her tank?

right now they are the size... one is like 1/8 in across and one is a little smaller.

[Sasami]

Yes, they'll mate, but it's hard to say whether they'll completely take over. It depends on the tank conditions. They aren't harmful or anything, though, and will help keep algae down.

No, they can't mate with the Apple snail.

[Kendalle]

well she has 2 and i have an apple snail so i was thinking about putting the baby pest snail in my tank so neither will have lots of common pest snails... would that work? i just know when i was little we had our tank have lots and lots and lots of brown snails... it was insane how many.. and i don't want that to happen to her because she doesn't know much about animals, and won't want lots and lots of snails.

[Sharni]

Snails do not need a mate to breed, they can do all that themselves

If you have a snail infestation, you are feeding too heavily, snails will breed like mad things if there is enough food to do so

Having loaches in your tank will keep the snail population under control

[Sasami]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sharni Snails do not need a mate to breed, they can do all that themselves If you have a snail infestation, you are feeding too heavily, snails will breed like mad things if there is enough food to do so Having loaches in your tank will keep the snail population under control

Actually, that's a common misconception about pond snails (but true for some others).

They possess both male and female parts but still need to mate.

And yeah, serious infestations usually mean something's wrong.

[Sharni]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sasami Actually, that's a common misconception about pond snails (but true for some others).

Not what i learnt, while they prefer to use another they can self breed

Australian Museum Online

Quote: In populations with a low number of individuals, for example after a pond snail species freshly settling in a new pond, pond snails are also capable of auto-fertilization.

The above from this site Pond Snails

[Sasami]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sharni Not what i learnt, while they prefer to use another they can self breed Australian Museum Online The above from this site Pond Snails

The second link is interesting, thank you. I have personally not heard of a single pond snail reproducing in an aquarium. I'm not saying it's impossible but I can't seem to find any proof.

But hey, I'm not a snail expert . I'll have to look into it more.

[Sharni]

We both could be correct too, there are quite a few varieties....maybe some can and some cant

[Kendalle]

ok then i think i will ask her if she wants to split them up... that is if we can find them.